JANUARY 2011
ITS A WHOLE NEW YEAR and Im sure for all of us its going to be a challenging one but that is half the fun If running a successful business was easy everyone would do it. At the same time facing up to challenges means coming up with innovative and fresh solutions and thats also fun and hard-work sometimes. But hey hard work never killed anyone! Not recently anyway So, without further ado
1. WHATS NEW IN JANUARY 2011?
A. Gallands Last Battle
We can think of no better way to start the new year than by presenting our latest, biggest and best K&C Warbird the revolutionary Messerschmitt 262, the worlds first jet-powered fighter aircraft.
Plus, weve got some additional Luftwaffe ace pilots and ground crew figures to go along with it!
LW036 Adolph Gallands Me.262
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 500kg.bombs slung under the forward fuselage.
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 North Africa and achieved 39 confirmed victories, including two flying the Me.262.
LW039 Coffee Break
Two more Luftwaffe pilots 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.
LW041A Major Walter Nowi Novotny
Nowi Novotny was one of Germanys top air aces with a staggering 258 kills to his credit. At the end of the war he also commanded his own 262 squadron.
LW041B 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 Gallands Crew Chief
Leaning over the cockpit of the 262 is Gallands personal crew chief making sure everything and everyone is ready to fly.
AVAILABILITY: Early to Mid January
B. EIGHTH ARMY REINORCEMENTS
Well its been some time since our last 8th. Army figures and fighting vehicles were released so lets stop the drought!
EA043 The M3 Grant Crusier Tank
After Dunkirk in 1940 the British Army lost virtually all of its tanks in France what few that were left were sent out to the Middle East where by 1941 they were easily outclassed, outgunned and outfought by Rommels Panzers. Help however was on the way in the shape of the American designed M3 tank.
Britain ordered over 2,000 of these tanks armed with both a 75mm main gun (in a side sponson) and a 37mm gun in the top turret.
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 Cairo looking both smart and confident and ready for the task!
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 Chicago Piano or, to be more precise, the Thompson Sub-Machine Gun.
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.
AVAILABILITY: Mid January
C. On The Streets of Berlin
Throughout the turbulent Twenties and into the troublesome Thirties the brown-shirted SA (Sturmabteilung) were the most visible street presence of the Nazis.
Numbering in the millions these SA thugs could be seen throughout Germanys cities, towns and even small villages making their threatening presence felt.
Loud, coarse and intimidating (especially in large groups) this is how 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
2. APPEARING IN FEBRUARY!
A. More Desert Reinforcements for Monty!
EA044 Desert Rolls-Royce
This is a model K&C has wanted to do for a long time The Rolls-Royce Armoured Car was a unique British fighting vehicle first developed and used back in 1914 which saw active service right up to the early half of 1942.
Based on a Rolls-Royce SilverGhost chassis it was designed to have armoured bodywork surmounted by a single turret containing a vickers machine gun.
The original remaining 1914 models were modernized in 1920 and 1924 and saw extensive service in the Middle East. At the outbreak of war in 1939 some 76 vehicles were operational.
Our K&C model is in a distinctive desert splinter camouflage and comes with one crew figure.
AVAILABLE: Early February
On parade with the Legion
Following on from Januarys release of some in action Free French Foreign Legion figures we now have an extra batch of Legionnaires greeting their Leader.
EA046 General Charles De Gaulle
Le Grand Charles, the symbol and epitome of Free France. A great man and a brave soldier but very difficult to work with! Roosevelt never liked him Churchill respected him but knew how difficult he could be Of all the crosses I had to bear in the Second World War the heaviest was the Cross of Lorraine!
General De Gaulle strides purposely forward to inspect his men.
EA047 Legion Officer Saluting
EA048 Legionaire Present Arms
EA049 Legionaire Flagbearer
This senior NCO carries a small Legion company fanion attached to his Mas.36 rifle.
AVAILABLE: Early February
B. AMERICAN EAGLES
As German armies swept through Europe and Scandinavia in 1939 and 1940 small groups of men from all over the globe journeyed to Britain, the last fighting bastion of democracy, to join the Royal Air Force
A few gallant Americans joined them . At first these American volunteers were distributed among regular and auxiliary RAF squadrons.
By 1941 however enough skilled pilots were available to form three American Eagle squadrons.
As a tribute to all three K&C has chosen one particular Spitfire to replicate
RAF017 Spitfire II, P7308, 71 Squadron
On 27 August 1941, Pilot Officer Bill Dunn shot down two Bf.109s to add to his existing rally of three to become 71 Squadrons first ace. Both Dunn and his aircraft were badly shot up in the process.
The squadrons Eagle emblem adorned the nose of his Spitfire beneath the exhaust stubs on the port side only.
Bill Dunn later transferred to the USAF and scored 3 more victims after D.Day. He died in 1995.
Special Note: Just 250 of this special American Eagle Spitfire have been produced.
AVAILABLE: Early February
C. HANG THE KAISER!
Although that was the wish of many on the Allied side after the end of WW1 we have decided to remember him in a slightly different way
FW092 Kaiser Bills Staffwagen
Kaiser Wilhelm II, Germanys Imperial Warlord, was obsessed by war and conquest , he always liked to be as close to the action as his generals would allow. In order to do so, comfortably, he had several special staff vehicles built to carry him closer to the battle.
This particular Mercedes contained his camp bed, toilet facilities, a wash basin and his personal maps. Attached to it was a canopy and stairs to allow easy access. It even had a small heater/ stove to provide his favorite coffee!
Our K&C model includes the driver.
FW093 Kaiser Bill
A brand-new Kaiser Wilhelm figure complete with a large coat / cape to ward off the winter chill.
FW094 Field Marshal August Von Mackensen
One of the Kaisers most trusted advisers, Von Mackensen wears the dress field uniform of the famous Deaths Head Hussars, one of Imperial Germanys most famous cavalry regiments.
FW095 Field Marshal Karl Von Bulow
Another noted field commander. By contrast to Von Makensen, he is wearing the more modern (and simpler) field uniform and cap.
FW096 The Kaisers Valet
From the all-highest down to one of the Kaisers more humble subjectshis personal servant...his valet.
AVAILABLE: Mid to late February
D. RETURN TO THE CRUSADES
I know its been far too long but heres the first few Crusader releases of 2011
MK076 Sir Archibalt Douglas
A brave Scottish Knight of the 13th Century from a very famous Scottish family.
MK077 Spoils Of War
A Belgian Knight, Leon de Bruxelles carrying the trophy banners taken from his enemies.
MK078 The Ambush
An exciting little vignette showing two Saracen foot soldiers trying to unhorse a Templar Knight.
SPECIAL NOTE: Look out for FOUR more mounted warriors Saracens this time ... in March.
AVAILABLE: Mid to Late February
3. BEING RETIRED
This month nothing! Well theres a little surprise to end up with With best wishes for a very happy and healthy New Year to one and all!
Andy C. Neilson
Co-founder & Creative Director
King & Country