DISPATCHES
JULY 2015
WELCOME to this month’s “DISPATCHES” and
again, a very busy month all round...In a couple of days’ time my brother Gordon
and myself head “down under” for the “Annual Ozfest”
which seems to get bigger and better each year...This time we’ll be going to Brisbane,
Sydney, Adelaide (for the first time) and finishing up in Melbourne
before heading back to Hong Kong.
Over 11 days (and nights)
we’ll be meeting K&C collectors from all over Australia and some
more coming over from New Zealand. We’ll also be working with our
3 great Aussie dealers, Brett, Peter and Howard and
previewing some of our recent and upcoming releases.
As this is Gordon’s first
trip to the “Land of Oz” he’s looking forward to “talking dioramas”
with many of the collectors and sharing some of his experience and expertise
with them as well as picking up advice and helpful hints from them.
For all of us at K&C
these overseas visits are a great way to connect with our collectors and not
only give them some advance info on future K&C plans but also, most
importantly, get to hear what they like and want to see and even,
sometimes, what they don’t like!!!
However, before all of
that...There is all of this...Read on!
1.
Appearing
in July!
A.
“Pike & Musket To The Fore”
“Pike & Musket” as a series has only been in existence for
less than a year but already it’s found a place in many K&C collections
around the world...For colour, variety and future
potential this range of mid-17th Century soldiers has plenty of room
for expansion and development...both military and civilian.
PnM025
“Prince Rupert of the Rhine”
Rupert was a noted German soldier and nephew of King
Charles I of England. He followed a military career from an early age
fighting against Spain in the Netherlands and opposite the Holy Roman Empire
during the Thirty Years War. Moving to England in 1642, at the
beginning of the Civil War, he was appointed, by his uncle, commander of all
Royalist Cavalry.
He became the archetypal “Cavalier”
of the period brave, dashing...impetuous!
Here we see him on one of his favourite mounts, hat held aloft and greeting his men.
PnM026
“Kneeling Make Ready”
A kneeling Parliamentary
Musketeer makes ready his weapon.
PnM027
“Kneeling Firing”
Another Parliamentary Musketeer takes careful aim.
PnM028
“The Laughing Cavalier”
One of King Charles’ own Staff
Officers, Sir Richard Pembroke posing in typical, confident “Cavalier”
fashion.
PnM029
“The Pikemen Set”
Two sturdy Parliamentary pikemen await the
approach of the enemy.
PnM031
“Parliamentary Cavalryman”
More familiarly referred to as
“Cromwell’s Ironsides” this is the first single mounted Parliamentary
trooper we’ve produced (another six are in the works). Well-armed
and horsed with his raised pistol and broad sword this soldier also carries a
carbine and another sheathed pistol in its horse holster...Note the armoured forearm protection on the left arm.
AVAILABLE:
Mid-July
B.
“JUNE 5, 1944...NIGHT of NIGHTS”
The
afternoon and early evening before D.Day. All over Southern Britain thousands
of airborne forces, British and American, prepare to go into action many hours
ahead of the seaborne invasion troops hit the beaches.
On dozens of airfields these
paratroopers gather about to board their C47 transports bound for France.
Weapons are packed... parachutes attached... Extra ammunition and supplies
stowed away as the men stand and sit around the designated aircraft.
SPECIAL NOTE: All of
these new and future U.S. Paratroopers come with a choice of either 82nd
or 101st shoulder patches on their sleeves.
Only Set#
DD269
“War Paint” appears with the 101st patch only
as this unit had a subgroup that painted their faces and cut their hair in
traditional “Mohican” style!
DD263-1
“Standing Ready w/Tommy Gun
Fully loaded, with all his gear attached this “Tommy-Gun” toting
82nd. Trooper is ready to mount up.
DD263-2
“Standing Ready w/Tommy Gun”
As above but with the 101st shoulder patch.
DD265-1
“Walking Paras Set”
Three 82nd. Airborne
troopers humping all their gear and weapons move towards their C47...Destination:
Normandy!
DD265-2
“Walking Paras Set”
As above but with 101st shoulder
patch.
DD268-1
“Final Check” (82)
One 82nd trooper checks the main parachute harness of
his buddy.
DD268-2
“Final Check” (101)
As above but with 101st
shoulder patch.
DD269
“War Paint”
One of the most iconic photos of the pre D.Day
operation was the 101st Paratroopers who having shaved their hair
into “Mohawk” style now painted their faces in a similar manner...Only
some guys in the 101 did this!
AVAILALBLE:
Early to Mid July
SPECIAL NOTE:
Additional 82nd and 101st
troopers preparing for D.Day are being released in
the coming months.
C.
“RETURN TO THE WESTERN FRONT”
From one part of France in
1944 to a different part of France in 1916/1917...The Western Front!
FW188
“Ford Model ‘T’ Vickers Machine Gun Carrier”
The Ford Model ‘T’ was one of the most used motor vehicles the
Great War...They were used as transport... ambulances... and in this instance –
Machine Gun Carriers.
Here, our Model ‘T’
has the standard British machine gun of the First World War...the Vickers.
While a seated gunner “mans” the weapon, his driver is behind the
wheel...The Vickers folded tripod sits separately in the back of
the vehicle as well as the driver’s own Lee Enfield ‘303 rifle.
First War Germans in Action!
A couple of years ago after we
“retired” our last fighting German infantry...we received a fair number
of requests to reissue some of these pieces for collectors who had “missed-out”
on that earlier release. And here they are with amended and revised
painting.
FW212
“Maxim Machine Gun Set”
The standard
heavy machine gun of the Kaiser’s Army in action with its kneeling
gunner and a loader bringing up extra ammunition.
FW213
“Kneeling Firing Rifleman”
FW214
“Standing Firing Rifleman”
FW215
“Advancing w/Rifle”
FW216
“Standing Sniper”
FW219
“Captured Mk. IV Tank” (German Version)
When the first British tanks
appeared on the battlefields of France the opposing Germans had, quite
literally, nothing to oppose them with.
However, always ever
resourceful it did not take long to capture and reuse British tanks, such as
this one, against their former owners!
This mud-covered, multi-coloured monster is typical of the unique camouflage
paint-scheme adopted by the Germans at this late stage of the War.
AVAILABLE: Mid-July
D.
“Hussars...Prepare to Mount!”
Over the years, K&C has
produced a fair number of Napoleon’s cavalry... Cuirassiers...
Chasseurs... Dragoons... even Grenadiers a Cheval... But never, strangely
enough, “Hussars”, probably the most colourful of the Emperor’s mounted troops...Until now
that is.
May we introduce our newest French
cavalry regiment...The 7th Hussars!
Over several months we will
release the men and horses of this fine regiment at play, rest and... work.
This first small group offers
collectors a “taste” of what is to come...
NA302
“Mounted Hussar w/Carbine”
A classic mounted pose inspired by the work of one of France’s most famous
military artists of the 20th Century...”Lucien Russelot”.
NA303
“Mounted Hussar Petting his Mount”
NA309
“The Conversation”
Two seated Hussars
discussing the events of the day... This set includes the chair and table.
NA310
“The Letter”
An older officer enjoys his pipe as he reads a letter.
NA314
“Guard Duty”
This standing Hussar, carbine
held in the crook of the arm, and dressed in “Campaign Dress” on guard
and on duty.
NA316
“Napoleonic Guard Box”
A handsome companion piece to
NA314 provides useful shelter both from the pouring rain and the
scorching sun.
AVAILABLE:
Mid to Late July
SPECIAL
NOTE: More 7th Hussars,
both mounted and on foot and... off duty and on
duty... will be available over the next two to three months.
E.
“A Different kind of Halftrack”
WH023
“Sd.KFz.2 Kettenkrad and Trailer”
It’s been quite a while since
we featured this little vehicle in our inventory but here it is...the “Kettenkrad”, together with its trailer.
These vehicles appeared
everywhere German forces fought and continued in use well into the 1950’s...Our
new “Wehrmacht” “field grey” model fits perfectly alongside all of our
other “feld grau” transport
and armour.
AVAILABLE:
Mid-July
F.
“ANIMAL FARM”
No, not the George Orwell classic but
a different kind of classic...
SP070
“The Animal Collection”
Always
useful in any toy soldier scene or diorama...a pair of cows, a donkey and an
assortment of sheep and goats.
You build the scene we will
provide the livestock!!!
AVAILABLE:
Mid-July
2.
Being
Retired
Alas, as one new group
arrives...something older has to give way. And here it is... just
two this month!
DD179 The
M4A3E8 Easy-Eight SHERMAN
LAH195
Hitler Lives!
And that’s us for another 30 days or so...Very much looking forward to meeting
lots of old friends in Australia...and making a few more. In the
meantime best wishes to one and all and...Happy Collecting and Great Sales!
Andy C. Neilson
Co-founder & Creative Director
King & Country