DISPATCHES
February
2012
“KUNG HEI FAT CHOY… Happy Chinese
New Year!” and welcome to the YEAR of the
DRAGON. As is usually the case at Chinese New Year the weather in
So, let’s cheer ourselves up and see
what’s in store this month and the coming one!
1.
APPEARING
IN FEBRUARY 2012…
A.
“Napoleon’s
Egyptian Adventure”
This new series has proved to be
extremely popular with collectors around the world for, I believe, a few
reasons… It’s colourful, unusual (not many other
companies have ventured into
It’s also possible to make small
interesting vignettes with a few figures and the odd accessary
or two.
Another factor is the ability to
incorporate other K&C series items into it… “Life of Jesus”… “
So, here’s the latest add-ons…
NE011 “Mounted Infantryman”
A generously-proportioned soldier
has decided to utilize the services of a local donkey to carry him around…
NE013 “The Laughing Drummer Boy”
This young musician is much amused
by the antics of his donkey-riding comrade.
NE016 “Standing Napoleon”
Another fine study of the young General
Bonaparte based on a pose in the original painting by noted French artist Jean-Leon
GEROME.
NE017 “Watching French Officer”
This casually-dressed officer of Guides,
hands clasped behind his back, observes the wonders of Ancient
AVAILABLE: NOW!
B.
“DESERT
DILEMMA”
For Erwin Rommel, the “Desert
Fox”, getting supplies and reinforcements across the
Fortunately for the Germans they
captured large amounts of Allied supplies and vehicles as the war raged back
and forth along the coastal plain. Here are a few of their reinforcements.
AK085 “Daimler Dingo Armoured Car (Afrika Korps version)” Series 250
This former British reconnaissance
vehicle now has a “new owner”. Though battle-weary and well-used it has
been painted with large German crosses and a Nazi flag pinned on top of its
rear engine cover for air recognition purposes. The model includes a driver
and a separate MG34 machine-gun.
AK086 “General Ludwig Cruwell”
Ludwig Cruwell
was a senior Afrika
Korps general under Erwin Rommel. Awarded
the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves for bravery, he was captured by the
British when his spotter plane mistook British troops for Italian soldiers and
landed near them by mistake.
AK087 “AK Photographer”
This AK soldier captures a “moment
in time”.
AK088 “AK Feldwebel”
AK089 “AK Hot and Thirsty”
This panzer officer is feeling the
heat!
AK090 “AK Rifleman”
AVAILABLE: NOW!
C.
“KRIEGSMARINE
ON PARADE”
One of the unexpected but great
surprises of our “
LAH158 “KM Drum Major”
LAH159 “KM
Drummer”
LAH160 “KM Fifer”
LAH161 “KM Singing Sailor”
Belting out a traditional German
marching song as he parades by.
LAH162 “KM Kettle
Drummer”
LAH163 “KM Naval Trumpeter”
AVAILABLE: Mid February
D.
“A
Few More French Crusaders”
As promised here are the three more
additions to our French Crusaders…
MK086 “Mounted Templar drawing Sword”
MK087 “French Knight with Lance”
Lowering his lance and preparing to do
battle…
MK089 “Sergeant-at-Arms w/ double-handed Sword”
AVAILABLE: Late February
E.
“DANGER
UXB!”
“Danger UXB” stands for “Danger Unexploded
Bomb” and was also the title of a popular British television drama series
of the late 1970’s. The series told the story of a group of Royal Engineers tasked
with the difficult and highly dangerous job of defusing unexploded bombs
dropped by Goering’s Luftwaffe on British cities during the Blitz and
afterwards.
Thanks to the assistance of one of
K&C’s most loyal
FoB069 “Bomb Disposal Tilly”
Among the vehicles most widely used
by the UXB teams was the little “
Just 250 have been produced!
FoB072 “Danger UXB”
A Kneeling Royal Engineers
officer closely examines an unexploded German bomb. Note the “bomb disposal”
badge on his left sleeve.
FoB073 “Sapper Sergeant”
A standing R.E. sergeant,
hands clasped behind his back, observes his officer at work.
FoB074 “Sappers at work”
As one of the Engineers listens on
his head set to any “ticking” of the bomb timing mechanism the other, in
shirt sleeves, goes forward to clear some more debris away from the bomb site.
FoB075 “Blitz Police Constable”
Holding a sign in one hand warning
the public this constable prevents curious onlookers from getting too near the
bomb-site.
AVAILABLE: Late February
2.
COMING
IN MARCH…
A.
“At
the court of the Emperor”
Perhaps it’s appropriate that just
after Chinese New Year we have a small release for our “Imperial
Collection”…
IC038 “The Emperor Qian Long”
Highly regarded as one of
IC039 “General & Map”
One of Qian
Long’s foremost generals indicates on a specially-drawn map the disposition of
the enemy’s armies.
AVAILABLE: Early March
B.
“Vive
La
It’s been a while since our last
World War One release so we’re releasing seven new figures of “1914” era
French infantry in action to make amends…
FW074 “Officer w/ Pistol and Sword”
This dashing young French infantry
officer valiantly leads his men forward.
FW075 “Kneeling firing Rifleman”
FW076 “Poilu Charging”
FW077 “With Rifle & Bayonet”
FW078 “Standing Firing Rifleman”
FW079 “Machine Gun Set”
This two-man set provides extra fire
support to the attacking infantry.
In addition to our seven Frenchmen
K&C are adding two more marching German infantry of the same early war
period…
FW109 “Marching Rifleman w/Cap”
FW110 “Marching Rifleman w/ Pickelhaub”
Both of these marching Germans have
their rifles slung and will add to any columns created with our first marching
releases.
AVAILABLE: Mid March
C.
“From
1914 to 1944”
Thirty years after the Germans
advanced into
DD163 “Dingo Armoured Car”
This second “250” release
portrays a reconnaissance vehicle of the famous “Guards Armoured Division”. Painted in typical British “Mickey
Mouse” pattern the vehicle contains a seated driver and a separate Bren
Light Machine Gun.
DD164 “Dingo Commander”
Also available is a seated Guards
officer looking for the enemy with his binos. This
officer can also be utilized in other British armoured
vehicles.
AVAILABLE: Mid March
D.
“Remember
The
Every March sees K&C release a
small group of additional figures for our KINGS X “Signature Series”
about the heroic defense of the
This year we’re beginning a new
Mexican regiment… “The Casadores”.
These elite infantrymen were modeled on the British “rifle” regiments of
the Napoleonic Wars and used surplus British weapons and equipment including
the famous “Baker Rifle”.
Here are the first four…
RTA061 “Casadores loading Rifle”
RTA062 “Casadores standing Firing”
RTA063 “Casadores with Ramrod”
RTA064 “Casadores Officer with
Pistol”
Note the green facings and
epaulettes denoting a “rifle” regiment.
RTA065 “Almeron Dickinson”
The husband and father of two of the
AVAILABLE: Mid to Late March
E.
“Viva
ll Duce!”
Alongwith our annual release of the
IF010 “Air Marshal Balbo”
One of fascist
IF011 “Il Duce Saluting”
There have been quite a few requests
for a standing figure of the Italian Dictator… and here he is!
IF023 “Fiat Mod. 500A “Topolino”
Series 250
This great little Italian car was
used by Axis forces throughout the war and appeared in every “Theatre of
War” where Italian forces operated.
This particular little “Desert” Topolina has open top “air conditioning” and
comes with a driver.
Two other 250’s will be released
later this year… an “Afrika Korps”
one and a “Luftwaffe” version.
IF024 “Carabinieri holding Carbine”
The role of “Military Police”
in the Italian Army then and now is the responsibility of this legendary
paramilitary police force. Even today they are a familiar sight on
Our wartime Carabinieri
wears the Napoleonic bicorne with a grey cover
and regular Italian grey uniform. Most men, in addition to their carbines,
carried a pistol as a side arm.
IF025 “Carabinieri checking Papers”
IF026 “Carabinieri standing at
Attention”
AVAILABLE: Mid to Late March
F.
Another
Great
Earlier in this dispatch we told you
about our British reconnaissance “Dingo”… Well let’s not forget our
American cousins… Here’s a little something for them!
DD161 “US Armoured Jeep”
A summer version of our highly
successful “
DD162 “US Trailer”
And… another version of the jeep
trailer, this one with a brand-new load of supplies for the
troops. By the way this little trailer can be towed behind other K&C
American vehicles.
AVAILABLE: Late March
3.
Finally…
THE RETIREMENTS!
There’s quite a little bunch this
month and we hope there’s something you might like among them… if there is… grab
it while you can!
AK035 “AK Motorcycle combo”
IC019 “Mounted Qianlong”
KM001 “Flag Signaller”
KM002 “E-Boat Captain”
KM003 “Gun Commander”
KM004 “Naval Field Police NCO”
KM005 “Petty Officer w/Whistle”
KM006 “Seaman Guard”
KM007 “Walking Guard”
KM008 “Radioman”
KM009 “On Guard Duty”
KM013 “Korvettenkapitan Otto Kretschmer”
KM014 “Kapitanleutnant Shouting”
KM015 “Submariner”
KM016 “Kriegsmarine BMW 327”
KM017 “Sd. Kfz. 9 Famo Recovery Vehicle”
WS122 “Advancing on the Enemy”
WS123 “Machine Gun Team Forward!”
WS124 “Flame Thrower Set”
And that my friends is that for
about another 30 days or so. Once again, we thank you for your continued
support and wish you and your families all success, wealth, health and
happiness in this the “YEAR OF THE DRAGON.”
Andy
C. Neilson
Co-
Founder & Creative Director
King
& Country