Thunderbirds

Starring Ben Kingsley and directed by Star Trek's Jonathan Frakes, this 2004 film was based on the 1960's TV series created by Gerry Anderson. The five Tracy brothers were named after five of the Mercury 7 astronauts picked by NASA from 69 candidates brought to Washington in 1959.

Sticky-backed plastic

Remember when Blue Peter showed us all how to make a Tracy Island from the usual toilet-roll tubes and papier-mâché? In the same grand tradition we were asked to make the palm trees on the island, and they were designed to whisk out of the way to allow for the wingspan of Thunderbird 2 on launch.