King & Country

DISPATCHES

JULY 2004

 

 

Apologies that this month's "DISPATCHES" gets to you a little later than usual - the author (me) took himself and his family off to Bangkok, Thailand for a week of R'n'R.

 

Anyway, vacation over and now it's back to the salt mines!

 

 

(1)  D.DAY PLUS...PLUS...PLUS

Although the great day itself has passed the interest and fascination with D.DAY and the events unleashed continues to grow and grow.

 

You'll be pleased to know that DD49 our 3/4 ton Dodge Weapons Carrier Set is at last being delivered to our warehouse next week. This superb model nicknamed the "BEEP" comes complete with a detachable load of ammunition boxes and...a "BEN HUR" water trailer. Our "BEEP" is in the markings of the 101st Airborne and is accompanied by two figures - a standing 101 'trooper with carbine and a seated driver. Needless to say, it's also got that authentic K&C battle-weary finish.

 

We already have a whole pile of advance orders for this great set, so don't hold back yours! With the increasing popularity of K&C product these new items go very, very quickly you might want to think of increasing your order quantity.

 

 

 

(2)  IN THE PIPELINE...

Four brand-new sets of D.Day Germans are at the factories as I write and they are among the most exciting yet...

 

COUNTER-ATTACK!

Standard German military doctrine dictated that as soon as an enemy had captured any objective an immediate counter-attack should be made.

 

Last month, our US Paratroopers, Rangers and Armour landed in Normandy now comes more Germans. Leading the attack is the mighty JAGDPANTHER WS59, our polystone and metal model of this 50 ton tank destroyer is in a superb late-war camouflage scheme. Side skirts partially protect its track and road wheels and its front is sand-bagged for extra protection. Two well-animated crew figures complete the set. Interestingly our K&C Jagdpanther has taken several hits from enemy shells...none of which have been able to penetrate its extra-thick armoured hide.

 

 

INFANTRY SUPPORT

Three 4 man sets of SS Panzer Grenadiers provide the necessary infantry back up. WS58 is an all-new version of our old Waffen SS "Fighting Patrol" (WS27). This older set, sculpted by our previous sculptor, was always extremely popular. The new WS58 "Fighting Patrol" shows a 4 man machine gun section making their way to the battle. Apart from their personal weapons and their MG42 machine gun, they also carry a Panzer-faust anti tank rocket.

 

WS60 "Panzerschrek Team" is already in action...a lying prone NCO gestures to the kneeling gunner and loader the near proximity of enemy armour. Bringing up the rear is a fourth SS Panzer Grenadier armed with a Schmeisser machine pistol and the familiar German "potato masher".

 

WS62 "New Tank Riders" is exactly that - an additional set of four sitting, crouching and kneeling SS troopers who look great on any of our German armoured vehicles (or any captured Allied one come to that).

 

This new set of Tankriders is not a replacement for the existing one (WS31) which has been extremely popular. We decided to do another additional set because of the many requests for more Germans to sit on more vehicles!

 

AVAILABILITY

WS59 JAGDPANTHER - We expect advance deliveries of this model in late July.

WS58, 60 and 62 - these figure sets will be available in late August/early September.

 

The reason for the delay on these figure sets is that our factories have insufficient skilled manpower (actually woman-power, about 98% of the painters are female). This might sound crazy in China where there is almost 1.5 billion people but several factors come into play:

 

(A)    K&C's orders alone have more than doubled in the last 12 months alone due to our increased popularity.

(B)     Highly skilled painters have to be trained up and that can take many months.

 

Finally, I know only too well the frustrations this causes but I always think it's better for you to see more of the "big picture".

 

(3)  D.DAY BRITISH FORCES

Last month, I briefly mentioned our new British WWII releases and the hoped for release date in August. Obviously as you have read earlier that has definitely been pushed back to September.

 

What I can tell you positively is that the release will feature 4 sets of figures and a great fighting vehicle. The vehicle is the CHURCHILL Infantry Support Tank with 2 British tank crew.

 

The soldiers are from No.6 Commando, led by Lord Lovat and his personal bagpiper Bill Millin (remember "The Longest Day"). We also have a Royal Navy Beachmaster Set (complete with Bulldog). And we have an excellent individual character study of British Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill as he appeared in Normandy on D.Day +6.

 

Wait till you see them...you won't be disappointed. More next month.

 

Until then...we always appreciate your continued business, enthusiasm and support...all the best and great sales!

 

 

Andy C. Neilson

Co-founder and Creative Director