Thunderbirds F.A.B. - what does it mean?

[mckenzie]

I know LAdy P's car is called FAB1 but the Tracy family also say 'F A B' and I see it printed in the comics etc.

Does anyone know what, if anything, it stands for please?

nothing

it doesnt stand for anything

Doesn't stand for anything, they just made something up that sounded exciting. They are all named after the first American Astronauts (well expept Parker, Lady P and Brains)

thanks girls. Why do they say it then I wonder?

They wanted to have a call sign that sounded cool and interesting, so they made it up!

they wanted it to sound fab

I always thought it stood for Faster And Better because that's what dh told me. But having just asked him again, he says it doesn't stand for anything.

The people who made Thunderbirds admitied that it didn't mean anything.

'SFO: What does FAB mean?

GA: In the 60s the buzz word was fabulous and this became shortened to fab. When I was writing the first episode a pilot had to talk to ground control and when he received his instructions, the pilot replied "Roger" meaning message received and understood. I remember thinking as Thunderbirds was set in the future "Roger" would probably not be in use at that time so I substituted it with fab but that didn't sound very good. So I changed it to F A B - a new codeword meaning message received and understood.'

Hmb is right. Gerry Anderson is interviewed here

When I was little FAB lollies (still my favourites) were to do with Lady Penelope - you could get little cards in them... incidentally my first real crush was on Virgil - (and Robin in Batman and Robin)

Are any of you aware that by the dates in the early Thunderbirds books, the Tracy boys are currently aged 8 and under (and Alan isn't born yet)?

Scott 14/04/1996
Virgil 15/08/1999
John 28/10/2001
Gordon 14/02/2004
Alan 12/03/2005

You may like to share this information with your little fans! Some of them may have the same birthdays!

(They have changed the dates in the reissued stuff - moved the dates 40 years ahead again I think.)

thanks everyone for the replies. Much appreciated.

My Dh insists that FAB stands for Fire all Boosters. I told him that he was wrong as I remember seeing a tv programme once when Gerry Anderson told everyone that it doesn't stand for anything, just like the interview listed below.

I've just read that interview out to Dh and he still insists that it stands for Fire All Boosters, I don't believe him. Silly Man.

janH you are an anorak!