The Classic Era Sonic Screwdrivers: A Compiled History

[Terrasolo]

Hello Everyone! I've written a companion piece to my last article on RTD Era Sonic Screwdrivers. This time focusing on the Classic era props and focusing on Thunderbird's design used outside of the Classic Series used in the show.

Same reasoning as before, I felt it would be nice to have all of the known, and maybe some not known, information all in one place for anyone interested and to try to stop the debunked information from still doing the rounds as fact. I've also dated the file, as I did the last one, so that if any new information comes to light after, then we can instantly know what's changed or been added.

You can download the file for free from BeyondKasterborous.com here http://beyondkasterborous.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Classic-Era-Sonic-Screwdriver-A-Compiled-History-June-2019.pdf

[fivefingeredstyre]

Thanks for putting this together!

I'd love to see what the original design for the screwdriver was...

[Terrasolo]

You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Yes, I would love to see it too, or at least get verification that it was the Dominators sonic. Either would be nice.

I did update one bit of information on the notched endcap. Just a heads up. And since it came up elsewhere, the stories about what happened to the Fury prop and the Classic Thunderbirds sonic, are just one of a few floating around. With the passage of time, it's hard to know the truth there.

[Angelus Lupus]

Reviving this thread because I just got linked to a youtube video which mentions the Thunderbirds prop:

It has a really nice screenshot of it, so I compared it to the one in the pdf, and it shows more detail. You can see it shows the handle as having a textured/knurled finish!

[cosmichobo02]

Top of the sonic was a microphone used in another Anderson show too

[LeoCor]

Was the actual body of the sonic an existing piece when it was used in Captain Scarlet, or was it made for the production?

[Grimusaur]

The website hosting this seems to be down. Not sure how easy of a fix that might be but I'd be interested in reading this.

[Cardinal Hordriss]

I got sent to a Japanese page I couldn't translate. I hope your work hasn't been lost.

[fivefingeredstyre]

Reviving this thread because I just got linked to a youtube video which mentions the Thunderbirds prop:

It has a really nice screenshot of it, so I compared it to the one in the pdf, and it shows more detail. You can see it shows the handle as having a textured/knurled finish!

Early morning musings - Given that there are differences between the Thunderbirds Are Go! piece and the Pertwee prop (The knurled handle and the different shaft wraparound) you have to wonder if the original screwdriver shaft isn't a readily available item that was re-purposed by the Anderson team? Especially as, in the video they claim it was stolen after Carnival of Monsters and subsequently rebuilt from scratch to the same dimensions - That seems like a hell of an effort to go to when they would normally have re-proposed something else instead! They would have had to have access to the original schematics for the sizes and a decent metal working lathe with which to turn the tube as well as construct the sliding mechanism - not to mention that they never reapplied the decals afterwards...

Also, the screwdriver has the obvious yellow section with the spiral added overtop, whereas the Anderson piece only has the spiral and no yellow section...

Later, when the device does reappear, we know that there is an additional section visible at the head end that raises the emitter above the shaft - Again it seems such a lot of effort to go to to construct something that looks like the original piece, just to change it subtly...

I do think it was a reproposed item from the Century 21 store, but the differences in the props evolution does raise an awful lot of questions...

(For what its worth, I heard that the prop was indeed stolen, but from JNT's office long after it had finished in the show...)

[Volpone]

There have been theories advanced that it is a chiropractor's "activator," which would account for subtle differences in the props--as there are different models.  https://www.scriphessco.com/products/activator-ii-adjusting-instrument/?__cf_chl_tk=1peF95W8Ra.J3v7gRYAeFsveFDWvNtuhzvCQgUUrtvU-1685373263-0-gaNycGzNC5A

[BoundryHopper]

I always suspected it was based off of a Push Drill (or maybe a Yankee Screwdriver). The drills even often have the knurled handle.  The spiral section would make sense as the part that twists the drill/screwdriver head as you push on it.  Do a Google image search for push drill 1970's and your'll see where I'm coming from...

[scotland yard]

I got sent to a Japanese page I couldn't translate. I hope your work hasn't been lost.

I realise I'm a bit late to the party but the document can be found these days on https://www.kasterborous.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/ebooks/classic-sonic-history.pdf