DISPATCHES
February 2020
Hi Guys,
“KUNG HEI FAT CHOI”, that’s Cantonese for “Happy
Chinese New Year” in this the ‘Year of the Rat’ in the Lunar
Calendar.
By the time you read this I will be in Texas meeting up with
Laura, Amber and Jesse at Kings X to plan some exciting
developments for our San Antonio store later this year.
In the meantime here’s a closer
look at what King & Country are going to be releasing this month... So,
let’s get on with it...
1.
BEING RELEASED IN FEBRUARY...
A.
‘Walk A Mile In
These Shoes!’
It’s
very appropriate that we are beginning this month’s releases on ‘The
Streets of Old Hong Kong’. Although this colourful
and extensive range of figures, buildings and even Dragon Boats is rarely seen
in collections in Europe or North America it is hugely popular here in Hong
Kong and around Asia... and justly so!
HK291
“The Shoemaker Set”
A
pair of Chinese custom shoemakers show off their latest efforts to one of their
wealthy clients. Everything you see in the photo is included in this great
little 3-figure set.
AVAILABLE: Mid February
B.
‘ANZAC Artillery’
Guns
and gunners of the Royal Australian and Royal New Zealand Artillery were
an important component of the ANZAC military commitment to South Vietnam from
1965 to the early 1970’s.
At first they employed the air
mobile, Italian designed 105mm Pack Howitzer before converting over to
the tried and tested American ‘105’ M2 Field Gun. By changing over to
the US Army model spare parts and plenty of ammunition were readily available
whenever and wherever required from US Supply Depots in South Vietnam.
VN076 “The ANZAC 105mm Gun & Crew Set”
Australian “Diggers” and New Zealand “Kiwis”
have fought side-by-side as ANZACS since they were first militarily combined as
the ‘Australian and New Zealand Army Corps’ in the early days of WW1.
During both World Wars they wore virtually the same uniforms
with only their own unique military head gear to identify them as either ‘Aussie’
or ‘Kiwi’.
By the time of Vietnam their basic combat uniforms were
broadly based on British Army tropical climate ‘OD’ (olive
drab) of that period. Both armies wore the British-style bush hat.
This brand-new Gun Set shows 3 x gunners stripped to the
waist manning their 105mm field piece... A kneeling, fully-clothed
NCO watches over the men as they get to work firing and reloading their gun. This
little set is a tribute to all ANZAC artillerymen who served in Vietnam.
Special Note: A later release will include a
sand-bagged gun emplacement as well as extra shells and empty shell-cases.
AVAILABLE: Early February
C.
“Somewhere in Normandy after D.Day”
In
the days and weeks following the invasion of June 6, 1944, Allied troops
quickly came to appreciate just how deadly and fiercely their German opponents
defended their positions and almost brought the American, British and Canadian
advance to a grinding halt.
Although
vastly outnumbered in the air and even on the ground the German army fought
with a grim determination borne of their experience on the battlefields of the
Soviet Union and the Italian Front.
Here
are two small reinforcements for K&C’s German troops fighting in Normandy.
WH096
“The Normandy Dispatch Rider”
A Wehrmacht
Dispatch Rider on his Italian-made motor bike halts temporarily to avoid
the patrolling Allied fighter bombers that made movement between different
German units almost impossible during daylight hours in the Normandy campaign.
The
rider himself is a veteran of the fighting in Italy as he wears Italian-pattern
camouflage trousers.
WH098
“Panzer Lehr Command Vehicle”
One of
the most famous German Panzer divisions taking part in the Battle of Normandy
was the “Panzer Lehr”... Originally formed in Germany from
training and demonstration troops (‘Lehr’ means ‘teach’) to provide
additional armoured support for the anticipated Allied
invasion of Europe. The division was in France when the invasion finally
happened.
Here,
you see the ‘Normandy’ version of our SdKfz
250/3 ‘Command Vehicle’ in typical 3-colour camouflage of the period.
Inside the vehicle are 2 x full-body figures – a driver and a radio operator.
AVAILABLE: Mid February
D.
“Scots Wha Hae”
The
Scottish Wars of Independence were an ongoing series of military
campaigns fought between the Kingdoms of Scotland and England in the late 13th
and early 14th centuries.
The
wars were part of a great crisis for the Scots and the period when Scotland as
a country defined its unique place in the history of the British Isles.
Robert
the Bruce (1274-1329) became its most famous warrior king by
successfully defeating the English Army under the command of Edward II
at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 thereby helping to create the
establishment of an independent Scottish kingdom.
Thirteen
years later, in 1327, Edward’s son, Edward III renounced all claims to
the Scottish kingdom and Scotland finally stood alone and proud... at least for
a few hundred years.
MK200
“Robert the Bruce”
This
mounted figure of “The Bruce” is closely modeled on the actual
monument designed by Charles Pilkington Jackson which overlooks the battlefield
of Bannockburn near Stirling in Scotland.
Unveiled
by Her Majesty The Queen in 1964 it shows Bruce
mounted on his mighty warhorse and holding a battleaxe
in his right hand.
Colourful, dramatic and impressive it makes a worthy
addition to K&C’s other medieval Scottish warriors.
AVAILABLE: Mid-Late February
E.
“To the last bullet... and the last
man”
From
a battlefield in medieval Scotland to another battlefield in southeast Montana
Territory...
Three
small but exciting releases for our “Real West” series depicting
Custer’s Last Stand at the Battle of Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876...
TRW165
“The Last Aimed Shot”
A
dismounted 7th Cavalry trooper uses his horse as cover as he
takes careful aim with his carbine at one of his Indian opponents.
TRW166
“Die Longknife!”
Two
Cheyenne ‘Dog Soldiers’ hack mercilessly at another unfortunate U.S.
Cavalry trooper. (3 x figure set)
TRW167
“Fighting To The End”
Back-to-back,
these two wounded troopers must know their end is near but still they are
determined to put up a fight to the last... (2 x figure set)
AVAILABLE: Mid-Late February
F.
“In The Age
of Napoleon”
Two
senior officers and a mounted Aide de Camp gallop alongside their
earlier released Emperor and some of his favourite
generals.
NA441
“Galloping Aide de Camp”
Resplendent
in his dark blue uniform and sporting the distinctive red and gold armband of
one of the Emperor’s own select band of ADC’s this officer must stay close to
the great man himself in order to be on hand to deliver any and all kinds of
important messages and instructions.
NA443
“General Jean-Pierre Doumerc”
Jean-Pierre
Doumerc (1767-1847) joined a French
cavalry unit at the beginning of the French revolution and rapidly rose to
command an entire ‘Cuirassier’ regiment by the time Napoleon came to
power.
During
the wars and campaigns of the Emperor, Documerc first
led cavalry brigades and later divisions in many of the most important battles
of that era.
Our
K&C representation shows him wearing the extravagant general’s bicorn atop
his senior Cuirassier officer’s uniform and metal breastplate.
NA445
“General Jean-Baptiste Bessieres”
Bessieres (1768-1813) was a Marshal
of the Empire during the Napoleonic era.
A
great personal friend of the Emperor he campaigned
with him in Italy and Egypt before becoming a senior cavalry commander of
Napoleon’s own Guard Cavalry.
He
subsequently went on to take part in many other notable battles and campaigns
in Europe before being killed in action in 1813.
Bessieres was not of high birth but adopted the manners and
style of a gentleman. He typically wore the distinctive green uniform of
his original regiment ‘Guides of the Army of Italy’ and wore his hair
long and ‘powdered’ in the style of the ‘Ancien
Regime’... And that’s how we have portrayed him.
NA453
“The Apple Seller”
Armies
of Napoleon’s time relied on most of their food being supplied, bought or stolen
from whichever country or community they were marching through. This
young woman has a basketful of fresh apples to sell to the soldiers as they
pass through or near her family orchard.
AVAILABLE: Mid February
G.
“On The
Streets of Olde London”
A
third version of our very popular horse transport from the time of Sherlock
Holmes... or Charles Dickens.
WOD067
“The Green Hansom Cab Set”
As stated before another very useful addition to any street
scene in Olde London.
AVAILABLE: Early February
H.
“The Big Bamboo”
Bamboo
can be found all over Asia and is frequently used for buildings as well as a
food source and for raw materials. Bamboo has a higher specific
comprehensive strength than wood, brick or concrete and a tensile strength that
rivals even steel.
It’s
also an essential part of any diorama that features K&C’s WW2 Japanese and
US Marines as well as our Vietnam War ranges... Now you can
purchase bags of various length, 1:30 scale bamboo stalks to give your
jungle displays that extra touch of authenticity...
SP110
“Bamboo Pack”
9 x
lengths of Bamboo in three approx. different sizes(16.5cm,
13cm, 12cm or 6.5”, 5.25”,4.5”). And at a great value
price!
AVAILABLE: Early February
2.
BEING RETIRED...
As
per usual here is what is disappearing.... Grab it while you can!
HOC001
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen
IF030
Italian Officer of Askaris
LAH221
The SS Marriage Set
RAF035
Typhoon Pilot
RAF036
Sergeant
RAF073
Wing Commander Bob Stanford-Tuck
WH003
Out of Danger
WH034
Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus
WH048
WW2 Wehrmacht Sitting Soldiers
WH068
Tank Repair Commander
WH072
Death in Berlin
3.
End-Of-The-Run Remainders
Every single month throughout the year, King &
Country introduces a whole raft of new releases for collectors and
dealers all over the world.
At the same time we also retire
older items. Often these are snapped up as well however, in a
number of cases, we still have some items remaining that we wish to
offer collectors and dealers at some very attractive prices in order to make
space for our incoming inventory. So
our loss is your gain!
Here is the first selection... Available while stocks
last!
|
BBG048 |
Sd. Kfz. 234/1 Schwerer Panzerspahwagen |
|
DD125 |
US Military Policeman |
|
DD161 |
US Armoured Jeep |
|
DD174 |
Humber Heavy Utility |
|
DD175 |
“Liberation!” |
|
DD189 |
Valentine MK III |
|
DD223 |
DD223 |
|
DD225 |
"US M20 Armoured
Car" |
|
DD231 |
Dead And Gone |
|
DD232 |
Kneeling with Rifle |
|
DD235 |
"A Quick Knee to the Groin" |
|
DD269 |
War Paint |
|
LAH149 |
Panzerjager 1 |
|
MK141 |
The German Tent |
|
MK142 |
The English Tent |
And
as the old cartoons used to say... “That’s All For
Now, Folks!”
Hope
you find something for you here...
All the best and happy collecting,
Andy C. Neilson
Co-founder &
Creative Director
King & Country Ltd.