Virgil Tracy was a member of International Rescue and the pilot of Thunderbird 2.
Biography
In an account dated to January 1965, after the visual feed to a kidnapped Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward suddenly went wild, Virgil observed that the new picture looked like a control panel of some kind, leading Jeff to agree that it could be the controls to a boat as she indicated she was in a boathouse. When it was determined that her kidnappers had a submarine on standby, orders were given to launch Thunderbird 2 with Pod 4, Thunderbird 4. Virgil made good time by reaching the danger zone in twenty minutes. After telling Gordon to take up his position in TB 4, he deposited the craft into the water and called Scott to inform him that Gordon's soundscan would be able to locate her. (TV: The Man from MI.5)
In a TV 21 report dated 26 March 2066, it was believed that Thunderbird 2 had crashed. According to their radio monitoring system, Thunderbird 1 requested TB 2's help in the search for Doctor Adams and Tracy Island had acknowledged the request but nothing had been heard since. (PROSE: Thunderbird Two)
Reports from the Pacific on 7 May indicated that Thunderbird 2 had vanished again. Adding to the confusion, tracking stations reported an unidentified craft in orbit around the globe with TV 21 speculating that it could be the missing International Rescue vehicle. (PROSE: Destroy Space City)
During the heat crisis of 2066, Virgil listened in to Jeff's meeting with World President Nikita Bandranaik from inside Thunderbird 2. After permission was granted, he travelled to Space City in TB 2 to collect a platomic missile, the most powerful bomb in the world, from Commander Zero and transport it back to Tracy Island. It was then fitted to Thunderbird 3 to use against the Sun. When contact was lost with TB 3 when it crash-landed on Venus, Virgil was part of the rescue team. Knowing that the heavy duty aircraft would be needed, Virgil and Tin-Tin fitted booster reactors to TB 2 before he set off. On the journey with Gordon, John on Thunderbird 5 informed them that a meteor shower blocked their current flight plan. Virgil eventually managed to steer clear of the obstacles but the modifications necessary for the ship to be space-worthy ensured it was not long before they were hit. They were thrown miles off course and sustained major damage to the winch motors, although Virgil did not discover this until after he and Gordon arrived on Venus and had devised a plan of action with Scott and Brains. Scott insisted that they had to take the risk of too much strain on the outlet compensators causing a blow back; this future did come into fruition but by activating the radiation shields and with some help from Gordon in Thunderbird 4, Virgil was able to lift TB 3 from the lake. Virgil and Brains made sure TB 2 was safe before, two days later, all four Thunderbirds on Venus set course for the base on Tracy Island. (COMIC: Solar Danger)
When the Fireflash Mk II was hijacked on its maiden flight in 2069, Thunderbird 2 and Thunderbird 1 were able to intercept the aircraft and force it down just inside the Bereznik border after following a signal from a tracking device in Jeff's luggage, who was aboard as a VIP passenger. However, it was believed the hijacker had arranged a rendezvous at the border and so the Fireflash itself soon became "a fortress heavily defended by machine gun fire" with the two Thunderbirds standing sentinel alongside. The demands of the hijackers, who were in cahoots with the Hood, were for all four Thunderbird craft plus their designer and fifty billion dollars. If these specifications were not met it was suspected they planned to deliberately explode the atomic reactor of the Fireflash. (PROSE: Stalemate!)
Behind the scenes
Virgil Tracy originates from the television series Thunderbirds where he was played by David Holliday in the first series of twenty-six episodes. This included The Man from MI.5 which was a crossover with the Doctor Who universe. For the second series of just six episodes, as well as the two films, he was replaced by Jeremy Wilkin. Additionally, he was voiced by David Menkin in the remake series Thunderbirds Are Go.