DISPATCHES
JANUARY 2013
WELL, HERE WE ARE
IN A BRAND-NEW YEAR full of hope, a basket-full of challenges and… the odd
surprise or two!
So, pull up a seat, sit yourself down and let’s get on with the show ‘n’
tell…
1. “DESERT RATS GO ON THE ATTACK!”
A.
Monty’s Eighth Army boys are among the most popular and widely
collected of all K&C’s many World War Two ranges. We try, whenever
possible, to release new “Desert Rats” add-ons at least twice a
year. Here are the latest…
EA066 “Desert Dingo”
This is the third
and final version of this little British armoured
reconnaissance vehicle. Dingoes saw wide and varied use by
British and Empire forces throughout the war in North Africa and
elsewhere. Our new one belongs to the 7th. Armored Division” The
Desert Rats” and is “christened” MORECAMBE.
The vehicle includes a driver and
separate Bren Gun.
EA078 “ Valentine Mk.III Tank”
The Valentine was the most produced of any British-designed tank
during WW2. More than 8,000 were built in 11 different marks. They
accounted for over one quarter of all British tank production between 1940 and
1944.
In addition to serving with both
British and Canadian army units large numbers were supplied to Soviet Russia
under lend-lease…
This is the first K&C
Valentine (two more are planned) and is in the markings of the 1st.
Army Tank Brigade, stationed in Tobruk,
Libya in 1942.
Our model “HECTOR” wears the
unique “splinter” three-colour camouflage and
comes with a vehicle commander.
“… And Now For the Poor Bloody Infantry”
Providing the vital infantry backup are six individual “Toms”…
EA079 “Attacking Officer”
Webley Service Revolver in hand this young Lieutenant leads his men
forward.
EA080 “Sergeant Tommy-Gunner”
Providing additional fire support for his
officer and men the “Tommy-Gun” toting Sergeant rattles off a burst of
.45 bullets!!
EA081 “Lying Prone Bren Gunner”
An invaluable asset to any
squad of British and Empire infantry was the handy Bren Gunner with his Light
Machine Gun.
EA082 “Lying
Firing Rifleman”
Next to the Bren Gunner
this rifleman acts as his “number two”.
EA083 “Charging
w/Rifle and Bayonet”
Bullets are
good but sometimes it takes the cold steel of a bayonet to force the enemy to
retreat!
EA084 “Standing Firing Rifleman”
A British “Tommy” and his Short
Magazine Lee Enfield rifle make a winning combination.
AVAILABLE : NOW!
B. “On The Streets of Berlin”
From the blistering
desert sands of war-torn Libya in 1942 to the cobble-stoned streets of pre war
Berlin with three individual Sturmabteilung (SA) musicians…
LAH166 “S.A. Drum Major”
Mace in hand this veteran “Musik-leiter” leads his men on parade.
LAH167
“S.A. Trumpeter”
LAH168
“S.A. Drummer”
AVAILABLE: NOW!
C. “RETURN TO THE CRIMEA”
A couple of years ago when our good friends
at King & Country UK decided to complete their original Crimean War
series we at HQ in Hong Kong took a long, hard look at the range and decided
that perhaps we could extend and develop it at some later stage.
Well, now here it is and this is
just our first installment…
“BESIEGING
SEVASTAPOL”
Under a hail of shot and shell the British
infantry make their tortuous way forward…
CR003 “Kneeling Firing”
CR004 “Standing Firing”
CR005 “Pointing Corporal”
CR006 “Drummer Boy”
CR007 “Loading Rifle”
CR008 “Advancing w/Rifle at the Port”
CR009 “Advancing Forward”
CR010 “Crouching w/Rifle & Bayonet”
CR011 “Marching to the Front”
Special Note: All of these first infantry releases
represent a typical English “Line” or “County” Regiment of the
1850’s Victorian Army. To select just one of the many fine regiments that
fought in the Crimea would, we feel, be unfair to the others who fought and
died there.
Follow Up Release: Officers, flagbearers
and wounded will be released as an addition to this first release in February
2013.
AVAILABLE: Mid to Late January
D. “Saladin’s Saracens to the
Rescue”
Once more we
journey a little further East from the Crimea to the Middle East at the time of
the Crusades… with SIX more Saracen warriors.
MK097 “Saracen Sergeant-at-Arms”
Signalling to his men this axe-wielding sergeant
carefully moves forward.
MK098 “Advancing
Cross Bowman”
MK099 “Charging Saracen Spearman”
Axe in one hand,
spear in the other and looking for trouble…
MK100 “Advancing Saracen Spearman”
MK101 “Kneeling
Saracen Spearman”
MK102 “Mounted
Saracen Officer”
AVAILABLE: Late
January
1.
“APPEARING
IN FEBRUARY”
A.
“Custer’s Reinforcements”
My recent visit to
Europe provided the ideal opportunity to preview this new “Real West”
series to as many K&C collectors as possible. I’m delighted to
say the response was very enthusiastic and gratifying… Here’s the second batch
of Custer’s men to join the battle…
TRW021 “Lieutenant
Cooke”
This dramatic figure of the Seventh Cavalry’s Regimental Adjutant portrays
the wounded Cooke just as he is about to fire his revolver. The
buckskin-clad Cooke was easily recognized by his long side whiskers and straw
hat.
TRW026 “Kneeling
Ready”
TRW027 “First
Aid”
This kneeling “Seventh” trooper tries to bandage his arm while
still clutching his Army “Colt”.
TRW028 “Standing
Loading Carbine”
Another trooper extracts a
round from his cartridge belt while watching the enemy.
TRW029 “The
Trapped Horseman”
Although pinned beneath his fallen mount this defiant cavalryman takes careful
aim.
TRW032 “Lying
Firing Carbine”
TRW033 “Clearing
a Blockage”
Constant firing caused many
of the carbines to “overheat” and made spent cartridges difficult to extract…
This trooper is using his knife to desperately try and clear the cartridge
chamber.
AVAILABLE : Early
February
Special
Note: Fourteen all-action Sioux and Cheyenne warriors (both on foot and
mounted will be available shortly! Look out for ‘em.
1.
“The
Perfect Backdrop”
No other company produces
such a diverse range of both 3 dimensional buildings or facades as K&C.
Here’s the latest…
SP054 “Café de Normandie”
More than a few years ago we produced an
earlier, less detailed (and smaller) version of this. We decided it was
time to revise and revisit this little piece of Normandy. The newer,
bigger and better “Café de Normandie” can be
used in a wide variety of settings and scenes both on its own and/or with other
facades and buildings.
AVAILABLE : Early February
2.
“Desert
Reinforcements… AK Style”
In January we re-supplied Monty’s men… This month it’s the Desert Fox
and his Afrika Korps that
are getting the replacements…
AK092 “Sd.Kfz.222
Armoured Car”
(North
Africa- AK)
This third version of the great little German armoured
car is another of those models that has been much requested by K&C
collectors over the years… It’s been a long time since there has been an Afrika Korps “222”…. And this
will be a welcome addition.
AK093 “Sd.Kfz.251 Halftrack”
Another of those “iconic” German
fighting vehicles that saw plenty of action on all battle fronts the Wehrmacht were involved in.
This
battle-weary “251” has certainly seen more than its fair share of action as can
be seen by its paint-chipped appearance. Our AK version comes with a driver and
removable MG34 machine gun.
Special Note: At least two more variations will appear
later in 2013.
AK095 “2cm Flak 38 Gun Set”
Another little “classic”, the 2cm (or 20mm)
Flak Gun on its firing mount comes with a seated gunner and is ready for
action…
AK096 “Flak Gun Crew”
A little 2-man “add-on” set for the
Flak Gun… a loader and spotter, both Afrika Korps.
AVAILABLE : Early February
3.
“And
Now For Something Different Again… Ethiopian Askaris!”
As regular
“Dispatches” readers know once a year K&C release an Italian themed series
of figures and vehicles primarily (but not exclusively) aimed at our
collectors in Italy. Well, this year is no exception. However,
we’ve cast our net a wee bit wider to introduce some soldiers that some
collectors may be less well informed about… Mussolini’s native troops… However
to begin with let’s add just one more Carabinieri….
IF028 “Carabinieri
Motorcycle Set”
This Italian military policeman provides the mobile element to our
previously released Carabinieri figures.
IF030 “Italian Officer of Askaris”
Italy raised many
regiments and battalions of Native Troops to serve in Ethiopia, Somalia and Libya…
both before and during the early part of the Second World War… All of them led
by Italian officers. This officer is a typical example.
IF031 “Flagbearer
Sergeant”
Our bearded
Eritrean NCO with the 8th Battalion standard carries both rifle and pistol.
IF032 “Charging #1”
IF033 “Charging #2”
IF034 “Crouching”
IF035 “Kneeling Firing”
IF036 “Sitting Firing”
IF037 “Lying Prone”
IF038 “Scouting For The Enemy”
One of the more unusual ways to get a better
view of the opposition… This NCO climbs onto the shoulders of one of his men to
seek out the enemy.
IF039 “Avanti!”
This corporal urges his men “Forward!”
IF040 “Standing Firing Rifle”
Special Note: The Italian Army made extensive use of locally-recruited.
Native Troops in Italian East Africa… Almost 200,000 were recruited and
comprised mostly infantry, some cavalry and a few light artillery units.
They
are among the most famous and colorful of any in Mussolini’s army.
AVAILABLE : Mid February
4.
“Return
To The Crimea PART TWO”
As promised in
December, here is the “Second Release” of our new Crimean War British
Infantry of the Line…
CR001 “Officer w/Pistol & Sword”
This
bearded officer stands ready with his sword and one of those new-fangled
American Colt revolvers!
CR002 “Subaltern w/The Queen’s Colour”
Still wearing the Regimental Shako this
young officer bravely advances carrying the “Union Jack.”
CR012 “The Rescue”
This soldier carries a wounded officer to safety…
CR013 “The Bugler”
Bugle in one hand, short sword in the other
this bugler helps rally his comrades.
CR014 “The Regimental Standard Bearer”
Another Colt-carrying officer with the
Regimental Colour.
AVAILABLE : Mid February
And now for the retirement list…
2.
“Heading
For The Hills…”
As usual, as one
group comes in another group moves out… Here’s the retirements.
AK072
Afrika Korps Kubelwagen
LAH080 Reichusfuhrer Heinrich Himmler Saluting
LAH081 Martin
Bormann
LAH085
Algemeine Officer Saluting
LAH086
Algemeine SS Standing
MK033
Saracen Defending w/Sword & Shield
MK037
Attacking Saracen w/Sword & Shield
MK039
Saracen Flagbearer
NA056
French Imperial Guard-General Dorsenne (Mounted)
NA057
Guard Officer w/Sword Marching
NA058
Guard Officer w/Flag
NA059
Guard w/Rifle Advancing
NA060
Guard w/Rifle Marching
NA061
Guard Drummer Marching
NA063
Guard w/Rifle Present Arms
NA152
Guard Standing at Attention
NA153
Guard Kneeling Firing
NA154
Guard Standing Firing
NA155
Guard Standing to Repel
NA156
Guard Loading Rifle
NA157
Guard Marching w/Rifle
WS126
Normandy Rommel
WS127
Gen.Oberst Heinz Guderian
WS151
Tiger 1
And that, my
friends, is that for another month or so. I hope all of you had a very
Merry Christmas and a happy New Year and Santa was kind to you.
Here’s to a happy,
healthy New Year… and a more peaceful one too! Best wishes ….
Andy C. Neilson
Co-founder & Creative Director
King & Country