[109][119] The Bondaglass shell was then fitted with a solenoid, leather mouth parts and plastic eyes, as well as incisor teetha first for a Supermarionation production. The team also conducted community outreach by meeting with needy children throughout Europe. [15], Malachowski is married to Lieutenant Colonel Paul G. Malachowski (USAF, retired), a former F-15E Strike Eagle Weapon Systems Officer. Kyle Oliver, of the 27th Fighter Squadron at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia. LAS VEGAS The Air Force Thunderbirds announced the selection of four new pilots and a medical doctor on Friday in support of their 2019 season, including the squadron's second female solo pilot in the team's storied history. [286] Development resumed in 1993, when it was decided to produce the series, now titled GFI, using cel animation. The Arrowhead involves maneuvers in tight formation with as little as 18 inches (46cm) fuselage to canopy separation. The squadron was withdrawn to Australia, being reformed and later attacked Japan as a B-29 Superfortress squadron in 1945. The aircraft continued to stay airborne for about half a mile before hitting a large oak tree and a barn, then sliding across a field and flipping as it traversed an irrigation canalultimately erupting into a fireball just a few hundred feet from the runway's end. Two series, totalling thirty-two 50-minute . [271] Virgin Group used the series in the branding of its services: Virgin Atlantic flew a Boeing 747-400 called Lady Penelope and Virgin Trains operated a fleet of sixteen Class 57 rescue locomotives named after the main characters and vehicles. [45] This move was aimed to reduce the burden on Gerry Anderson who, while reserving his producer's right to overall creative control, had grown weary of revising scripts himself. She also earned a Master of Arts degree from American Military University in National Security Policy,[13] and a second in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. [45][137] He therefore established a second unit under technician Brian Johncock, and a third exclusively for filming airborne sequences. In mirror formations, one Thunderbird must be inverted, and it is always number 5. The top-rated show "Qualifications of Man" did a one-hour feature on the Thunderbirds and resulted from a coordinated media pitch to the network and the Republic of Korea Air Force. [211], During the 1960s, Thunderbirds was distributed in about 30 countries including the Netherlands, Canada, Australia and Japan. There is also an extra amount of humor regarding the inverted performance of Thunderbird 5: the pilots all wear tailored flight suits with their name and jet number embroidered on the left breast. [105] He used the example of FAB 1 to illustrate the problem: "As soon as we positioned [the puppets] standing alongside [the model], they looked ridiculous, as the car towered over them. [310][311], The first annual "International Thunderbirds Day" was celebrated on 30 September 2017, the 52nd anniversary of the series' debut. [152][153] The finished island model was a composite of more than a dozen smaller sets that could be detached from the whole and filmed separately. provided the voices for the [24], Seeking to distinguish his proposal from APF's earlier productions, Anderson attempted to pitch the stories at a level that would appeal to both adults and children. [14] While at the Naval War College, Malachowski was the first USAF officer to earn the Admiral Stephen B. Luce Award as the class honor graduate. [66][67], Filming of Series One was completed in December 1965. Cory Bush) A KC-135 Stratotanker from McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., refuels several F-16 Fighting Falcons from the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron "Thunderbirds" over the Rocky Mountains on . Capt. Pilot of Thunderbird 3 [34][145], As the puppets of Lady Penelope and Parker needed to fit inside, the largest of all the models was the seven-foot FAB 1, which cost 2,500 (about 54,000 in 2021) to build. Light-Fingered Fred . Thunderbirds debuted in September 1965 on the ITV network. During this tour, the Thunderbirds performed at their first-ever air show in Ireland. [71][72] To accommodate the simultaneous filming of the TV series and Thunderbirds Are Go, APF purchased two more buildings on the Slough Trading Estate and converted them into new stages. Once the general aspect had been finalised, this served as the template for a silicone rubber mould. [200] Granada first showed the series in this format, airing both episode parts on the same night (one before and one after the ITN Evening News). "[195] Kevin J. Donnelly of the University of Southampton acknowledges the series' "big-sounding orchestral score", which he compares to that of a live-action film. [194], David Huckvale identifies Wagnerian homage in both the theme music and the series' premise. The second of the remakes, Thunderbirds Are Go, premiered on ITV in 2015, the 50th anniversary year of the original. [33], The series' title was derived from a letter written by Gerry's brother, Lionel, while he had been serving overseas as an RAF flight sergeant during World War II. The jets fly over Falcon Stadium at the precise moment the cadets throw their hats into the air at ceremony's end. A comic strip featuring the characters of Lady Penelope and Parker debuted in the early issues of the children's weekly TV Century 21 in 1965. Each new officer will continue to serve in their operational unit they report this fall to begin training. Much of the Thunderbirds' display alternates between maneuvers performed by the diamond, and those performed by the solos. Created 70years ago in 1953, the USAF Thunderbirds are the third-oldest formal flying aerobatic team (under the same name) in the world, after the French Air Force Patrouille de France formed in 1931 and the United States Navy Blue Angels formed in 1946. [32][77] Internationally, the series has also been broadcast by TechTV, G4 and Family Room HD (US), BBC Kids and YTV (Canada), Nine Network and Foxtel (Australia), TV3 (New Zealand), MediaCorp TV12 (Singapore) and RT Two (Republic of Ireland). John Tracy was initially to be one of the main characters in the series but Gerry was never happy with his looks or voice and consigned him to . [91][92][93], Although Lady Penelope and Parker (the latter voiced by Graham) were among the first characters developed, neither was conceived as a major role. Scott Tracy Pilot of Thunderbird 1 Voice by Shane Rimmer. Michael Brewer of Seymour Johnson Air . I'm glad we did it, because it made the series much bigger and much more important. 4, crashed over the, Organized as: 3600th Air Demonstration Team, 25 May 1953, Organized as: 3595th Air Demonstration Flight, 19 November 1956, Constituted as: USAF Air Demonstration Squadron, and activated 13 February 1967, Consolidated on 19 September 1985 with 30th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), first organized on 13 June 1917, 3600th Fighter Training Wing, 25 May 1953 23 June 1956, USAF Advanced Fighter School, 19 November 1956 25 February 1967, USAF Tactical Fighter Weapons Center, 25 February 1967, Nellis AFB, Nevada, 19 November 1956 25 February 1967, North American F-100 Super Sabre, 19641966, North American F-100 Super Sabre, 19671968, This page was last edited on 16 April 2023, at 19:47. May 9, 1964: Captain Eugene J. Devlin killed during a three-plane formation pass. August 2005 October 2005: Student, F-16C/D TX-2, Class 05-ATC. [1] While practicing the four-plane diamond loop, the formation impacted the ground at high speed, instantly killing all four pilots: Major Norman L. Lowry (commander/leader), Captain Willie Mays, Captain Joseph N. "Pete" Peterson, and Captain Mark Melancon. slot). OVERVIEW. With black smoke billowing from the exhaust and the aircraft losing altitude in a high nose-up attitude, the safety officer on the ground radioed Capt Hauck: "You're on fire, punch out!" "[29] The Andersons retired to their holiday villa in Portugal to expand the premise, script the pilot episode and compose a writers' guide. She completed transition training to the F-16 Fighting Falcon with the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke AFB, Arizona and flew with the Thunderbird Team based at Nellis AFB, Nevada from November 2005 until November 2007. The Thunderbirds will rotate new pilots into aircraft 2, 4, and 6 this November as the squadron prepares to begin training for next season.Air Force officials also selected a new operations officer, executive officer, and public affairs officer. 12, the teams public affairs officer. Pitched in late 1963, the series was commissioned by Lew Grade of ITC, APF's parent company, on the back of the positive audience response to Stingray. [196] He also suggests that the music serves partly to draw attention away from the physical imperfections of the puppets.[196]. [4][221][222] In 1966, the Royal Television Society awarded the series a Silver Medal for Outstanding Artistic Achievement. She will lead an executive support staff responsible for the teams budget, training and force support actions for the squadron commander. The switch saw an alteration of the flight routine to exhibit the aircraft's maneuverability in tight turns, and ended the era of the black tail on the No. Red Devils flew five P-51 Mustang aircraft and existed only one year. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations. The release said Aldridge will fly as close as three feet from the squadrons No. [249][250] The Thunderbirds strip in TV Century 21 (later named TV21) ran from January 1966 to June 1970; it was originally by Alan Fennell and Frank Bellamy, with subsequent contributors including Scott Goodall, Don Harley and John Cooper. She started working on her pilot's license before graduating from high school. Works very closely with Brains on Tracy Island [46][148] Another of Meddings' inventions was a closed, cyclical effects stage nicknamed the "rolling road": consisting of two or more loops of canvas running at different speeds, this device allowed shots of moving vehicles to be filmed on a static set to make more efficient use of the limited studio space. After successfully completing her tour with the USAF Thunderbirds in November 2007, including approximately 140 performances, Malachowski served on staff of the Commander, United States Air Force Warfare Center, at Nellis AFB, to June 2008. [200][201] It broadcast the original format for the first time when it began repeats in 1966. [106] The face of Jeff Tracy was based on that of Lorne Greene,[32][41] Scott on Sean Connery,[106][110] Alan on Robert Reed,[41] John on Adam Faith and Charlton Heston,[115][116] Brains on Anthony Perkins[109] and Parker on Ben Warriss. The USAF Thunderbirds have announced the new pilots and officers for the 2019 show season. [292][293][294][295][296], In April 2021, Big Finish Productions announced the launch of a new series of audiobooks based on the Anderson productions. [87] Cast alongside Graham was Australian actor Ray Barrett. 3 position, making her the first female to hold a pilot position in the team's 53-year history. It also signaled a shift in their performance routinefor example, the Cuban Eight opening routine was dropped, and emphasis was placed on low, screaming flyovers and demonstrations of takeoff performance. Derek Meddings later worked on five Bond films as SFX supervisor. [200] The radio series was a success and prompted the BBC to acquire the rights to the TV episodes, which it aired on BBC2 (in all UK regions simultaneously) from September 1991. 11 December 1954: Capt George Kevil was killed during solo training at Luke in an F-84G. In June 2005, the Thunderbirds selected Major Nicole Malachowski for the No. By 1967, the Thunderbirds had flown 1,000 shows. [100][101] Bob Bell, assisted by Keith Wilson and Grenville Nott, headed the art department for Series One. Helijet Pilot Charlie . It was made between 1964 and 1966 using a form of electronic marionette puppetry (dubbed "Supermarionation") combined with scale model special effects sequences. [34][35] Drawn to the "punchiness" of "Thunderbirds", Anderson renamed the series, whose working title had been "International Rescue", as well as the star vehicles, which had initially been designated Rescues 1 to 5. [34][155] Models and puppet sets combined, more than 200 versions of the Thunderbird machines were created for the series. On 1 July 2009, she participated in a White House ceremony at which legislation (S.614) awarding a Congressional Gold Medal to the WASP was signed into law by President Barack Obama. [5] According to Thomas, a contributing factor to the series' lasting popularity is the realism of International Rescue's machines. [original research?] It was awarded nine Presidential Unit Citations in World War II. 4 slot plane, now regularly cleaned and shined like the others. The most important of these vehicles are the five "Thunderbird machines", each assigned to one of the five Tracy brothers: The family live on Tracy Island, International Rescue's base of operations in the South Pacific Ocean, in a luxurious villa that they share with four others: Jeff's mother, Grandma Tracy; the bespectacled scientist and engineer Brains, who designed the Thunderbirds machines; Brains' assistant Tin-Tin, who is also Alan's girlfriend; and Tin-Tin's father Kyrano, the Tracys' retainer. [86] Meanwhile, fellow Canadian Matt Zimmerman was selected at a late stage in the process. However, in 1974 they switched to the more economical T-38 Talon. [91] However, he deems many of the one-off villains derivative, commenting that these characters are typically presented as "corrupt businessmen, spivs and gangsters familiar from crime films". Kyle Oliver, 27th Fighter Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA, has been selected as Thunderbird No. Also in 1996, the team participated in the Atlanta Olympics' opening ceremonies. [207][299][301], International Rescue was the inspiration for the International Rescue Corps, a volunteer organisation started by a group of British firemen who contributed to the humanitarian effort following the 1980 Irpinia earthquake. Bentley 2005: Foreword by Gerry Anderson, p.5. This team flew together until August 1950, when it was inactivated due to the American commitment to the Korean War. [185], According to Daniel O'Brien, writer of SF:UK: How British Science Fiction Changed the World, the Thunderbirds title sequence encapsulates the reasons for the series' enduring popularity. 9 May 1964: Capt Eugene J. April 6, 1961: Major Robert S. Fitzgerald and Captain George Nial killed during training. Randi Winther, Director of Staff, 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Nellis AFB, NV. According to Marriott 1993, pp. Tuesday, the United States Air Force Thunderbirds announced their officer selections for the 2022-2023 show seasons. [68] Barwick became a full-time member of the writing staff and took over the role of script editor from the outgoing Pattillo. [177] By this stage, the basic frame of Thunderbird 2 had been damaged so many times that the model had needed to be rebuilt from scratch. Nicole Margaret Ellingwood Malachowski (born 26 September 1974) is a retired United States Air Force (USAF) officer and the first female pilot selected to fly as part of the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron, better known as the Thunderbirds. [104] This task was complicated by the unnatural proportions of the puppets: Bell struggled to decide whether the sets should be built to a scale proportionate to their bodies or their oversized heads and hands. The Air Force on Wednesday unveiled the names of the six officers including three pilots who will join the Thunderbirds demonstration team for the 2020 season.. Funding was obtained through Kickstarter and the mini-series had its premiere screening at the BFI Southbank in 2016. [248][249] A full-length Thunderbirds strip appeared a year later, after which the Lady Penelope adventures were given a comic of their own. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The USAF Air Demonstration Squadron ("Thunderbirds") is the air demonstration squadron of the United States Air Force (USAF). [20] A second series was also commissioned late that year and entered production in March 1966. This resulted in insufficient back pressure by the formation leader on the T-38 control stick during the loop. The Skyblazers were disbanded in January 1962 when their home squadron was rotated back to the United States and their assigned aircraft transitioned to the F-105 Thunderchief. '"[38], As well as Jeff Tracy, English-Canadian actor Peter Dyneley voiced the recurring character of Commander Norman, chief of air traffic control at London International Airport. [36], In the DVD documentary The Thunderbirds Companion, Anderson explained how a rise in filming costs had made overseas distribution revenue even more important and essentially caused Thunderbirds to be made "as an American show". He will serve as Thunderbird No. This list may not reflect recent changes . [41] This was coated with Bondaglass (fibreglass mixed with resin) and enhanced with Bondapaste, a putty-like substance, to accentuate contours. U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, Bird strike forces Thunderbird to land after Air Force Academy graduation flyover, Michigan expands absentee voting for military members, Some companies charge hefty fees to help vets with disability claims, First-term airmen will have an easier time finding a new Air Force job, Meet 12M+, the new community app for military spouses, Kansas man upset he cant buy mini Toyotas like the Taliban and ISIS, Your next tech and incoming AI | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 4.28.2023, Home Improvement Loans What are my options? [231] Both O'Brien and script editor Alan Pattillo have praised the series' positive "family values". Robert McCormick Spare/Slot . Thunderbirds (1965-1966) Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons (1967-1968) Joe 90 (1968-1969) . Most of these pilots found their way to Iwo Jima, in one way or . They perform formation loops and rolls or transitions from one formation to another. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. [28] Sylvia remembers that "our market had grown and a 'kidult' show was the next step. Periodically repeated, it was adapted for radio in the 1990s and has influenced many TV programmes and other media. Jeff Tracy He will perform air space coordination, ground communication with the pilots in the air, and safety observation, and will replace Maj. Eric Gorney. Due to their low weight and the fact that they had only one control wire per leg, the puppets were unable to walk convincingly. 7. Some members of the squadron fought as an infantry unit and were captured by the Japanese, being subjected to the Bataan Death March. [41][117] Sylvia Anderson brought the character of Penelope to life in likeness as well as voice: after her test moulds were rejected, sculptor Mary Turner decided to use Anderson herself as a template. Voice by David Graham, Brains The 21st century of Thunderbirds is detailed but also de-populated, a high-tech toyland". The team's activities were suspended for six months pending investigation of the crashes and review of the program, then reinstituted using the General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon in 1983, 40years ago, and were upgraded to the F-16C (now produced by Lockheed Martin) in 1992. Following its acquisition by Carlton in 1999, the series was digitally remastered for the release of the first DVD versions in 2000. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. These fallen Thunderbirds were Major Norm Lowry, 37, Commander and Leader, Captain Willie Mays, 32, Left Wing . Since we always tried to minimise walking, we'd show the puppets taking one step only, then promptly cut. [185] The focus on futuristic machines has also been explored by cultural historian Nicholas J. Cull, who comments that of all the Andersons' series, Thunderbirds is the most evocative of a recurring theme: the "necessity of the human component of the machine", whereby the failures of new technology are overcome by "brave human beings and technology working together". 6 (, 14 September 2003: Captain Chris Stricklin, flying Thunderbird No. Five T-38s used the same amount of fuel needed for one F-4 Phantom. [138] A typical episode contained around 100 effects shots and Meddings' team completed up to 18 per day. [4], Nicole Malachowski's ribbons as of 1 August 2009:[8]. Thunderbird 2: Capt. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds have announced five new officer selections for the 2023-2024 air show seasons. [106][110] Since pairs of episodes were being filmed simultaneously on separate stages, the characters needed to be sculpted in duplicate. [86] Villains of the week would typically be voiced by either Barrett or Graham. Between 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2009, Malachowski was on special assignment, participating in the White House Fellows Program for the Class of 20082009, assigned to the General Services Administration. One of them carried the name Red Devils and was created in the Las Vegas airbase (later renamed to Nellis). Capt. Capt. LAS VEGAS, NV The Air Force Thunderbirds this week selected new officers and pilots who will join the squadron in September for the 2022 and 2023 air show seasons. We chat with the 2020 USAF Thunderbird #2 pilot, Trevor "Dozen" Aldridge about flying with the team in what proved a very difficult year for everybody.We tal. In 2009 the Thunderbirds hired their first-ever Air National Guard pilot, Lt. Col. Derek Routt as Thunderbird No. This isn't a television series this is a feature film! This was an incredibly difficult choice, but Im confident we chose the right team to carry on the Thunderbird mission and showcase Americas Air Force.. 12 March 1959: Capt C. D. "Fish" Salmon, slot pilot, was killed after a collision during formation training near Nellis. Thunderbird 3: Capt. [118], Main character heads were initially sculpted in either Plasticine or clay. Works based on Thunderbirds References, parodies and imitations, "T-Birds:Flashback to the supersonic 60s", "Top 10 TV Title Sequences of All Time: the Winner", "Complete Studio-Recording List of Barry Gray", "Family Room HD is Cablevision's HD Channel of the Day, as Part of Company's Continuing '45 Days in HD, on iO TV (SM)' Countdown", "Gerry Anderson TV classics and other cult TV hits coming to BritBox UK", "Aliens, puppets and Joanna Lumley on Britbox: it's my TV heaven", "Yours for just $299,000: Lady Penelope, the first 747 to fly the Virgin Atlantic livery", "Fab at Fifty: The Story Behind Five Decades of the Ice Lolly Favourite", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thunderbirds_(TV_series)&oldid=1149231719, Tracy Island's resident engineer and scientist, This page was last edited on 10 April 2023, at 23:35. [230] With regard to stereotyping, Hood comments that he "would be happier if [villains] didn't seem to be recognisable by their pigmentation". Below are some of the more notable members of the Thunderbirds: This article incorporates public domain material from the .mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#3a3;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}Air Force Historical Research Agency. [95] On Gerry Anderson's recommendation, Graham dined there regularly to study the accent. "[36] He argues that the series adheres more closely to cultural norms by drawing on the "Cold War cult of the secret agent whose skills defend the home from enemies unknown", noting Lady Penelope's role as a spy in addition to two episodes ("30 Minutes After Noon" and "The Man from MI.5") that are heavily influenced by the James Bond novels and film adaptations. Broughton was hand-selected by Catledge to replace him, and is the only captain to serve as commander/leader of the team. She later became a speaker and advocate on behalf of patients with tick-borne illnesses.. Malachowski was a Civil Air Patrol cadet before she entered the . [62][63] He found that the longer format created opportunities to strengthen the characterisation. Lauren Threat Schlichting, Executive Officer, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC, Thunderbird 6: Capt. The length of Thunderbird 1 is a matter of debate, [citation needed . She was commissioned as a second lieutenant upon graduation in 1996. [110] According to Glanville, as part of a trend away from the strong caricature of previous series, APF was seeking "more natural faces" for the puppets. [citation needed] These are conservative estimates as one Korean prime-time television show alone reached eight million. Due to the 1973 oil crisis, the team flew only six air shows and was grounded for some time. list below. Since 1953, the Thunderbirds team has served as Americas premier air demonstration squadron, entrusted with the vital mission to recruit, retain and inspire past, present and future Airmen. [279][305], During the 1960s, APF produced Thunderbirds-themed TV adverts for Kellogg's breakfast cereal and Lyons Maid ice lollies. [49] In a contemporary interview, Hill noted that Thunderbirds contained several times as many shots as a typical live-action series. 5357. [1] The Thunderbirds are assigned to the 57th Wing, and are based at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. [52][20][50][51] As a result, Thunderbirds became not only APF's longest and highest-budgeted production, but also one of the most expensive TV series ever made up to that point. I only did it to be different. Caldwell will replace Lt. Col. Kevin Walsh. [30][127] To give the puppets increased mobility, the costume department generally avoided stiff synthetic materials, instead working with cotton, silk and wool. Maria . [48] Although many of the exhaust sound effects used in the series were drawn from an audio library, some were specially recorded during a Red Arrows display at RAF Little Rissington in Gloucestershire. On 1011 November 2007, the City of Las Vegas and Nellis AFB saluted the U.S. Air Force, hosting the capstone event of the USAF's 60th anniversary celebration. She served two operational tours at RAF Lakenheath, England, with the 48th Fighter Wing; assignment to the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson AFB; and as an Air Liaison Officer supporting the 2nd Infantry Division at Camp Red Cloud, South Korea.

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