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As he have full of attitude, good aspiration and flashing aura, the lightning dragon will shines.
— The phrase that described Thunder Dragon's Thunder Dragon Driving technique in Radicon Boy.

The Thunder Dragon Junior (Japanese: サンダードラゴンJr., Sandā Doragon Junia) is a Racing Mini 4WD car released by Tamiya on December 8, 1987. It was based on the Thunder Dragon R/C buggy, which was originally released as body set and later as fully assembly kit with the chassis from Thunder Shot.

Its R/C buggy counterpart was featured in the manga Radicon Boy as Gou Kuruma's 3rd Dragon R/C machine. The Mini 4WD car itself also appeared in the manga and anime Dash! Yonkuro as one of the Mini 4WD cars of the Hell's Kids team during the Mini 4WD Championship arc and a cameo appearance in Hyper Dash! Yonkuro.

General info[]

Compare to the previous Dragon series Mini 4WD cars, the Thunder Dragon has the sharp and flat body design. The canopy has now occupies the front half of the bodyshell. Unlike its R/C buggy sibling, it has the dual CVA damper props instead of mono-shock prop. The CoroCoro Dragon decals were presented on it.

Standard model and Premium variant[]

Both the standard model and the Premium variant features the silver bodyshells, with the blue lightning-like decals with yellow trims on them. The original Thunder Dragon has the white bodyshell molding color without the paint, but the Premium variant's has metallic sliver molding color.

The original Thunder Dragon comes with the white, medium diameter 4-spoke Hotshot-type wheels paired with the black high-profile spike tires, while the Premium variant comes with the fluorescent yellow large diameter 6-spoke Manta Ray-type wheels paired with the black Avante-type spike tires. The original model has its chassis molded in black, while the Premium variant has its chassis frame and A parts molded in dark blue.

Unlike most VS Chassis car, the Premium variant doesn't come with the rear roller stay and instead, it includes the plastic double rollers.

Clear Special[]

The limited edition Clear Special variant was equipped with the clear, polycarbonate bodyshell with plastic mounting attached, meaning it can be painted in any color with spray paint (Usually the special paints for polycarbonate). It has with the film-type body decals on it. Because cutting is also required, this makes the assembly of the car harder for those not used to this.

It was equipped with the yellow, large diameter V spoke narrow wheels paired with the blue, hard compound arched tires. The polycarbonate-mixed ABS chassis frame and A parts were molded in white and blue respectively. Unlike the Premium variant, it comes with a pair of 16 mm lightweight plastic rollers molded in blue.

About the Thunder Dragon 1/10 R/C Buggy[]

Tamiya_RC_Thunder_Dragon_(Filmed_in_1988)

Tamiya RC Thunder Dragon (Filmed in 1988)

The Thunder Dragon promotional video

Originally released as a body set for The Hornet and Thunder Shot and later as the fully assembly kit in 1988, the Thunder Dragon is an entry-level R/C buggy.

The fully assembly kit borrows the chassis from the Thunder Shot.

The Thunder Dragon would later re-released in September 2021, now sharing the same updated chassis with the 2020 re-release of the Fire Dragon. Unlike most Tamiya R/C vehicle lineups, the polycarbonate body of the Thunder Dragon comes pre-cut and pre-painted.

In media[]

Spoiler alert!

This section of the article may contains details concerning the progression of the plot. If you do not want it to be spoiled for you, skip this section!

Radicon Boy[]

A while before the final of the Endurance Survival race begin, Gou met the old man Doushi, who give Gou the trial of Tanren Shichishidou which Gou later successfully completed. After the trial, Doushi accept Gou as a Dragon Soldier and gave a new R/C body to him. He has also revealed that he is also the one who made the R/C bodies of Super Dragon and Fire Dragon.

Gou's new machine, the Thunder Dragon, can performs the special technique known as Thunder Dragon Driving, in which Thunder Dragon accelerates like the flash of lightning.

Hyper Dash! Yonkuro[]

In Hyper Dash! Yonkuro, Mr.G released the dragon Mini 4WD cars (including the Thunder Dragon Jr.) to stop Yonkuro's Emperor by ramming the car during the first course. The car, along with other dragon Mini 4WD cars, were smashed away by the newly-upgraded Rise-Emperor.

Technical info[]

Variant Body Chassis Wheels Tires Motor Dimensions Gear

Standard
(2908, 18008)

Color: Silver (Molded in White)
Material: PS

Type: Type-1
Frame: Black, ABS
A parts: Black, ABS

Size: Medium
Type: Hotshot-Type
Spoke: 4
Fitment: Staggered
Color: White
Material: Polypropylene

Size: Medium
Type: Spiked
Color: Black
Material: Med. Elastomer

Standard

Length: 127
Width: 81
Height: 42

11.2:1
6.4:1

Premium
(18068)

Color: Silver
Material: ABS

Type: VS
Frame: Dark Blue, ABS
A parts: Dark Blue, ABS

Size: Large
Type: Manta Ray-Type
Spoke: 6
Fitment: Staggered
Color: Fluorescent Yellow
Material: Polypropylene

Size: Large
Type: Avante-Type Slick
Color: Black
Material: Med. Elastomer

Standard

Length: 130
Width: 93
Height: 42

4.2:1

Clear Special
(95336)

Color: Clear
Material: Polycarbonate with Plastic Mounts

Type: VS
Frame: White, Polycarbonate-mixed ABS
A parts: Blue, ABS

Size: Large
Type: V-Spoke
Spoke: 6
Fitment: Squared
Color: Yellow
Material: Polypropylene

Size: Large
Type: Arched
Color: Blue
Material: Hard Elastomer

Standard

Length: 130
Width: 93
Height: 42

4.2:1

Gallery[]

Boxarts[]

Trivia[]

  • In the manga Dear Zaurus Tokuda, Hiroyuki Takei reveal that he owns both the Thunder Dragon R/C buggy and the Thunder Dragon Jr. Mini 4WD car.
  • This is the first Racing Mini 4WD car with Type-1 Chassis to use the later chassis molds that has the front roller attachment holes on them.
  • The Thunder Dragon is the last Mini 4WD car to use the four-digit item number, as future Mini 4WD kits moving forward (re-release of old kit included) would use the 5-digit item numbers.

See also[]

Related cars[]

Dragon series[]

External links[]

Tamiya Japan[]

Tamiya America[]

Mini 4WD cars from Dash! Yonkuro franchise
Dash Warriors Mini 4WD Championship arc Boomerang Jr. · Monster Beetle Jr. · Hotshot Jr. · Falcon Jr. · Super Dragon Jr. · Hornet Jr. · Dash-1 Emperor · Dash-2 Burning Sun · Dash-3 Shooting Star · Dash-4 Cannonball · Dash-5 Dancing Doll · Dash-01 Super Emperor · Dash-0 Horizon · Dash-W1 Wild Saurus · Dash-02 Neo Burning Sun · Dash-001 Great Emperor
Black Mistral arc Horizon Boundless · Liberty Emperor
Shin Dash! Yonkuro Dash-CB1 Geo-Emperor · Dash-CB2 Blazing Sun · Dash-03 Super Shooting Star · Dash-04 Cannonball Wail · Dash-05 Dame the Dancing Doll · Dash-CBW Command Saurus
Hyper Dash! Yonkuro Rise-Emperor · Shooting Proud Star · God Burning Sun · Cannon D Ball · Dancing Divine Doll
Mini 4WD Championship participants Fire Dragon Jr. · The Fox Jr. · Thunder Dragon Jr. · Rising Bird · Bigwig Jr. · Avante Jr. · Thunder Shot Jr. · Clod Buster Jr. · Lunch Box Jr.
U Team and U Team 2 Dash-X1 Proto-Emperor · Crusader · Black Chopper · Black Bomber · Black Fighter · Black Attacker · Proto-Emperor ZX · Proto-Emperor Coretank
Team Momotaro Samurai Crimson Glory · Crimson R · Crimson T · Crimson E · Crimson A
Team Ninja Warriors Terra Scorcher Jr. · Dash-X5 Shadow Emperor
Team Heavy Metal Dash-X2 God Emperor · Dash-X3 Hurricane Emperor · Dash-X4 Devil Emperor
Amazon Horizons Sid Horizon · Buzz Horizon · Gal Horizon · Luke Horizon · Coco Horizon
from Black Mistral arc Aero-Solitude · Manta Ray Jr. · Black Mistral
Dark Dominion Night Seek · Night Seek Trigger · Night Seek Shield · Night Seek Rod · Night Seek Edge · Night Seek Saucer · Night Seek G · Over the Horizon · Dancing Bloom Doll · Beast Emperor · Big Burning Sun · Shooting Billion Star · Cannon Bad Ball
Others Daihatsu Kopen XMZ · Astralster · Abilista · Raikiri · Festa Jaune · Silwolf
Racing Mini 4WD series
Type-1 Hotshot Jr. · Hornet Jr. · The Fox Jr. · Boomerang Jr. · Bigwig Jr. · Falcon Jr. · Super Dragon Jr.* · Thunder Dragon Jr.* · Thunder Shot Jr. · Super Sabre Jr. · Fire Dragon Jr.* · Dash-1 Emperor* · Dash-2 Burning Sun
Type-2 Avante Jr. · Grasshopper II Jr. · Vanquish Jr. · Terra Scorcher Jr.
Type-3 Rising Bird · Dash-3 Shooting Star · Saint Dragon Jr.* · Dash-4 Cannonball* · Dash-5 Dancing Doll* · Winning Bird · Dash-01 Super Emperor* · Nissan Be-1
Type-4 Egress Jr.
Zero Dash-0 Horizon* · Avante 2001 Jr. · Astute Jr. · Manta Ray Jr. · Dash-001 Great Emperor* · Super Astute Jr. · Proto-Emperor ZX · Dyna Storm Jr. ·
FM Crimson Glory · Dash-02 Neo Burning Sun · Aero-Solitude
Type-5 Bear Hawk Jr. · Top-Force Jr. · Terra Conqueror Jr. · Dash-03 Super Shooting Star · Super Avante · Dash-CB1 Geo-Emperor*
Super TZ-X Mad Bull Jr. · Baja King Jr.
VS Dash-X1 Proto-Emperor* · Slash Reaper · Super Sabre Open Top · Top-Force Evolution Open Top · Daihatsu Kopen RMZ and XMZ · Daihatsu Kopen RMZ · Mini 4WD Lupine Racer · Mach-Bullet · Mini 4WD Koala Racer · Little Ryan Mini 4WD Special
Super-II Astute Open Top · Terra Conqueror Open Top · Racing Miku 2012 ver. drives Astute Special · Saber drives Super Sabre Special · Mikoto Misaka drives Thunder Shot Special · Daihatsu Kopen XMZ · Mini 4WD Shirokumakko · Mini 4WD Panda Racer · Mini 4WD Kumamon Version · Mini 4WD Merlion Edition - Singapore 50th Anniversary · Mini 4WD Dog Racer · Mini 4WD Hawk Racer · Mini 4WD Owl Racer · Mini 4WD Pig Racer · Mini 4WD Panda Racer 2 · Mini 4WD Cat Racer
Super XX Thunder Shot Open Top
AR Mini 4WD Lupine Racer 2
VZ Neo-VQS · Dual Ridge Jr. · Toyota GR Yaris · Honda e · Iron Beak · Ray Spear · Mini 4WD Elephant Racer · Mini 4WD Penguin Racer · Eleglitter · Super Avante Jr. (TD4) · Cross Spear 01
Starter Pack Zenquish Progress · Azente Progress · Neo-VQS Advanced Pack
* denotes Premium version available
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