DISPATCHES
DECEMBER 2010
WELCOME TO DECEMBER and one of my favourite months… Why is that you might ask?
Well, we’ve got K&C UK’s London
Show on Saturday 4th. This is a huge event (or at least it’s grown into
that) since the Neville Clan took it over and reshaped and rebuilt it into
Europe’s biggest and best toy soldier event! Both Helen (K&C’s MD) and
yours truly will get to meet lots of K&C collectors there and buy a few
bits ‘n’ bobs for my own collection.
The next day, Sunday 5th, it’s onto
EUROSTAR and off to
1. COMING IN DECEMBER
A. “
Our
second release of Australian Light Horse and Turkish defenders of
the little Palestinian town. We previewed these a few months ago in
AL014 “Leaping Lighthorseman”
AL015 “Turkish
AL016 “Firing Rifle Lighthorseman”
AL017 “The Rescue”
AL018 “Kneeling Firing Rifle”
AL019 “Turkish Officer w/ Flag”
AL020 “Fighting Duo”
AL026 “Aussie Flagbearer”… carrying the modern Australian national flag.
AVAILABILITY: EARLY DECEMBER
B. “SETTING THE SCENE”
Display pieces really can turn any
group of figures into a dynamic diorama… and K&C’s Desert Village
accessories do just that…
SP044
“Temple/Mosque Minaret”
This beautiful little two-piece
structure can sit atop one corner of our earlier released “Temple/Mosque”
building (SP043)… Minarets are a particular feature of Middle Eastern
architecture and just provide an additional touch of artistic (and historic)
realism.
SP046
“
Is exactly what is says it is… a
raised stone area useful for creating a market place or as a base for some of
our other
SP045
“The Boulangerie”
This is the first of an ongoing
series of typical French buildings of the 18th.,19th.and early 20th.Centuries.
This new version of an older,
smaller design has been completely resculpted with
added detail and is a much more realistic size to fit our 1:30 scale figures. Plus
it’s fully painted!
This is a replica of a French Corner
Shop, in this case a “Boulangerie” (Bakers Shop)
on the ground floor and a shell damaged dwelling on the upper storey.
AVAILABILITY: MID DECEMBER
C.
“MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCKS!”
Recent years have seen a great many
versions of the mighty ‘
This version however has, I believe,
never been produced in 1:30 scale by anyone… until now!
BBG035
“The Flak’41
This artillery piece boasted a lower
profile and a higher rate of fire than its famous predecessor. Our
K&C model is dismounted on its four spars ready to go into battle. By
the time this weapon came into action late in the war its primary use had
altered from the “anti aircraft “Flak” role” to the “anti
tank” role.
Just 550 of these heavy artillery pieces were manufactured before
the end of hostilities. And that’s exactly how many K&C are producing as
well... just 550!
Each specially-packaged model comes
with a seated gunner and is in late war splinter camouflage style. The
gun-barrel is in the “fixed-firing” position.
Five additional crew figures are also available…
BBG036 “Gun Commander”
BBG038 “Crew Set#
One standing “Shell Loader”
and a standing gunner.
BBG046 “Crew Set#
One kneeling “Shell Handler”
and another gunner.
Together this new Flak ’41
and its crew make a fine “stand-alone” centre piece for any collection.
AVAILABILITY:
MID DECEMBER
D. “GUARDING THE TIGER”
WS179 “Tiger Tank Guards”
Two winter-clad panzer figures
dismounted and armed with MP40 Schmeisser Machine
Pistols.
AVAILABILITY: MID DECEMBER
2. “HAPPY NEW YEAR and WELCOME TO 2011!”
A. “GALLAND’S LAST
To begin the New Year we can think
of no better way than introducing our latest K&C “Warbird”…
the revolutionary Messerschmitt 262, the world’s first
jet-powered fighter aircraft. Plus, we thought we’d add some extra
Luftwaffe pilot and ground crew figures…
LW036
“Adolph Galland’s Me
In March 1945 General Der Jagdflieger Adolph Galland was tasked to form a brand-new fighter unit, JV44
that would fly the Me262. Originally conceived as a “pure fighter”
the design and concept had been altered by Hitler himself to become a “fighter/bomber”…
Ace pilots like Galland (104 “kills”)
were aghast but had no choice in the matter… They were expected to be able to
take on the British, American and Russians as “fighters” one day and “fighter
bombers” the next.
Our model shows Galland
in “White Three” with two
This is the biggest and heaviest “Warbird” yet! Just 600 are being produced.
LW037 “Luftwaffe Ground Crew”
Three very useful Luftwaffe support
staff that can be used to perform a wide variety of different airfield tasks.
In
addition we have six more Me 262 pilots some of whom had very distinguished
flying careers…
LW038
Major Rudolf “Rudi” Sinner
“Rudi”
Sinner originally flew with Marseille
in
LW039
“Coffee Break”
Two more enjoy some ersatz coffee…
after a mission… Oberfeldwebel
Heinz Arnold (42 “kills”) and Unteroffizier
Edouard Schallmoser who
gained a dubious reputation as a “Rammjager”
for his dangerous habit of deliberately ramming enemy aircraft… with his own.
He did not survive the war.
LW040
Hauptmann Anton “Toni” Hackl
“Toni” Hackl
is on telephone duty waiting for the call to “scramble”. Hackl is credited with 192 enemy aircraft and was
himself shot down 8 times.
LW041“A” Major Walter “Nowi” Novotny
“Nowi” Novotny
was one of
LW041“B” Major Heinz Bar
Earlier in mid 2010 K&C featured
Heinz Bar flying his Focke Wulf
190. This new seated figures shows him relaxing prior to a combat mission. Of
his wartime “tally” of 220 “kills” Heinz Bar shot down 16 while
flying a 262.
LW042
“Galland’s Crew Chief”
Leaning over the cockpit of the 262
is Galland’s personal crew chief making sure
everything… and everyone is ready to fly.
AVAILABILITY: EARLY TO MID JANUARY
B. “DESERT REINFORCEMENTS”
Well it’s been some time since our
last 8th. Army figures and fighting vehicles were released so… let’s
stop the drought!
EA043
“The M3 Grant Crusier Tank”
After
The British redesigned the top
turret to accommodate a radio and reduce one crew member and christened their
M3 the “Grant”.
The Americans preferred the original
design and named theirs the “Lee”.
Our new model is in the distinctive
British camouflage pattern of sand and olive drab with black and white
delineation lines. Two crew figures can be seen and this “Grant” belongs
to the famous 7 th. Armoured
Division… “The Desert Rats”.
EA045
“New Desert Monty”
In mid 1942 the demoralized,
dejected and sometimes defeated 8th.Army needed a new leader who could
rebuild the army, revitalize its officers and men and restore its ability to… win!
Lt.
General Bernard Law Montgomery was
the man to do the job. Here we see “Monty” not long after his arrival in
The 8th.
Army… an army of many nationalities
and backgrounds that had to be forged by battle into one war-winning formation.
Among the men of the 8th. Army could
be found units of the Fighting Free French under General de Gaulle.
None were more famous than the Legion Etrangere
(the Foreign Legion) K&C introduces a small group of Legionnaires in
action.
EA050
“Legion Sergeant w/Tommy Gun”
Leading his men forward this veteran
NCO is armed with a “
EA051
“Legionnaire Advancing w/ Rifle”
EA052 “Legionnaire Running w/ Rifle”
EA053 “Legionnaire Kneeling firing”
EA054 “Legionnaire Standing firing”
EA055 “Legionnaire Lying firing Machine Gun”
Special
Note: All our Legionnaires are wearing a
mix of British uniforms and French equipment and weaponry and, of course, the
famous white kepi.
Extra
Special Note: Look out for more Legionnaires
in February along with a famous general!
AVAILABILITY: MID JANUARY
C. “Streets of
Throughout the “turbulent
Twenties” and even into the “Thirties” the brown-shirted SA (or
Sturmabteilung) were the most visible “street
presence” of the Nazis. Loud, boisterous and sometimes out-of-control they
could be seen all over
These new figures show the SA as
most ordinary Germans saw them…
LAH133
“The Bill Posters”
Three Nazi brownshirts
taking a break from sticking their posters up all over town.
LAH134
“Nazi Billboard”
A portable street hoarding
displaying three different Nazi posters. Goes very well with set LAH133.
LAH135
“SA Leader”
Looking satisfied with his “boys”
work this SA officer looks on.
LAH136 “SA Flagbearer”
LAH137 “Drunk & Disorderly”
The enemies of the SA often
described the Sturmabteilung as a “drunken rabble”…
These three SA men are living up to that reputation!
LAH138
“Dietrich on Parade”
Sepp Dietrich in a new “parade” pose.
LAH147
“Street Poster Drum”
These tall “street decorations”
were utilized as the perfect spot to stick a poster on.
LAH148
“SA Bugler”
To draw attention to their street
activities the SA would often be accompanied by one or more of their musicians
to announce their presence to everyone!
AVAILABILITY: MID TO LATE JANUARY
3. BEING RETIRED
Just a few items this month…
a) Afrika Korps
AK030-01 “Panzer III”
b)
American Civil War
CW043 “Mount-Up”
CW044 “Prepare to Mount”
c)
Remember The
RTA002 “Mexican Presidial Bugler”
And that my friends is that… at
least for another 30 days or so.
In the meantime have a wonderful,
peaceful Christmas and a happy New Year… We look forward to all the challenges
and opportunities of the coming year and thank you sincerely for your continued
support. It’s always appreciated!
With very best wishes,
Andy C. Neilson
Co-founder & Creative Director
King & Country