The land of Equestria has reached a new age of prosperity. Following what could only be described as a technological revolution, poverty and disease are now almost non-existent and ponykind has begun to reach outwards into the solar system around them. However with every step forward, the risk of disaster becomes ever greater, and in the new age of technology the use of magic is becoming more and more redundant. Every day ponies cry out for help, desperate for somepony to answer.

The increasing frustration over the ever growing death count causes Princess Celestia to turn to her once student turned fellow princess Twilight Sparkle for a solution. What they come up with is nothing like anything she could have anticipated, but infinitely better.

Twilight makes contact with her old Ponyville friends, the once-guardians of the Elements of Harmony, taking them to an uncharted island where a base of operations is constructed. The base for an organisation the likes of which has nopony has ever seen before.

Equestrial Rescue.

But what is it that sets them apart from conventional means of rescue? Their machines. Five state-of-the-art rescue craft, technological marvels created for the sole purpose of saving the lives of ponies in need.

The Wonderbirds.

Set 20 Years after the Season 3 finale.

Crossover with the hit 1960's TV show Thunderbirds, which is the property of the Gerry Anderson Legacy and ITV Studios. You don't need to watch any episodes of the show before reading this, but some inside jokes and references may go over your head if you choose not to. It's a great show though, so give it a try. You won't regret it.

Edited by the fabulous peeps named Hopeless Appraisal and Quylaa.

UPDATE 2023: Story on hiatus indefinitely, I just don't have the time or energy these days to commit myself to a full-length story. Leaving on hiatus as opposed to cancelled, just so I don't burn that bridge for myself in case things ever change. For now, this original story post will remain for posterity, and the tale will continue periodically as a series of one-shots and short stories. Links to those can be found here:

I: Into the Storm
II: Beneath the Abyss
III: Deluge of Flame