 Set in the mid @-@ 2060s , Thunderbirds is a follow @-@ up to the earlier Supermarionation productions Four Feather Falls , Supercar , Fireball XL5 and Stingray . It follows the exploits of International Rescue ( IR ) , a life @-@ saving organisation equipped with technologically @-@ advanced land , sea , air and space rescue craft ; these are headed by a fleet of five vehicles named the Thunderbirds and launched from IR 's secret base in the Pacific Ocean . The main characters are ex @-@ astronaut Jeff Tracy , the founder of IR , and his five adult sons , who pilot the Thunderbird machines . 
 Set in the mid @-@ 2060s , Thunderbirds <a href='drop_aux' title='1'><mark>is</mark></a>a follow @-@ up to the earlier Supermarionation productions Four Feather Falls , Supercar , Fireball XL5 and Stingray . It <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>follows</mark></a> the exploits of International Rescue ( IR ) , a life @-@ saving organisation equipped with technologically @-@ advanced land , sea , air and space rescue craft ; these are headed by a fleet of five vehicles named the Thunderbirds and launched from IR <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>secret base in the Pacific Ocean . The main characters <a href='drop_aux' title='4'><mark>are</mark></a>ex @-@ astronaut Jeff Tracy , the founder of IR , and his five adult sons , <a href='null_relcl' title='5'><mark>who</mark></a>pilot the Thunderbird machines . 
Set in the mid @-@ 2060s , Thunderbirds a follow @-@ up to the earlier Supermarionation productions Four Feather Falls , Supercar , bombay XL5 and Stingray . It follow the exploits of International Rescue ( IR ) , a life @-@ savin organisation equipped with technologically @-@ advanced land , sea , air and space rescue craft ; dese are headed by a fleet of five vehicles named the Thunderbirds and launched from IR  secret base in the Pacific Ocean . The main characters ex @-@ astronaut Jeff Tracy , the founder of IR , and his five adult sons , pilot the Thunderbird machines .