DISPATCHES

OCTOBER 2011

I’m writing this month’s “DISPATCHES” almost two weeks earlier than usual because Gordon (brother) and yours truly fly out to the ‘States on our way to Chicago and the “TOY SOLDIER SHOW”… tomorrow.

On our way we’ll spend the weekend with Mike and Myszka Hall at SIERRA TOY SOLDIERS in Los Gatos doing a “meet ‘n’ greet” with some great collectors in a great store. This has become an annual event and each one seems to get bigger and better than the last one so we’ll be busy little boys during our all too brief visit.

However before I forget… let’s get down to “DISPATCHES”…

1. APPEARING IN OCTOBER

A. This month sees the launch of… “ANCIENT GREECE

Depicting the dramatic events of the 4th and 5th centuries B.C. this new range of colourful warriors (and some backdrop accessories) will depict the mighty struggle between Greece and its foremost enemy… Persia. The first release portrays these warriors of the ancient world preparing for battle.

 

AG001 “Standing Hoplite”

AG002 “Hoplite on Guard”

AG003 “Hoplite Officer w/Sword”

AG004 Hoplite Soldier w/Sword

AG005 “Hoplite w/ Long Spear (Horizontal)”

AG006Hoplite w/ Long Spear (45 Degrees)”

AG007 “Hoplite w/ Long Spear (Vertical)”

AG008 “Ancient Greece Entranceway”

This four-piece assembly comes together to form a classical Greek backdrop for our warriors

 

AVAILABLE: Early October

 

B. BASTOGNE WINTER”

From the sun-drenched battlefields of Ancient Greece to the freezing cold of an Ardennes winter in December 1944! Our latest “Battle of the Bulge” G.I.s…

BBA045 “G.I. Chef”

Sitting by a cooker this GI prepare a hot meal for the rest of his platoon. He’s taking no chances though… he still carries his MI over his shoulder. Is that because of the Germans… or is he worried his buddies won’t like his cooking!!!

 

BBA046 “Winter March”

Two well-wrapped-up GI’s make their way forward to the front line…

 

BBA047 “Kneeling Firing Rifle”

Another great ‘action’ figure

 

BBA048 “Lying Ready”

 

BBA049 “Truck Passenger Set#2”

The second installment of seated GI’s… two riflemen plus a BAR man.

 

BBA050 U.S. Armoured Jeep” (Winter Version)

The ubiquitous jeep, but probably one you’ve never seen before! Armour plate protects the front of the engine as well as three sides of the driver/ passenger area. A 30 cal. machine gun is mounted on a pole next to the driver.

The vehicle has also been “snow” camouflaged with a rough coat of whitewash.

Note the “snow chains” on the wheels… a nice little extra touch.

 

BBA051 “Supplies Trailer” (Winter)

This separate little trailer is the perfect “add-on” to the jeep… The supplies in the back of the trailer can also be removed if required.

 

BBA052 “Vehicle Scout”

This GI has dismounted from the Jeep with his binos and a field radio to get a better look at the enemy position and report back to headquarters.

 

BBA053 “Walking Sergeant”

Carbine over one shoulder this offer is a great little “companion” piece to BBA046’s foot sloggers.

 

AVAILABLE: Mid October

 

C. “MOVING TOWARDS D. DAY”

Spring 1944, all over Britain the country has been turned into one giant army camp as hundreds of thousands of British, American, Canadian and other Allied nations prepare for “Operation Overlord”, the cross-channel invasion of Normandy,

As the troops train for the big day their commanders makes tours of inspection to see for themselves how it’s all progressing… No one takes these visits as seriously as the Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

 

DD154(SL) “The Eisenhower Staff Car Set”

This latest “Strictly Limited” shows Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower on a tour of inspection somewhere in southern England in the spring of 1944. His U.S. Army Staff Car comes complete with a female WAC driver. At Eisenhower’s side is Kay Summersby, his personal driver when he arrived in Britain in1942. Over the next three years she proved invaluable to him and took care of many of his domestic and personal tasks.

During this time Summersby became a U.S. citizen and was commissioned into the U.S. Women’s Army Corps (WAC’s) leaving the service as a Captain in 1947.

 

Please Note: Just 750 of this special set have been produced.

 

 

D. NAPOLEONIC REINFORCEMENTS”

Several very useful additions for a few different regiments…

NA212 “Gordon Highlanders Sergeant Major”

Standing defiantly, claymore in hand, this senior Non Commissioned Officer is ready for all comers!

 

NA214 “Gordon Highlanders Officer with the King’s Colour

Holding the great “Union” flag this officer shouts out commands over the heat and noise of battle.

 

NA215 “Gordon Highlanders Bagpiper”

Marching into battle with the skirl of the pipes.

 

NA216 “Seizing the Colours

A great little vignette of a French Cuirassier capturing the Regimental Flag from a wounded officer while a guardsman wheels around to attack the Cuirassier (or his horse).

 

AVAILABLE: Late October

 

E. “SERIOUS BOMB DAMAGE?”

SP047 “Bomb-damaged French House”

This is the second release of our new Normandy Village buildings and, as you can see, this is taller than the SHOP HOUSE and has endured considerably more battle damage.

These pieces are full of great detail and can be used in a variety of displays and settings for both First and Second World War figures and fighting vehicles.

 

AVAILABLE: Late October

 

F. “THE NAPOLEONIC SNOW BATTLE

A light-hearted skirmish in the snow in Napoleonic times…

 

XM011-01 “The Napoleonic Snow Battle

As two young French drummer boys do battle with snow balls… a brave Santa Claus tries in vain to keep them apart… this is K&C’s special Christmas set for 2011… Just 500 have been produced.

 

AVAILABLE: Late October

 

2. COMING IN NOVEMBER

Near the end of each year K&C’s thoughts turn to Christmas and one of the most important battles of the Second World War… “WACHT AM RHEIN”… “The Battle of the Bulge”.

October saw the release of the latest “winter” G.I.’s… now it’s the Germans turn…

 

A. “Attack Bastogne

As American troops pull back after the massive German assault in December 1944 the Wehrmacht and Waffen SS troops continue to push forward…

 

BBG040 “Take Some!”

An SS Panzergrenadier offers to share some of his captured U.S. “C Rations” with a Volksturm rifleman

 

BBG041 “Prisoner & Escort”

A hapless GI forlornly trudges into captivity followed closely by his German captor

 

BBG042 Jochen Peiper

A very well-known Waffen SS officer who was once a military adjutant to Adolf Hitler. His division is, of course, the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler”… the premier SS Division.

 

BBG048 Sd.Kfz. 234/1 Schwerer Panzerspahwagen

A mighty beast of a reconnaissance vehicle. This 8-wheeled behemoth has been “snow-camouflaged” and comes with a seated, full-body vehicle commander in the turret which mounts a 20mm cannon as well as an MG42 Machine GunA great winter add-on!

 

BBG049 Stug. III Ausf. G”

One of Nazi Germany’s best and most produced self-propelled guns. This is K&C’s first brand-new STUG for several years and is camouflaged in a typical, late-war 2-tone camouflage. As you can see not all “BULGE” fighting vehicles were “snow-camouflaged”.

Set includes the 1/2 body tank commander.

 

BBG050 “Winter Traffic”

With all this “heavy-metal” on the roads someone’s got to keep the traffic moving… The familiar “chained-dog” of the Feldgendarmerie could be seen all German battlefields.

 

BBG051 “The Sniper”

Taking a swift “smoke-break” this Waffen SS expert marksman prepares, once more, to take the fight to the enemy.

Note the typical SS-issue “Parka” the Sniper is wearing… only distributed to members of the Waffen SS exclusively.

 

BBG052 “Suspicious Trooper”

This soldier is carrying the brand-new German Assault Weapon… Only a few thousand were available for front-line troops fighting in the Ardennes.

Our model looks like he’s just heard something and is about to investigate.

 

AVAILABLE: Mid November

 

B. “IN THE LAND OF JUDEA…”

From the bleak mid-winter of a European December we journey back almost two millennium to the time of Jesus… Our latest offering…

 

LOJ011 “In The Carpenter’s Shop”

Here we see a teenage Jesus eagerly assisting his earthly father Joseph the Carpenter. As Joseph uses a “plane” on his large workbench his son carries over a plank of wood. The set includes the two figures plus the workbench and a pile of wooden planks.

 

LOJ012 “The Water Carrier”

A woman is on her way to the village well to pick up some fresh water. Balancing the clay jug on her head she also has a basket of fresh oranges to sell at the well.

 

During the life of Jesus and for many years later the Romans were the military power in this part of the Middle East. Roman soldiers either regular Legionnaires or Auxiliaries were a familiar sight in the towns, villages and roads of rural Judea.

 

LOJ013 “Standing Roman Auxiliary”

Auxiliaries, although armed like their Legionnary comrades, were quite different in appearance.

Many units wore blue as their uniform colour. Their shields were also blue with particular designs on the front peculiar to the Auxiliaries themselves.

 

LOJ014 “Auxiliary w/ Shield and Spear”

On parade… or on guard duty… the choice is yours.

 

LOJ015 “Walking Auxiliary”

Spear in one hand… shield in the other…

LOJ016 “Marching Auxiliary”

Spear on shoulder… shield in hand and ready for anything!

 

LOJ017 “The Centurion”

Many, if not most, of the Auxiliary officers were regular Roman soldiers seconded to an Auxiliary Unit for a specific length of service.

Here he is issuing “orders of the day” from a clay tablet.

 

AVAILABLE: Mid November

 

SPECIAL NOTE: More Romans are in the pipeline…

 

C. “Streets of Old Hong Kong

From one type of law to another…

 

HK201 “Marching Hong Kong Policeman”

Martini-Henry carbine over one arm this smart-looking constable (plus a few others) would make a fine little parade.

 

AVAILABLE: Mid November

 

D. “SONS OF THE EMPIRE”

Still in the “High Noon” of the British Empire here are three more of our colourful Ludhiana Siksto add to your collection…

 

SOE005 “LSR Kneeling Firing Rifle”

This Sikh rifleman takes careful aim… Every bullet, well-aimed eliminates at least one of the Queen Empress many enemies.

 

SOE009 “LSR Reloading”

Another Sikh rifleman chambers a round into his rifle.

 

SOE013 “Standing British Officer”

Cool, calm and collected this officer indicates to his men where the enemy positions are.

 

AVAILABLE: Late November/ Early December

 

3. “BEING RETIRED”

Another extensive list so grab ‘em while stocks last…

 

AR059 “Marching with rifle”

AR060 “Standing with rifle”

AR061 “Kneeling Firing”

AR062 “Standing Firing”

AR063 “Advancing”

AR064 “Charging”

AR065 “Standing Flag Bearer”

AR066 “Sergeant with rifle marching”

AR067 “Mounted Officer”

AR068 “Cannon Set”

AR069 “Artillery Officer”

AR070 “Drummer”

AR071 “Attacking”

 

BBA010 “Welcome to Bastogne

BBG016 “King Tiger (Porsche Turret)”

BBG017 “King Tiger Tank Riders”

 

MG030 “Army Photographic Unit Cameraman”

MG032 “Captured”

 

NA028 “French Pioneer”

 

WS110 “Rifleman In Action”

WS111 “Over There!”

WS112 “Open Fire!”

WS113 “MG034 Gun Team”

WS115 “Marching Waffen SS Trooper”

 

And that, as I usually say, is that. Hope you find something interesting for you and your collectors!

 

Good luck!

 

 

 

Andy C. Neilson

Co- Founder & Creative Director

King & Country