NEW RELEASES FROM 

KING & COUNTRY!

Hi Partners,

Welcome to August and another batch of releases covering a broad and diverse selection of different K&C series. Let’s begin with a pair of our most popular World War Two fighting machines…

1. BEING RELEASED THIS AUGUST…

A. ‘Flying Tigers’ Curtiss P40B Warhawk’

AF058 ‘Flying Tigers’ Curtiss P40B Warhawk’

Of all the many WW2 Warbirds King & Country has produced over the years one of the most popular has always been an aircraft that flew in Nationalist Chinese colours and was flown by American pilots – The Curtiss P40B ‘Warhawk’.

These U.S. made fighter planes belonged to the First American Volunteer Group (AVG), nicknamed the ‘Flying Tigers’ and commanded by Brigadier General Claire Lee Chennault.

This unique group consisted of three fighter squadrons of around 30 aircraft each trained in Burma before America’s entry into WW2.Their mission was to combat the Japanese forces then in control of the skies over China at that time.

Once training was complete the group first saw action on 20 December 1941, 12 days after Pearl Harbour.It soon demonstrated its innovative flying techniques and shot down impressive numbers of enemy aircraft during a time when the Japanese appeared victorious everywhere else.

Our latest K&C ‘Flying Tiger’ P40 is painted in the colours and markings of #45 of the 3^rd Pursuit Squadron (known as ‘Hell’s Angels”).  This particular aircraft had no assigned pilot and was flown by a number of well-known individual pilots including:

Arvid Olson (Squadron Commander)

Robert “RT” Smith and

Robert Prescott (Founder of the Flying Tigers airline)

#45 and its various pilots shot down 7 Japanese aircraft.

AVAILABLE: Early August

B. The Return of ‘FURY’

DD279 FURY

Released in 2014, the film “FURY” details the exploits of a Sherman ‘Easy Eight’ tank crew during the final months of WW2.

Although actor, Brad Pitt, was the nominal star of the movie for many WW2 enthusiasts the real ‘star’ of the film was a vintage M4A3  ‘Easy Eight’ Sherman.

The tank itself was actually built in March 1945 at the Fisher Tank Arsenal in Grand Blanc, Michigan.  Because it was completed near the end of European combat it never actually saw action during the war.

Post-War it is believed to be one of only five ‘Easy Eight’ Shermans sent to the British Army who at one point passed it on to the Canadian Forces.  Eventually it ended up back at the Royal Military College of Science before being donated to The Tank Museum at Bovingdon UK in 1985 where it was maintained in full running order and used for live public demonstrations for many years.

In 2013, film director David Ayer was looking for a particular Sherman to ‘star’ in his new WW2 movie and sought the help of The Tank Museum.

Although a number of other Shermans were also used in the film it was this unique M4 that stole the show and also inspired our King & Country ‘FURY’ which was originally released in 2016 and retired in 2021.

Well, here it is, again back by popular demand and looking better than ever in all its glory. So, if you are one those many collectors who have been furiously searching for a ‘FURY’, search no more…

AVAILABLE: Late August

C. American Patrol

With the release of the M5A1 ‘Stuart’ Light Tank last month and now the news about our Sherman ‘FURY’ we thought we should add a rifle squad of GIs to provide a little infantry support for these armoured vehicles.

Obviously this is not the first time that K&C has produced D.Day period American GIs but I think it’s the first time we’ve portrayed them with the ‘Indian Head’ shoulder patch of the 2^nd U.S. Infantry Division.

We’ve called this little group of GIs American Patrol after one of the most famous and popular melodies of WW2 made famous by the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

DD398 ‘AP The Sergeant’

The backbone of any infantry unit, the Sergeant advances carrying his .45 cal. Thompson Submachine Gun.

DD399 ‘AP The Lieutenant’

Carrying the light weight, semi-automatic carbine this young officer has a weapon developed during WW2 specifically for officers, paratroopers and other key support troops.

DD400 ‘AP Advancing Rifleman’

This GI cautiously moving forward is holding the M1 Garand, a gas-operated, semi-automatic America service rifle chambered in .30-06 and using an 8-round clip.

DD401 ‘AP Radioman’

This soldier carries the SCR-300 portable backpack radio developed for the U.S. Army by Motorola.  It had an effective range up to 3 miles with a short whip antenna.

For personal defense this Radio Operator also carries an M1 Carbine.

DD402 ‘AP BAR Gunner’

Providing fire support for an infantry squad or platoon was the U.S. Browning Automatic Rifle (B.A.R.).  It was used to provide mobile suppressing fire and utilized the same ammunition (.30-06) as the M1 Garand.

DD403 ‘AP The Sniper’

The standard U.S. WW2 sniper rifle was the M1903 A4 Springfield, a bolt-action rifle modified to mount a special ‘Weaver’ scope.  This weapon also utilized the standard .30-06 round.

DD404 ‘AP The Scout’

In U.S. WW2 infantry rifle doctrine, ‘Scouts’ were not a separate military occupation but a role designated to one or two experienced riflemen within each infantry squad.

DD405 ‘AP Medic’

U.S. Army Medics or ‘Aidmen’ were non-combatants under the Geneva Convention who did not carry weapons of any kind.

Typically they wore white and red armbands on one or both arms and a painted red cross on their helmets for easy recognition.

AVAILABLE: Mid-Late August

D. From World War Two to The Middle Ages…

MK258 ‘Edmund Crouchback, Earl of Leicester’

Edmund Crouchback (1245-1296) was an English prince, son of King Henry Ⅲ and a prominent military commander who acquired vast wealth and huge estates throughout England.

He took part in the Ninth Crusade as well as campaigns in Wales and France where he died at Bayonne in 1296.

AVAILABLE: Mid-Late August

E. The Commander who called his men’ The Scum of the earth’

NA561 ‘The Duke of Wellington’

It was indeed Sir Arthur Wellesley, later the Duke of Wellington, who infamously described his common soldiers with this harsh insult.

Historical records however show a more complex context: The Duke was reacting to severe breakdowns in military discipline among his soldiers looting, pillaging and worse after a battle or while still on campaign!

This particular figure of the Duke is based on a photograph of actor Hugh Fraser who played the noble lord in the ‘Sharpe’ television series.  At the last London December show I was fortunate to meet and talk with Hugh and obtain the photo the figure is based on.

AVAILABLE: Mid-Late August

F. General Santa Anna

RTA151 General Santa Anna

Another new rendition of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, the victor of The Alamo and the deeply polarizing figure of 19^th century Mexican history. Here the General stands proudly alone observing his ‘soldados’ assaulting the besieged old mission in the early dawn of 6 March 1836.

AVAILABLE: Mid-Late August

G. The Knights of Bushido

NA561 ‘The Duke of Wellington’

Samurai warriors lived and died by a strict, unwritten ethical code called ‘Bushido’ which translates to ‘The Way of The Warrior’.  This code placed paramount importance on virtues such as: ‘Loyalty’…’Courage’... ‘Honour’… ‘Respect’… and ‘Honesty’.

These qualities also filtered down the chain of command to their foot soldiers, the Ashigaru.  Here are the latest reinforcements to the Eastern Army of Tokugawa leyasu as they prepare to fight the Battle of Sekigahara on 21 October 1600.

SW012 ‘Tokugawa Ieyasu’

Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1615), the victor of Sekigahara, was the warrior, statesman and military mastermind who founded the Tokugawa Shogunate.  His strategic genius ended a century of chaotic civil war and helped establish a dynastic military government in Edo (modern-day Tokyo) that secured over 250 years of uninterrupted internal peace and stability.

Our seated figure shows him on the day of battle wearing a mixture of traditional Japanese armour alongside contemporary European-style armour bought or gifted to him by traders from the West.

AVAILABLE: Early August

SW032  'Ashigaru ‘Taiko Dum Set’ (Eastern Army)

This colourful set piece shows the two drummers at their most dynamic.  Originally used in Shinto ceremonies these drums were later adapted for warfare – where their deep, booming sounds set the marching pace or were used to relay battlefield commands.

SW033  'Ashigaru Archer Reaching For An Arrow’ (Eastern Army)

This Ashigaru Lieutenant, in addition to carrying his bow and quiver of arrows also has the ‘Sashimono’ which were small banners attached to the back of an Ashigaru’s armour to denote different units.

SW035  'Ashigaru Archer Kneeling Aiming’ (Eastern Army)

This Ashigaru takes careful aim at the enemy.

SW036  'Ashigaru Archer Aiming High’ (Eastern Army)

Archers from East and West have used ‘Plunging Fire ’throughout history to bring down death and disaster on enemy forces.

SW038  'Ashigaru Arquebusier Sitting Ready’ (Eastern Army)

Ashigaru muskets, also known as ‘Tanegashima’, were matchlock weapons first introduced into Japan by Portuguese traders in 1543.

Requiring far less training than traditional archery this allowed Samurai warlords to train large numbers of Ashigaru. Soon, Japanese warfare itself dramatically changed from single combat in battle to massed formations moving and fighting across the landscape.

SW040  'Ashigaru Arquebusier Priming his Matchlock’ (Eastern Army)

When an Ashigaru primed his matchlock he carefully dispensed a tiny pinch of priming powder into the flash pan before sliding it shut.

This prepared the weapon to transfer the spark from the glowing match cord into the main barrel thus firing the weapon.

SW042  'Ashigaru Arquebusier Standing Aiming’ (Eastern Army)

This standing, aiming figure is also carrying the small ‘Sashimono’ device on the back of his armour denoting his leadership role.

AVAILABLE: Early August

2. BEING RETIRED THIS MONTH…

And there you have it for the month of August but just before we go let’s take a look at what’s getting retired…

USMC012 Marine Radioman

USMC014 Marine Firing his Garand

USMC022 Kneeling Marine Tommy Gunner

USMC028 Kneeling B.A.R. Gunner

USMC038 Kneeling B.A.R. Gunner

USMC045 Marine Machine Gunner

USMC052 Pacific War Dog

USMC054 Kneeling Marine w/Bazooka

USMC057 The Drill Instructor

All the very best and Happy Collecting!

Andy C. Neilson 

Co-founder & Creative Director 

King & Country Ltd.