“DISPATCHES”
December 2016
Christmas
Greetings to one and all this Festive Season ... December is now here and welcome to one
of the busiest months in the King & Country
calendar!
On the 3rd of December yours truly and a team from K&C HK headquarters
will be at the London Toy Soldier Show presenting and previewing our
latest releases to K&C collectors from around the UK and Europe.
Among our displays will be a special second version of our “Fall of
Berlin” diorama and other new and upcoming items.
From London it’s on to Paris and our second Annual
“Meet ’n’ Greet” evening event sponsored by “Figurines &
Collection,” hosted by Phylip and Valerie Bultez.
While
in Paris I will also be meeting up with Sylvie and Marie Alix,
the two ladies who own and operate “Solda’
Telis” a beautiful little gem of a toy soldier shop set in the heart of
Paris.
From France it’s off to Italy and Rome and Milan.
My good friend Stefano Allorini and SAIMEX always
organizes a series of gatherings and shows for me to attend and present K&C
to collectors. Stefano and SAIMEX will also be joining with King & Country at this year’s London Show ... K&C
presenting ... SAIMEX selling!
After
meeting collectors in Rome it’s finally off to Milan for one of the biggest
events there ... the Pre Christmas
Collectible Toy Show. This encompasses all kinds of toys, old and
new, not just toy soldiers ... and SAIMEX is always a major participant
for toy soldiers and K&C. I’m looking forward to all of these great
shows and events BUT before all of that ... There’s all of this! Now
read on ...
1.
BEING
RELEASED IN DECEMBER ...
A)
SINGAPORE
ON PARADE
As most K&C
dealers and collectors already know Asia in general and Singapore in particular
has been a rapidly growing area for collecting King &
Country. Over the last 10-15 years the number of Asian toy soldier
collectors has continued to expand and develop. What is even more
encouraging has been the ‘Age Demographic’ of most of these new
collectors is noticeably younger than most collectors in Europe and America.
K&C
are seeing a lot more new collectors throughout Asia in the “25-45”
age bracket which is very, very encouraging.
To that end K&C now organizes its own ‘Special Day Event’ in
Singapore which attracts collectors not only from the ‘Lion City’ itself
but also from neighboring Malaysia and Indonesia ... As well as
individual collectors from The Philippines, Vietnam and even Australia!
This past event on Saturday November 19 at the Singapore Cricket Club
was the biggest and best yet.
For this event K&C produced a very special ‘Show Figure’ ...
and here it is ...
SAF001 “The
Singapore Commando on Parade”
The Singapore Armed Forces may
be relatively small in numbers but they are highly professional, well motivated and extremely well-equipped and trained.
In addition to the “Regular” full-time soldiers, sailors and airmen ...
Singapore has ‘National Service’ for all male Singaporeans over
the age of 18.
Upon ‘Call-Up’ young Singaporeans will either be directed to the Singapore
Armed Forces (SAF), the Singapore Police Force (SPF) or the Singapore
Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
The vast majority go to the SAF.
Within the SAF the best and most elite unit is the Singapore Commando
Formation. A battalion-sized unit that
specializes in reconnaissance and preemptive operations in small groups within
enemy territory.
Our special Singapore event figure portrays a soldier of the Commando
Formation in NO. 1 Dress uniform complete with Red Beret
and carrying his SAR21, the 5.56mm Assault Rifle,
Singapore designed and manufactured weapon with fixed bayonet.
Although
the majority of these figures were distributed at the Singapore event we have a
small number available for interested dealers and collectors around the world.
AVAILABLE: NOW!
B)
“Up to your neck in mud and bullets!”
From sunny, tropical
Singapore it’s a long way to the mud, blood and barbed wire of the Western
Front in France during WW1.
Five “cunning” new figures take a slightly different view of “The
Great War”. All of these figures were inspired by the classic British
TV series, “BLACKADDER GOES FORTH” starring Rowan Atkinson.
FW226 “Capt. Edmund Blackadder & Pvt.
Baldrick”
Blackadder is (was)
a professional soldier who, until the outbreak of hostilities in 1914, enjoyed
a relatively danger-free military career occasionally
having to fight, “Two foot tall natives armed with a motley
collection of sharpened sticks!”
Pvt. Baldrick,
is his short, scrofulous and profoundly stupid batman (military manservant).
FW227 “Squadron
Commander The Lord Flasheart”
Is an arrogant and
boisterous Royal Flying Corps ‘ace’ who believes he is “God’s
gift to women” and wildly attractive to any female that happens to cross
his path.
He’s most definitely mad ... bad ... and dangerous to know!
FW228 “Gen. Melchett & Capt. Darling”
General
Sir Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett
A loud, childish, incompetent and pompous warmonger whose battle tactics
and military knowledge are firmly set somewhere in the Middle
Ages!
(Blackadder’s brigade commander.)
Capt. Kevin
Darling.
General Melchett’s unscrupulous and
fawning adjutant. He’s also Blackadder’s bitter rival. While
Blackadder is very definitely “up the sharp end,” Captain Darling is
comfortably ensconced safely back at General Headquarters (GHQ)... and
fully intends staying there!
Special Note : A sixth figure ... “Lieut. George”
is currently in development for release in 2017.
AVAILABLE: Mid December
C)
STILL
IN EUROPE ... But about 100 years before !
From the
mud of Flanders to the mud of Waterloo in Belgium almost a
century before ... Presenting the 2nd installment of “The Old
Guard” at Waterloo.
Of all Napoleon’s army none was more famous or as
respected as the Emperor’s Grenadiers of his Imperial Guards.
During the time of his reign Napoleon’s Imperial Guard enjoyed many
nicknames ... “Les Grognards” (the
Grumblers) being the most famous.
The Guard enjoyed better pay, rations, quarters and equipment than
the rest of the army. That was because they were the ‘chosen few’
... selected from the best and most experienced infantrymen of the army and
already veterans of many previous battles and campaigns.
In October / November we
released our first batch ... Here now are the additional ones to this dramatic
collection.
NA366 “Officer Flagbearer”
Sword held high this young
wounded officer will defend the Regimental Standard to the death!
NA368 “Dead & Dying”
Two fallen guardsmen pay the ultimate price.
NA369 “Kneeling Firing”
NA370 “Standing
Loading”
Reaching
into his ammunition pouch for another cartridge.
NA371 “Kneeling
Loading”
NA372 “Standing
w/Ramrod”
NA373 “Standing
biting Cartridge”
Biting
the end of the paper cartridge to extract the ball from the powder.
NA374 “Kneeling
Firing (no hat)”
In the heat of battle this
Guardsman has lost or removed his tall bearskin cap.
NA-S02 “The
Old Guard Set No. 2”
This ‘collective’ 9
figure set comes with a very special price!
NA375 “The
Emperor & His Aide de Camps”
Napoleon himself stands
before his map table (plus 2 x maps). By his side, two of his many
Aide de Camps (ADC’s) awaiting orders.
AVAILABLE:
Early December
D)
“Long
Live The King!”
When we first released our
“Pike & Musket” series one of the most important and popular figures
was King Charles I.
So, popular in fact that we decided to produce an additional ‘personality
figure’ of the doomed English monarch.
PnM067 “King Charles I”
Our earlier Charles
figure portrayed the King in “battle order” complete with metal
breastplate ... Our newest King Charles I shows
him in the more colourful court dress of the period.
AVAILABLE:
Mid December
E)
“Deep
in Sherwood Forest or high on the walls of Nottingham Castle ...”
Two fine “add-ons” to
this relatively new range of medieval figures that are proving to be a ‘bulls-eye’
with collectors around the globe ...
RH021 “The
Duel”
“Robin of Sherwood” fights a duel to the death with his arch enemy, “Sir
Guy of Gisborne.”
One of my all-time favourite movies is “The
Adventures of Robin Hood”, where Errol Flynn fights the famous
dueling scene with Basil Rathbone inside Nottingham Castle ... This
is our small tribute to two great actors and one great movie!
RH025 “Mutch, the Miller’s Son”
“Mutch” is featured in many of the myths and legends of Robin Hood ... although
not as famous as Will Scarlett or Little John we felt he should
be included among “The Merrie Men”.
AVAILABLE:
Mid December
F)
WW2
“Personalities & Pathos”
Three small releases portraying three
different heroes of WW2 ...
DD296 “Prime Minister Churchill”
Churchill figures have
always been popular with K&C collectors and here is another of the PM in a
familiar pose.
DD297 “Major Dick Winters”
Ever since reading Stephen
Ambrose’s fine book “Band of Brothers” and seeing and
enjoying the television series I have been a great admirer of the late Dick
Winters ... a truly magnificent officer and leader of men.
After visiting the statue of Major Winters in Normandy I wanted K&C
to produce a figure solely dedicated to him.
DD298 “Don’t Cry ...”
US Army nurses in the field often had to deal and comfort
the civilian casualties as well ... Here an army nurse
gently comforts a young French girl.
An excellent addition to the K&C / Treefrog “Shannon” set and our
new US Army Nurse & Jeep set.
AVAILABLE:
Early December
G)
“DESERT
DWELLING”
SP067 “The New Desert Shop House”
A
larger and much more detailed version of the now retired “Desert Village
Shop House”.
AVAILABLE:
Early December
H)
“STREETS
OF OLD HONG KONG”
Some very useful “add-ons” ...
HK248
“Master Wong”
Over the years there have been several martial arts experts who have been given
the title “Master Wong”. Perhaps the most famous was Wong Fei Hung (1847 - 1925)
His exploits have been featured in several Chinese movies.
Our figure portrays him in a typical training pose.
HK249 “Master
Wong’s Pupils”
Two of
the master’s pupils undergoing training.
HK265 “The
Flying Dragons”
You really can’t have a
dragon boat race with just 3 x “dragon boats” ...
So, we’ve
added a fourth – “The Flying Dragons”.
This 8-man crew were blue and golden yellow uniforms and sail under their own
distinctive flag.
AVAILABLE:
Early December
I)
“THE
FINAL DAYS OF THE FATHERLAND”
By March 1945 British, Canadian and American forces had crossed
the Rhine and were fighting their way into the heart of Hitler’s
crumbling Third Reich. Although on its last legs their German opponents
were still deadly and dangerous.
Fortunately for the British at least their hard-pressed armoured
divisions finally had a British-designed and built tank that could take on the
best of the German ‘heavies’, the Panther and the Tiger, on
equal terms – The ‘Comet’.
BBB001 “The British Comet Tank”
This
cruiser tank was a better designed and much improved armoured
vehicle than its predecessor, the Cromwell.
Mounting a new 77mm High Velocity main gun in a lower profile turret it
was hugely effective against all German armour.
Following its battlefield success in the last months of the war the Comet saw
extensive service post war in Korea and Germany and remained with the British
Army until the late 1950’s. It also led directly to the development of
the ‘Centurion’ tank, Britain’s finest and most successful tank of the
post 1945 period.
Our new K&C model is in the markings of a tank belonging to The Fife
& Forfar Yeomanry (44 Brigade) of
the 11th British Armoured
Division. Two small crew figures are included.
BBB002 “British
Tank Riders Set”
Four kneeling, crouching
and sitting British infantrymen from the Royal Scots Fusiliers, a
Scottish unit attached to the predominantly English 5th Infantry
Division (Yorkshire). Perfect passengers for the Comet or any
of our other K&C British armour.
AVAILABLE:
Mid December
2)
FOR
K&C CLUB MEMBERS
For those collectors who
buy direct from K&C these 2 x new figures are also available
...
CF047 “General Eduard Dietl”
Eduard Dietl (1890-1944) was a Wehrmacht General during WW2 who commanded the
famous 20th Mountain Army. He was a recipient of
the Knight’s Cross (with Oak Leaves and Swords).
Early in WW2 he commanded
the 3rd Mountain Division during the Nazis successful
invasion of Norway in 1940. He later led forces in northern Finland and
the Eastern Front. He was killed in an air crash in Austria in 1944.
CF048 “Obersturmbannfuhrer Leon Degrelle”
A Walloon / Belgian politician
and Nazi collaborator he joined the Waffen
SS in 1943 and rose rapidly through its ranks eventually becoming the Standartenfuhrer of the 28th SS
Volunteer Grenadier Division “Wallonien”
... mostly made up of his fellow Belgian fascists.
After seeing much action on the Eastern Front he fled to Spain after the German
defeat ... and died there in 1994.
3) Being Retired ...
EA093
Daimler Mk.2
Armoured Car
MG036(P) "A
Cup of Tea, Sir...?"
SP063
Atantic Wall Coastal Gun
WS284
“Coastal
Gunners” Set #1
WS285
“Coastal
Gunners” Set #2
And that is that my friends
for another month. Very much looking forward to meeting up with many
fellow K&C collectors in London, Paris, Rome and Milan ... In
the mean time – “Have yourselves A Merry Little
Christmas” and a peaceful and prosperous New Year!
With best wishes from all of us at King & Country ,
Andy C.
Neilson
Co-founder & Creative Director
King & Country Hong Kong