DISPATCHES
February 2021
Dear Partners,
Welcome to this month’s edition of ‘DISPATCHES’
complete with a few surprises and a couple of new editions of some old favourites.
Along the way we’ll go from the skies over Europe in the
middle of WW2 to Horse Guards Parade in the middle of London and then
onto the streets of Ancient Rome and the parade ground at Parris
Island in South Carolina in the 1960’s
Not unexpectedly, we’ll also end up in South Vietnam both in
the countryside and on the streets of Saigon and Da Nang.
So, wherever we go we hope you’ll come along with us on this
overseas trip and find something that fits into one or two of your King
& Country collections...
1.
BEING
RELEASED THIS FEBRUARY
A.
‘COMING
IN ON A WING AND A PRAYER!’
‘DON’ GENTILE (1920-1951), also known as ‘The
Ace of Aces’ and the first WW2 U.S. Army Air Force pilot to surpass
Eddie Rickenbacker’s WW1 record of 26 downed aircraft.
Born as the son of Italian immigrants Donald Gentile
learned to fly before America entered the war in December 1941 and attempted to
join the Army Air Force. Because at that time the U.S. military required two
years of college for its pilots, which Don did not have, he was rejected. He
then enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force and shipped out to the
U.K. in late 1941.
During 1942, Don Gentile flew Supermarine Spitfire Mk.
VB’s with 133 Squadron, one of the trio of famous
‘Eagle Squadrons’. His first kills were a Ju 88 and
an Fw190 in August 1942 during the Dieppe Raid.
By the following month, all of the ‘Eagle Squadrons’
were transferred to the newly-formed American 8th Air Force
and became the 4th Fighter Group.
Over the following months Don continued to add to his tally
of ‘kills’ which were soon over a dozen enemy aircraft. At this time, he
was flying a North American P51B ‘Mustang’ nicknamed “Shangri La”.
Not long afterwards, Capt. Don Gentile crashed “Shangri
La” while lowflying over an English airfield to
impress a group of visiting press reporters and photographers.
He was immediately ‘grounded’ by his squadron
commander and sent back to the U.S. on a warbond
tour.
By the end of the war his total number of victories was 20 aerial ‘kills’ and 3 ‘damaged’ plus 6 ‘ground
kills’ and his 2 ‘Eagle Squadron’ victories.
Following hostilities, Don stayed in the Air Force and went
on to become a test pilot. In January 1951, while flying a jet-powered, T-33
‘Shooting Star’ he was killed in a crash, he was just 31.
AF043 Capt. Don Gentile’s P51B Mustang ‘Shangri La’
This classic razor-back ‘Mustang’ is painted in ‘Shangri
La’s’ exact colour scheme and markings and
boasts 21 ‘kill’ markings on a white scroll beneath the cockpit.
A standing figure of Capt. Don Gentile is also
included with the aircraft and all of it comes packed in a specially-labelled
black box.
AVAILABLE: Early February
B.
‘ON
PARADE’
Here are no less than 5
great additions to K&C’s ‘CEREMONIAL’ range of parade figures
in dress uniforms.
CE058 ‘Stand Easy’ Black Watch Soldier
This was the more relaxed version
of ‘Stand-At-Ease’ for a soldier on Guard Duty.
CE064 Coldstream Guardsman ‘Present Arms’
The classic parade position while
saluting an officer.
CE065 Coldstream Guards Bugler
In the days before radios orders to parade were often
transmitted by various ‘bugle calls’.
Each company and platoon would have a number of buglers
attached, all of them came under the command of the Non
Commissioned Officer in charge of the Regiment’s Fife & Drum Corps.
All buglers could also be drummers.
CE069 ‘Standing’ Black Watch Lance Corporal
The Lance Corporal was the lowest ranking N.C.O. and usually
a soldier with at least 5 years service.
CE053 ‘The Life Guards
Farrier’
In the armies of earlier times each
cavalry regiment had a ‘master farrier’ who was charged with
looking after the horses and assisting the regiment’s veterinary surgeon.
In the Household Cavalry
these farriers are a survival of the past and are easily distinguished from
other ranks because they carry a ceremonial highly polished axe.
This tool was not issued as a
weapon but was to be used to put wounded horses out of their pain and to remove
the hooves of any animal killed in order that their identity number, which was
branded onto the hooves, could be recorded.
On a uniform side note, this
farrier is the only member of the Life Guards
regiment that wears a navy blue tunic in place of the traditional scarlet one.
AVAILABLE: Early February
C.
‘Flags
& Banners’
Centuries before the colour and splendor of our ‘CEREMONIAL’ figures,
knights and men-at-arms had their own displays of colour
on the battlefield.
Here are two alternative versions
of two of our most popular medieval warriors...
MK208 ‘The Teutonic Flagbearer’
This strikingly bold German knight
holds aloft a large square banner with his personal coat-of-arms echoing the
designs covering his battle horse.
MK209 ‘The Frankish Standard Bearer’
A ‘Man-at-Arms’ carrying the
small personal standard of a senior officer.
AVAILABLE: Early February
D.
‘ON
THE STREETS OF ANCIENT ROME’
Four more figures illustrating the
might and power of Imperial Rome.
ROM047 ‘At Attention’ Roman
Legionary w/Pilum
Standing smartly ‘at attention’
this soldier of the
XX Legion carries both
his traditional Roman ‘Pilum’ (long throwing spear) and his ‘Gladius’
(short sword).
ROM048 ‘At Attention’ Roman Legionary w/Gladius Sword
Somewhat similar
to the above (ROM047) but simply armed with his ‘Gladius’ and
decorated shield.
Again, a Legionary of the XX
Legion.
ROM049 ‘Advancing’ Praetorian Guard
A marching soldier of the Emperor’s
‘Praetorian Guard’ with his ‘Pilum’ held forward.
ROM050 ‘Standing-At-Attention’ Praetorian Guard
Armed with shield, sword and pilum
this Guardsman stands firmly on guard.
AVAILABLE: Mid February
E.
‘Gunnery
Sergeant Hartmann’
USMC Drill Instructors inspire both fear and awe in equal
amounts when recruits enter boot camps in San Diego and Parris Island.
Perhaps no one did a better job of
portraying that kind of character as R. Lee Ermey,
the ‘Gunny’ in Stanley Kubrick’s ‘Full Metal Jacket’.
As K&C collectors already know
I love that movie and l love the late R. Lee Ermey’s
part in the flic.
Here is our small tribute to a
great Marine an outstanding Drill Instructor and... all Marine Corps Drill
Instructors everywhere!
USMC057 ‘The Drill Instructor’
Our D.I. is wearing his Service
‘B’ (for Bravo) base uniform consisting of green trousers with gloss
black parade belt, khaki long-sleeve shirt, khaki tie with clasp, black shoes
and, of course, the iconic ‘Campaign Hat’ and his medal ribbons.
AVAILABLE: Mid February
F.
‘Streets
of Old Hong Kong’
This particular
series is one of our longest-running ranges and particularly popular in
the Far East and also with expatriate Chinese communities around the world.
HK297 The Chinese ‘Ironing
Lady’
This little figure was suggested to
by one of our ‘SOOHK’ collectors who sent me an old photograph of a lady
performing just this task... I liked it and here is the result...
AVAILABLE: Early February
G.
THE
OTHER SIDE OF VIETNAM
As collectors know the vast majority of our ‘VIETNAM’ collection has been
focused on the military side of the conflict that beset that nation for 30
years.
However that’s just one important part of
a very big picture. Just as important were the millions of ordinary South
Vietnamese civilians caught in the middle of this war and trying to survive in the midst of the bombs and bullets... both in the
countryside and in the towns and cities... and from both sides!
Although K&C is not the only
toy soldier company to design and produce ‘Vietnam war’ figures... We are
the only one to provide collectors with a broad and expanding range of civilian
Vietnamese going about their everyday lives in a war-torn country...
VN112 ‘VN Peasant Girl w/Bananas’
Here, a young woman makes her way
to the local market carrying a basketfull of bananas.
VN113 ‘VN Bar Girl’
Just one of the many thousands of
other young women who fled their rural villages to flock to the big towns and
cities seeking money and safety... This was one way to make a living.
VN114 ‘The Water Buffalo Boy’
Meanwhile, back in the countryside
it was common for relatively young children to be helping their families by
looking after the family livestock. This young boy rides his buffalo towards
some nearby grazing.
VN119 ‘The Village Chief’
One of the most dangerous jobs to
have in any rural community was to be ‘The Village Chief’.
Usually appointed by the local Government officials these older and much
respected leaders were one of the principal targets of Viet Cong assassination
squads. K&C’s ‘Village Chief’ is wearing traditional
Vietnamese garb and leaning on a stick.
VN122 ‘Miss Papillon’
This particular ‘Bar Girl’
was again inspired by the classic ‘Full Metal Jacket’ movie and when
meeting ‘Joker’ and ‘Rafterman’ for the
first time uttered the immortal words, “Me so horny... me love you long time.”
In the movie the actress who played the part was called ‘Papillon Soo Soo’.
VN124 ‘A Pair of Water Buffaloes’
Two more Water Buffaloes to
go perfectly with VN114 The Water Buffalo Boy and build up his herd...
One animal grazes while the other just lies down and
watches the world go by.
AVAILABLE: Mid February
H.
‘TAKE
A SEAT!’
K&C initially made these
classic wooden chairs to accompany King Arthur & His Knights of the
Round Table.
Since then we’ve had more than a
few requests to make available some more for other historical eras, not just
Medieval. Several collectors wanted them for their ‘Ancient Egypt’, ‘Ancient
Rome’ and even Napoleonic series...
Your wish is our command.
SP118 ‘Ancient Seats’ (Set of 4)
SP-S01 ‘Value Added Seats’ (Set of 12)
AVAILABLE: Mid February
And that my friends is that... But before we go here are the retirements...
CE036
Black Watch
Sergeant (marching)
LAH164 Pre 1933 SS Man Marching w/ Rifle
LAH165 Pre 1933 SS Honour
Guard w/ Rifle
NA301
Hussar Walking
w/Horse
NA303
Mounted Hussar
Petting his Mount
NA304
Hussar
Mounting-Up
NA305
The Artist
& The Hussar
NA306
Rest &
Recuperation
NA307
Standing Horse
NA308
The Eating
Horse
NA309
The
Conversation
NA310
The Letter
NA311 “The Card Players” Set
NA313
Rest &
Refreshment
NA314
Guard Duty
NA315
Mounted
Hussar
SP067
The New Desert
Shop House
Finally, in a few days from now we will be celebrating the Lunar
New Year, in this The Year of The Ox’... So, let’s all hope for
a happier, healthier year in 2021.
In the meantime... All
the best and happy collecting!
Andy C. Neilson
Co-founder &
Creative Director
King & Country Ltd.