Thunder Dragon Jr.

* Type-1
* Premium
* ClearSP

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

   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

### *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.

## Gallery

### Boxarts

Boxart of the original Thunder Dragon Jr.Boxart of the Premium variant.Boxart of the Clear Special variant.
## 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.

## See also

### Related cars

* Thunder Shot Jr.
* Terra Scorcher Jr.

### Dragon series

* Super Dragon Jr.
* Fire Dragon Jr.
* Saint Dragon Jr.

## External links

### Tamiya Japan

* Thunder Dragon Jr. at Tamiya Japan
* Thunder Dragon Premium at Tamiya Japan
* Thunder Dragon Clear Special at Tamiya Japan

### Tamiya America

* Thunder Dragon Jr. at Tamiya America
* Thunder Dragon Premium at Tamiya America
* Thunder Dragon Clear Special at Tamiya America