Thunderball gadgets

Bell Textron jet pack

"No well dressed man should be without one" comments James Bond after he escapes from Jacques Boitier’s château during the fast paced pre-title sequence. Pursued by Boitier’s men, Bond straps the jetpack on and soars over the walls to the safety of his Aston Martin DB5 waiting outside. Able to carry its occupant up to 600 feet and remaining airborne for up to 4 minutes, this is truly a Bondian style gadget.

Largo's remote control

After entering a normal looking building, Largo walks into a back room where after pressing a button on this device, a secret door opens allowing him to walk into SPECTRE Paris headquarters where Blofeld is giving his briefing.

Infra-red camera with geiger counter

This clever gadget could be used to take photographs in complete darkness using an infrared film and could take eight pictures in rapid succession. Bond uses this to take pictures of the hidden doors in the hull of the Disco Volante. The camera also featured a Geiger counter to search for the stolen atomic bombs.

Underwater breather

This handy device would allow the user to breath underwater for approximately four minutes. This device would save Bond's life a number of times throughout Thunderball. Bond uses it first when he is trapped in Largo's shark pool and escapes through the underwater tunnel to another pool. Bond then uses it later in the film once he has dropped of his underwater propulsion unit at the bottom of the sea.

Radioactive homing pill

This Radioactive pill acted as a homing device that activated once swallowed. Bond is unconvinced of this purpose when Q introduces it to him, but Q assures him that it is harmless. Bond swallows the pill before he joins Largo as one of his divers. The homing device is the only way Felix Leiter, with the help of the Coast Guard, can track Bond down after he is trapped in a cave by Largo and his men.

Miniature flare

This flare was a miniature size that could easily be stored in a pocket. Q insists that Bond should keep it on him day and night for emergencies. Helped by the Radioactive Homing Pill, Felix gets a visual fix on Bond when he fires this flare up in the air.

Underwater propulsion unit

This rather bulky device strapped onto Bond’s oxygen tanks that enabled him to get into the heart of the battle being propelled along at a fast pace. Containing spear guns, the propulsion unit, explosive bottles and searchlights, Bond enters the underwater battle well prepared. After achieving its purpose, Bond switches to his more convenient Underwater Breather.