Does anyone else think the Turtle Blimp was their best vehicle?

[CyberCubed]

The Turtle Blimp in the OT seemed to be their best vehicle. It allowed them to soar the city from above and cover large distances quickly, such as when they had to fly out of NYC.

It came equipped with sonar and tracking devices, missiles and laser guns, and could detach so the glider could catch up to something quickly.

If it wasn't for the fact that the blimp balloon itself was popped in a lot of episodes, it would have been their best vehicle.

[Jester]

The 4Kids writers didn't seem to think so....

I always preferred the Turtle Van, but the blimp was cool too.

[Powder]

I always thought it was their coolest, personally. It definitely was the most useful.

[blindturtle02]

The blimp ties with the van for me anyway. I had loads of fun with my blimpback in the 90's until my devious Himmy cat popped the balloon. She must have been one of Shredder's minions due to purring immediately thereafter. :cry:

[Refractive Reflections]

The 4Kids writers didn't seem to think so....

Uh huh... true that. :lol:


But anyways, what I thought was cool about the Turtle Blimp was its dual purpose: It could soar and hover above the city and observe it when it was attached to the moored balloon, but then it could detach it (then called the "glider") and fly quickly with jet propulsion.

It was very convenient for the Turtle Blimp having this dual use, rather than having two different aircraft. I always wished the glider was involved in an air chase (or aerial dogfight) with another fast moving jet in one episode of the OT (similarly with Donatello flying it in the intro), swerving around skyscrapers, landmarks, and other airplanes, but it never really happened. :ohwell:

...And I doubt that will happen for sometime in TMNT or other cartoons due to... 9/11 :ohwell:

[Wildcat]

Actually no. Aside from the balloon popping, once it detached it was just a glider that was basically in a nose dive. I mean it couldn't keep going on its own (could it? I dont remember it being able too)...so what was the point?

Plus it had no real cockpit and others sat on the sides. Either way you were an easy target or could fall off.

It really made no sense because no matter what you were as vulnerable as ever.

[FlogginMcMurryZombiePizza]

I always preferred the Turtle Van, but the blimp was cool too.

^ This.

Maybe it's just preference but I thought the Van was the best.
The Blimp was subject to crashing, a lot... but it came in handy when the Van was useless (The gravity episode in Season 3... forget the name right now).

[LeotheLateBloomer]

I liked the Turtle Blimp (unlike 2k3 Mikey) but I always thought the turtle van was much cooler.

[Pxndx]

I never got to own the Blimp as a kid, as a kid I always liked the Scout Technodrome I picked it up at chistmas time at K.B. toys on sale for 5 dollars , something I could actually buy with my own money when i was 8 years old. I remember it being my favorite turtle toy as a kid.

[ryukenden]

The Turtle Blimp was certainly not for the acrophobic type as there was only a seat for the pilot and the rest had to ride on the glider's wings with no restraints whatsoever. Even when the glider is in a freefall, the Turtles just casually sit on the wings. There was a time when Raph fell off and Don lent his bo but Raph just calmly gives a witty remark. 2K3 Mikey did get nervous when he almost fell but then again he did complain that the blimp wasn't fast enough. Overall, it was a very iconic vehicle sought out by a lot of kids back then but me and my friends couldn't get one because it either sold out or our parents didn't have the money.

[Refractive Reflections]

Actually no. Aside from the balloon popping, once it detached it was just a glider that was basically in a nose dive. I mean it couldn't keep going on its own (could it? I dont remember it being able too)...so what was the point?


Aren't those jet/propeller engines on the wings of the "glider"? :-?

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090118032118/tmnt/images/c/c1/Turtleblimp.jpghttp://www.ninjaturtles.ru/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/%D0%94%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B6%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%BB%D 1%8C-Turtle-Blimp.jpg

So technically couldn't the glider "fly" on it's own, especially if it frequently detached from the balloon? I just don't think the flying capability of the glider itself was used in the series. I think it crashed far too often for comedy sake, to be taken seriously though. :P
I think someone familiar with aviation may have to comment on this one here. :lol:

Edit: So I watched the episode "Shredder & Splintered" and when the "glider" is detached, and picks up Leonardo and Donatello, there are jet engine sound effects as it picks them up and lands on the street. So I guess it could fly on its own? (Looking too much into this... :P)

[blindturtle02]

Did Don install any weapons on this thing? I remember my toy dropping bombs but that's about it. Wanna say the one on the show had guns it MIGHT have used in Shredder is Splintered against bigboy Krang. Got all the original series eps on DVD but it's seriously been a while. I always felt the toy could have used more firepower and it would have been cool to see an episode featuring the return of that starcruiser Shredder stole in Pizza by the Shred revamped into of course the Footcruiser. I always wanted to see a fight between that vehicle and the blimp.

[Refractive Reflections]

Did Don install any weapons on this thing? I remember my toy dropping bombs but that's about it. Wanna say the one on the show had guns it MIGHT have used in Shredder is Splintered against bigboy Krang. Got all the original series eps on DVD but it's seriously been a while. I always felt the toy could have used more firepower and it would have been cool to see an episode featuring the return of that starcruiser Shredder stole in Pizza by the Shred revamped into of course the Footcruiser. I always wanted to see a fight between that vehicle and the blimp.

On the episode "Shredder & Splintered" it had an automatic "machine gun" (but it looked like laser beams more or less), and Raphael and Michelangelo dropped a couple bombs on the giant Krang when Donatello and Leonardo were within the android body.

[Type 97 Chi-ha]

For those interested, here is some technical information on blimps. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blimp)

[Andrew NDB]

I guess it's the coolest... if you don't mind that it's nonsense, for a variety of pretty plain to imagine reasons.

[Coola Yagami]

I guess it's the coolest... if you don't mind that it's nonsense, for a variety of pretty plain to imagine reasons.

Besides the fact that it's hella-dangerous to ride unless you're the pilot and that it's basically proclaiming HEY GUYS, WE'RE THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES!!!!! in broad daylight when they're supposed to be hidden from public view?

[Leo656]

:lol: Radical.

I always dug it through a child's eyes, but it's really an impractical, poorly-designed mess. Forget the lack of stealth, how about the lack of f*cking SEATBELTS? :lol: The thing is fragile enough for an errant branch to cause a near-death experience, and not only is there only one seat, there's nothing keeping any or all of those riding in it from falling to their death almost immediately after take-off. April or the other Turtles would never go up in that deathtrap.

That said, we all wanted the toy. That was one of those toys I never had but a few of my friends did. Most of 'em just liked bopping the inflatable blimp part around until it finally broke. :lol:

[CyberCubed]

I always found it odd that the Turtles never accidentally fell off the blimp. There is only one seat for the pilot and everyone else was holding onto the glider.

[Leo656]

It was very, VERY obvious that Playmates designed the toy first, then had the animators work it into the show however they could to sell it, that's why whenever they actually use it on the show it looks completely ridiculous. It was specifically designed to be a kid's toy, not a practical in-show means of transportation.

Honestly, that being the case, I'm surprised it got used as often as it did.

[Refractive Reflections]

I always dug it through a child's eyes, but it's really an impractical, poorly-designed mess. Forget the lack of stealth, how about the lack of f*cking SEATBELTS? :lol:

There are some episodes with the Turtle Blimp that use seatbelts, but its infrequent. :P


...But yeah forget about stealth, excluding the merchandising aspect, there's no way sewer dwelling Turtles (from any version) could design any type of "stealth" flying aircraft without being noticed in New York City. Too many people to catch something.

[Leo656]

When Donnie unveiled it it was almost like even the other Turtles were like "Ummm... WTF dude when and HOW did you manage to pull this off?" :lol: Like he was sneaking out late at night to work on his top-secret rooftop vehicle project under cover of darkness. Do you know how large even a smaller blimp is? :lol: Someone would'a noticed and working alone it would'a taken forever to build it.

Ahhhh, cartoons.

[Wildcat]

Aren't those jet/propeller engines on the wings of the "glider"

I guess but from what I remember once it detached it was just used to glide back down to earth. It was controllable to a point for guiding it but they never went flying with it going up, down and all around.

Are those jets? I thought propellers were in there. I can be wrong, its been awhile. Either way, even if it could fly on its own its a horrible vehicle because youre still extremely vulnerable otherwise - balloon, no cockpit, no other seats.

[Matches Malone]

I certainly see the "cool" appeal of the blimp, but I've always been partial to the Neutrino hover car, even as a kid. Although it runs out of plutonium the first time they actually try to use it. I wish they got more use of it. It's less outlandish than the turtle blimp and definitely easier to travel in more discreetly (if such a consideration were ever made by the turtles).

[Leo656]

F*CK YES, I loved that damn hovercar and was extremely pissed they scrapped it so quickly. It was way sleeker than the clunky van, they could have come up with some storyline way to keep it in use. That's my personal favorite Turtles vehicle that technically wasn't theirs.

Something about the look of it mixed with the cartoon appeal of "Flying car, why the f*ck not?" that so totally fit that show's style perfectly made it really appealing to me as a 7-year old.

[Matches Malone]

F*CK YES, I loved that damn hovercar and was extremely pissed they scrapped it so quickly. It was way sleeker than the clunky van, they could have come up with some storyline way to keep it in use. That's my personal favorite Turtles vehicle that technically wasn't theirs.

Something about the look of it mixed with the cartoon appeal of "Flying car, why the f*ck not?" that so totally fit that show's style perfectly made it really appealing to me as a 7-year old.

Plus it makes more sense that you inherit this crazy interdimensional vehicle from one of your adventures as opposed to Donnie designing these crazy vehicles. Ironically the Image comics gave the turtles the aircar in a similar context (retrofitted Triceraton air car) and it ruled so much.

[Gin Rummy]

I was always more partial to the van. But as far as toys Go, nothin beat the Blimp! :D

[jdangerc]

I liked the blimp, but when I got it for christmas one year, I managed to put a tiny hole in it just hours after opening it.

[zodiac brave]

the blimp was definitely an awesome toy. i never owned it, so i can't say it was my fave, but i did always want one.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

F*CK YES, I loved that damn hovercar and was extremely pissed they scrapped it so quickly. It was way sleeker than the clunky van, they could have come up with some storyline way to keep it in use. That's my personal favorite Turtles vehicle that technically wasn't theirs.

Something about the look of it mixed with the cartoon appeal of "Flying car, why the f*ck not?" that so totally fit that show's style perfectly made it really appealing to me as a 7-year old.

Flying car is how we in the 1950's and 60's imagined life by the year 2000. We would be there (and on Mars or even Pluto) a long time ago if that 1973-1974 oil crisis never occured, and the postwar boom had continued still.

[pingclang]

In the show and as well as the toys, I preferred the van. I'm not posting anything that hasn't been said already, but the blimp just seemed goofy, I didn't even want the toy.

[DVD]

I'm a little miffed over the Blimp.
I got one about 18 months ago.. Sort of. First time I'd ever purchased one. It was sent out from the States with a few ( lot) other items. The packages never arrived. Only packages never to arrive here ever for me.

Now that I've stopped crying ! I really like this vehicle. It has class, its different and it's very very cool.
The line used by the 2K3 Turtles when they see it is priceless! Won't spoil in case you haven't seen Turtles Forever.

If I ever come across one here, I will buy it, and if (as is quite feasible) playmates reissue it, I'm in for one.

[pannoni1]

The only time the Turtle Blimp failed was in "Enter: The Fly". First, Baxter hit the balloon with his laser causing the glider to separate. This was likely due to the fact that the parts for the Blimp was originally Baxter's and seemed to know exactly where to aim. Then when the Turtles climbed back aboard a minute later, when Leonardo started to slowly deflate the balloon, it not only allowed the plant to fly away, but forced the Turtles to activate their Turtle Troopers to land. But there was never any problem with regards to finding the balloon after each time the glider separates, thanks to its cool cockpit controls that weren't too complicated like you see on so much aircrafts. The Turtle Van is a close second, but isn't effective underground and seems to be used a bit too frequently. I wish there was an episode with the Blimp used in another dimension since it could have worked when the Starcruiser wasn't available. But at least FW & Co. were smart enough to not use every feature found on the Playmates blimp: The six cluster bombs attached to it which never appeared in the OT.

In Archie, don't forget issue #8 in which Wingnut and Screwloose destroyed the blimp.

[Type 97 Chi-ha]

Flying car is how we in the 1950's and 60's imagined life by the year 2000. We would be there (and on Mars or even Pluto) a long time ago if that 1973-1974 oil crisis never occured, and the postwar boom had continued still.

"Uh, did you remember to set the parking brake?"

* CRASH *

[Slime State Alumni]

As great as the blimp was, I did like how it was portrayed in the Turtles Forever animated movie. I almost died laughing.

[Leo656]

Flying car is how we in the 1950's and 60's imagined life by the year 2000. We would be there (and on Mars or even Pluto) a long time ago if that 1973-1974 oil crisis never occured, and the postwar boom had continued still.

Flying Cars are impossible. Imagine a routine engine failure or failing brakes, except you're in the air. What would be a tiny fender-bender on the ground would be accidental vehicular manslaughter with a side of massive property damage, and pretty much 100% of all car accidents would be fatal. They'd also be impossibly expensive to fuel, as every car would essentially have to be powered by a modified jet engine or something. Scientifically and rationally, it's for all intents and purposes impossible. It's a flight of fancy, nothing more.

There's a neat Cracked.com article about how flying cars, jet-packs, teleporters and other "futuristic technology" we've all wished for simply can't work in the real world. If I find it and remember I'll stick it in here. I can't find it right now.

[Cipher]

The blimp has always been my favorite Turtle-branded vehicle due the sheer, unabashed ridiculousness of it, as well as what a strangely iconic place it holds in the franchise.

It just does away with all pretenses the equally ridiculous Turtle-Vans (in any incarnation) cling to. You can't hate it.

[Slime State Alumni]

The blimp has always been my favorite Turtle-branded vehicle due the sheer, unabashed ridiculousness of it, as well as what a strangely iconic place it holds in the franchise.

It just does away with all pretenses the equally ridiculous Turtle-Vans (in any incarnation) cling to. You can't hate it.

The original title sequence definitely helped with that. And not to get off topic, but I wonder what the show would've been like if Peter Chung remained on the show.

[darthsmozers]

My blimp got a hole in it when it touched a space heater :(

[Cobrakahn]

I totally agree. Followed by the Turtle van and then the Cheapskate or the motorbike with trashcan.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I liked that flying vehicle the future turtles used in Archie. It could be used as an aeroplane in the skies of the Earth, and as a spacecraft operating out in space.

[ssjup81]

The Turtle Blimp was cool looking, but not as practical...sorta. I always found all of their Turtle gadgets (okay, mostly the blimp and the van) crazy, given as how in the beginning, they didn't want attention drawn to them. Seems Donny went out of their way to show off. lol

[Andrew NDB]

The Turtle Blimp was cool looking, but not as practical...sorta. I always found all of their Turtle gadgets (okay, mostly the blimp and the van) crazy, given as how in the beginning, they didn't want attention drawn to them. Seems Donny went out of their way to show off. lol

This is why:

http://myteefinestuff.com/images/playmates_logo.gif

[Leo656]

And Nash bless 'em for it, too, because without Playmates only 5 or 6 people not named "Eastman and Laird" would have ever heard of TMNT in the first place. Let's just be honest, here.

[ToTheNines]

And Nash bless 'em for it, too, because without Playmates only 5 or 6 people not named "Eastman and Laird" would have ever heard of TMNT in the first place. Let's just be honest, here.

That's not necessarily true. Eastman and Laird had companies trying to pitch them (really wonky) movie scripts pretty early on.

Also, look at stuff like Hellboy, or even Walking Dead. If TMNT had stuck around as an indy comic for long enough, who knows what kind of movie could have been made in the 2000's.

[snake]

I like the turtle blimp, but its not the best vehicle they had. That award goes to the sewer sub for me.

[Leo656]

That's not necessarily true. Eastman and Laird had companies trying to pitch them (really wonky) movie scripts pretty early on.

Also, look at stuff like Hellboy, or even Walking Dead. If TMNT had stuck around as an indy comic for long enough, who knows what kind of movie could have been made in the 2000's.

Obviously we could play that game of "What If?" until the cows come home, but I tend to accept that things more or less happen as they were "meant" to. Sure, some kind of Troma-quality movie might have come out and been buried in the pop culture sewer (no pun intended) right next to "Garbage Pail Kids" or something, OR a different toy company could have signed on, OR it could have just limped along as an indie book until someone decided to adapt it years later, BUT none of those things happened. All we can really go by is what did happen.

What *did* happen resulted in TMNT becoming a global phenomenon beloved by millions and millions of people, young and old, rich and poor, all over the world, and even if some of it was "modified" from one adaptation to the next, I have to believe it was worth it if the trade-off was that TMNT becomes something for everyone, something iconic and memorable, rather than a small, obscure, easily-forgotten niche property. If some of the "grit" from the source material had to be sacrificed along the way in order to sell more toys, well, them's the breaks.

I, for one, am glad things went exactly the way they did, and grateful to Playmates for helping make TMNT into what it was and has since become. :)

[snake]

Obviously we could play that game of "What If?" until the cows come home, but I tend to accept that things more or less happen as they were "meant" to. Sure, some kind of Troma-quality movie might have come out and been buried in the pop culture sewer (no pun intended) right next to "Garbage Pail Kids" or something, OR a different toy company could have signed on, OR it could have just limped along as an indie book until someone decided to adapt it years later, BUT none of those things happened. All we can really go by is what did happen.

What *did* happen resulted in TMNT becoming a global phenomenon beloved by millions and millions of people, young and old, rich and poor, all over the world, and even if some of it was "modified" from one adaptation to the next, I have to believe it was worth it if the trade-off was that TMNT becomes something for everyone, something iconic and memorable, rather than a small, obscure, easily-forgotten niche property. If some of the "grit" from the source material had to be sacrificed along the way in order to sell more toys, well, them's the breaks.

I, for one, am glad things went exactly the way they did, and grateful to Playmates for helping make TMNT into what it was and has since become. :)

Yup, gotta respect playmates for taking a chance on such an obscure brand.

[Coola Yagami]

Yup, gotta respect playmates for taking a chance on such an obscure brand.

Honestly yeah, when you really think about it.

[Slime State Alumni]

And Nash bless 'em for it, too, because without Playmates only 5 or 6 people not named "Eastman and Laird" would have ever heard of TMNT in the first place. Let's just be honest, here.

Really? I get that you're trying to be hyperbolic with "5 or 6 people" but seriously?

[Leo656]

Well there really isn't any more to it than hyperbole. I paint in broad strokes, it's a thing I do. No reason to overthink it.

For plainness sake, we all know that "literally" more than 5 or 6 people would have known about Mirage, but still. In the general sense, "Nobody" knows about indie comics, even good ones. Walk up to random people and say "Brat Pack" or "Hepcats", they don't know what you're talkin' about. They sold OK for B&W indie books, and have a following, but the general non-fanboy doesn't know they exist. Even huge indie books like Bone or Usagi Yojimbo don't exactly make a dent in the general public's consciousness, and those books were huge and went on forever. Even so, you say "Usagi Yojimbo" to 9/10 people, they think he was made up for the original TMNT cartoon.

I'm not bashing indie books, just stating that even the most successful ones are pretty obscure by most objective standards, and I feel without being merchandised so heavily by Playmates, that's all TMNT would have ever become, a really well-done indie book most people still would never have heard of.

[Dawnatello Turtle Chick]

Yup, gotta respect playmates for taking a chance on such an obscure brand.

Honestly yeah, when you really think about it.

Yeah, that was one bet that has payed off in spades! Kinda like investing in Google or Apple stock when it first was up for purchase!

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Aren't those jet/propeller engines on the wings of the "glider"? :-?

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090118032118/tmnt/images/c/c1/Turtleblimp.jpghttp://www.ninjaturtles.ru/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/%D0%94%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B6%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%BB%D 1%8C-Turtle-Blimp.jpg

So technically couldn't the glider "fly" on it's own, especially if it frequently detached from the balloon? I just don't think the flying capability of the glider itself was used in the series. I think it crashed far too often for comedy sake, to be taken seriously though. :P
I think someone familiar with aviation may have to comment on this one here. :lol:

Edit: So I watched the episode "Shredder & Splintered" and when the "glider" is detached, and picks up Leonardo and Donatello, there are jet engine sound effects as it picks them up and lands on the street. So I guess it could fly on its own? (Looking too much into this... :P)

Correct. It also flew completely on its own in Sky Turtles (I think that's the right one) and even did some aerial maneuvers- ie, loops, banking, and the like. They also used it on its own in the episode where Traag uses that weather-making "satellite", IIRC. The blimp was too slow and clumsy, so they detached.

[Prowler]

Sure it was cool looking but can't say I've ever cared much about it. Also, it seemed pretty unsafe considering that only the driver had a seat and the rest could fall off it and die.

I've always preferred the Turtle Van, personally. But I've never really been very crazy about TMNT vehicles myself. They're just toy adverts, nothing else. And of course, let's not forget how anyone could easily identify the turtles from miles away :lol:. Oh well, at least the 2k3 toon vehicles were more subtle in that aspect. Sure, the Battleshell didn't have a look as memorable and as iconic as the original Turtle Van, but at least it didn't have "TMNT" written all over it.