Tamiya Thunder Blitz: A Blue Brick on Wheels? First Run of the Tamiya RC Boy's 4WD Racer #57604

New build, full visual presentation and first test run of the Tamiya Thunder Blitz from 1998. Part of a most perculiar and whimsical model series from Tamiya ...the RC Boy's 4WD Racer Series ... that ended as soon as it had begun.

I decided to leave my personal comments out of the video, and just let the visual speak for itself. I'm curious, what do you think of the Tamiya Thunder Blitz? I love it. It's weird. It's Tamiya. It's my blue brick ... and somehow it reminds me of my Nikko Turbo Bandit I had in 1987 ... just without suspension.

If you want to skip the visual presentation/display video the running video and first test run starts here:
3:20 (no music)
5:37 (B/W with)
6:08 (with music and slow motion footage)

In the next video I will test it with some cheap and easy upgrades. Just to get a tiny bit more speed on this tiny blue brick.

With the included 380 Type Motor, a heavy hard body and the absence of any moving wheel suspension (!) and damping (!) it is truely just as fast and capable as a solid brick on wheels. I just had to try it out!

The Tamiya RC Boy's 4WD Racer Series or simply Tamiya Quick Build Series from the late 1990s consisted of three different models, all based on the same chassis:
- The Tamiya Voltec Fighter, model #57602
- The Tamiya Thunder Blitz, model #57604
- The Tamiya Wild Ceptor, model #57606


As Tamiya puts it: "This series of ready to assemble radio control models is specially aimed and developed for novice modelers of a younger age". They go on and claims that "this is an ideal kit for those first entering the popular radio control world. Its simple construction allows even an inexperienced modeler to finish the model without difficulty".

Even though Tamiya claimed they where "easy to assemble" and "Quick Builds" (aka QB .. not to be confused with the QD series), to attract the youngest RC builders, I truely think a simple 2WD buggy, like the Grasshopper or Hornet, is a much quicker and easier build ...and, believe it or not, a much more capable running RC model.

I received this unit second hand and half finished. Some of the stickers where already applied (badly) and unless I wanted to spend a bit more on a new decal sheet I had no other choice than to leave the body unpainted. The rest of the stickers proved a real challenge with all the curves and angles of the Tamiya Thunder Blitz body. Not quick and not easy and the result speaks for itself. I might have to make another body to redeem myself. For the optional parts I decided just to try it out with standard Tamiya electronics. The kit itself only includes a 380 Type Motor.

Even though it is a perculiar release (that could only come from Tamiya) it also features some unique interesting ideas: A highly functional battery door and body lock system. The only Tamiya Thunder Blitz feature that can be considered quick and easy. It's brilliant and works like a charm!

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Tamiya THUNDER BLITZ Specifications:
- Brand: Tamiya
- Model: Thunder Blitz
- Article Number: #57604
- Originally released in: 1998
- Type: Assembly Kit On Road Model
- 4WD / 4x4 (shaft-driven)
- Chassis: RC Boy's 4WD Series
- Body: Unpainted Blue Hard Body
- Scale: 1/10
- Length: 383 mm
- Width: 225
- Wheel Base: 238 mm
- Tires/Thread: Slick Rubber
- Gears: Sealed Gear Box (front & rear) with 3-Bevel Differential
- Gear ratio: 13.65:1
- Suspension: Rigid
- Shocks/dampers: None!
- Bearings: Plastic and metal bushings
- Electric motor: 380 Type Brushed (Silver Can)

Optional Parts (this particular Tamiya Thunder Blitz):
- Running on a standard 7.2 v. NiMH 6S Battery Pack
- ESC: Tamiya TEU-105BK (60A brushed)
- Servo: Tamiya TSU-01
- Receiver: Tamiya 2.4 GHz TRU-08
- Transmitter: Tamiya 2.4 GHz F.H.S.S. TTU-08 Finespec

GENERAL STATEMENT:
This video features homemade footage of my own radio-controlled unit, a Tamiya Thunder Blitz from 1998, from my personal RC model collection. All rights reserved.