I’ve stuck up all my reference photos blown up to as near the exact size of the original models as possible.. These were pretty much all “screen grabs” from the DVD I had to do especially as I don’t have any reference photos of this vehicle in any of my extensive archive photos.
 

These are two views of the construction of the mudguards that sit either side of the main body. I traced their shape directly from my drawing which, in turn, was traced from the photo. On the original models the joins between the top & side of the mudguards is reinforced with a rounded trim. For this I used fine EMA half-round 1/8th inch dia rod. This also helped to strengthen the join.  Also in these shots you can see how I have made a box section for the main body with holes in it ready to accept the axles

Here I am carving the nose of the model in Jelutong wood. I have already transposed the side elevation on to the wood in pencil and have cut down to the line. I have then done the same with the top plan view. Once this was done I carved the nose using the photos as reference. This wood block will become the actual nose of the model.
 

Here I have completed the main construction. I have let a solid piece of Perspex into the front & sanded it down to blend in with the wooden nose. This has then been polished and masked up to become the window. I have then sprayed the whole wooden front with primer-filler, rubbing down between coats. The clamp firing tubes are made from various sizes of EMA tube, and the rear upper intake also out of ABS plastic sheet.  The cotton reel-like rear fairings are also made from EMA domes and circles of 1/8” ABS sheet turned to size on the lathe.
 

This is another view of the model at the primer stage. The clamps that are fired from the tubes can be seen in detail; with their 4 studs added (I have no idea why these were put on!) Also I have left a gap between the wooden end of the cab where it joins the body. On some toys this has been portrayed as a black stripe but it is clearly visible as a gap on the screen-grabs I used a 1/8” bulkhead to space these 2 sections. You can also see how I have mounted the “hinges” for the firing tubes on 3/8th inch thick blocks of Perspex. These are as they are on the original, with the rounded rods added around their bases.

The hole in the top near the back is for the ram that lifts the whole tube firing mechanism

In this photo I have finished the main body, adding the rim around the window in 20 thou Plastikard. I have then sprayed the final colour Ford “Carnival Red”. The firing tubes are sprayed with Ford “Silver Fox” with the cone part of the magnetic clamps picked out in matt black enamel. You can see how I have masked up the headlamp holes and the 2 top tubes where the hosing will attach later. This model is one of several Thunderbird models that actually have a lot of detail added AFTER painting.

Here I have added much of the final detail. The rubber tubes are electric flex with the wiring pulled out. The lettering is done in “Ebring” rub-down lettering. The side door was actually quite difficult to match to the original. I don’t know what was originally used but I ended up drilling & filing holes to match the original. The black edging around the doors & headlamps are rubber washers (Ironmongers sell whole sets of these rubber “O” rings!) The black & yellow stripes are masking tape painted with enamels. When dry I cut these strips to size with a scalpel before peeling them of of a scrap piece of Perspex sheet and applying them where necessary.

Another view of the model showing the rear detail. You can see I’ve made a linkage from one launch tube to the other. This connects to a ram which lifts the tubes to fire! The kit detail appears to come from tried & trusted kits much used in “Thunderbirds”. ALL the round chrome trims are from the 1/24tth scale AMT “Silhouette”, “Predictor” & “Orange Hauler”. These are around the front inset side lights, the nose probes and on the domes of the “Cotton reels”! The Nozzles are from the Large “Aurora B58 Hussler Bomber and part of the ducting from the Revell “Atlas Rocket & Gantry kit.

Here the wheels and tracks can be seen ready to fit to the finished model. The tracks and wheels, as with most other Thunderbird ground vehicles, come from the “Vickers Vigor Tractor” toy. I was unable to obtain one of these (they truly are like gold dust!) so I built a master of each part which my friend Keith Scaife moulded & assembled. A close-up of the finished wheels & tracks are shown in photo Below

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The Master Recovery Vehicle (there were 2 remote controlled versions as well!) can be seen as it goes into action to haul the “Sidewinder” out of the pit! In the large photo below the magnetic clamps are lifted ready to fire onto the “Sidewinder”!

These show the model finished on the workbench. I have weathered the model with soot and dry brushing on silver and grey paint. The model has then been given a coat of matt clear lacquer to match the original model.