DISPATCHES
June 2021
Dear Partners,
Welcome to the June
Edition of ‘DISPATCHES’ and another batch of figure and vehicle
releases that cover a fairly decent spread of some of
King & Country’s most popular series and subjects.
And so, without
further ado let’s get on with the show... and tell!
1.
BEING
RELEASED IN JUNE...
A.
‘First
Stop Vietnam!’
K&C’s
‘Vietnam’ range of figures and fighting vehicles which began back in 2018
has been a ‘bulls-eye’ hit with many collectors, not just in the U.S.
and Australia but all over the world.
There are, I believe, many reasons for
this, first and foremost is the ‘Documentary Realism’ of the figures
themselves... The vast majority of the poses of the
figures... military and civilian have been directly inspired by actual photos
taken during the war by some of the finest and bravest combat photographers of
the conflict.
At the same time the ‘painting style’
of particularly the military figures seems to more accurately reflect the
reality of combat in a hot and humid South East Asian environment whether it be
the streets and buildings of Hue and Saigon or the hills, plains
and paddy fields of the Vietnamese countryside.
Supporting our troops and civilians are
our fighting vehicles which contain not only the ubiquitous and iconic M113
Armoured Personnel Carriers but also the
lesser known M42 ‘Duster’ and even the humble M274
‘Mule’. Add to that such unusual and unique vehicles that range from
the mighty Australian Army ‘CENTURION’ main battle tank to the
nifty and colorful little ‘Vespa’ motor scooters complete with a
trio of very attractive young South Vietnamese beauties and you have a unique
and original collection that captures many different aspects of a very complex
conflict.
Here are some great new additions...
VN110 ‘On Patrol’
Two more USMC ‘Grunts’ that
can be utilized in either an urban or rural setting. Both Marines are carrying
the classic M14 rifle in preference to the more common M16.
Although heavier and longer than the M16
many Marine riflemen preferred the ‘stopping power’ of the harder
hitting 7.62mm round that the M14 fired.
In addition, the early ‘teething
problems’ of the M16 meant that a lot of Marines did not value or trust the
new weapon as compared to its ‘tried and tested’ M14 predecessor.
VN111’The LT and his Radioman’
‘Grunts’
in the field and sometimes out of it would address their Lieutenants as ‘LT’,
the shortened abbreviation of the rank. Here, the ‘LT’ is using
his radioman’s handset while studying his map and receiving instructions from a
superior officer.
While the LT is
carrying a newly-acquired M16 over his shoulder
his ‘radioman’ standing next to him rests on his preferred M14...
a great and very useful little 2-man set.
VN118’The
Patrol / General Service Land Rover’
At last, the
long-awaited, second K&C Australian Army, short-wheel base Land
Rover. This particular version has had its
side doors and rear hatch removed to allow fast loading and even faster ‘debussing’
in the event of an ambush or other emergency.
Minus the roof
canvas the vehicle can easily accommodate additional figures to back up the driver
or put in extra supplies and ammunition.
The model also
comes with its Army driver and his individual L1A1 Self Loading
Rifle.
VN125 ’Aussie
Land Rover Crew Set’
The perfect
additions to VN118 are these three sitting Royal Australian Regiment
infantrymen. All three ‘Diggers’ carry L1A1 SLR’s and are in
suitable seated positions can be placed at various points in the vehicle and also on top of other Australian fighting vehicles such
as the Centurion and the M113.
AVAILABLE:
Early June
B.
‘REBEL
WITH A CAUSE’
Following on from the success of our
recent re-release of mounted Confederate Cavalry many collectors (and
quite a few K&C Dealers) requested that we take a ‘second-look’
at our dismounted ‘Federal Cavalry’ and consider ‘converting’
them into their Confederate opponents.
And so, we took some unpainted castings
and painted them up as ‘Johnny Rebs’.
In addition we selected one of the most popular of the
original Confederate Cavalry three-man sets, and gave them a ‘makeover’
too.
I reckon these 8 revised
and upgraded dismounted cavalrymen make a welcome bunch of reinforcements for
any American Civil War buff who never had the originals... or wants to add a
few more.
CW113 ’Carried Off’
Two of his men carry off the battlefield
their wounded officer.
CW114 ’Corporal Loading Carbine’
This Kneeling NCO (non commissioned officer)
reaches back into his cartridge pouch for another round.
CW115 ’Trooper Cocking Carbine’
Thumb cocking back the hammer of his
carbine this trooper readies his weapon to fire.
CW116 ’Kneeling Trooper Firing
Carbine’
Ready... Aim...
Fire!
CW117 ’Standing Trooper Firing
Carbine’
CW118 ’Sergeant Firing Pistol’
Using his forearm to steady his aim the
sergeant fires his Navy Colt at the enemy.
AVAILABLE:
Mid June
C.
‘PRUSSIAN
MANOEUVERS’
Prior to the outbreak of WW1 virtually
every military power in Europe held massive army maneuvers each Spring and
Summer to practise their land forces abilities in the
event of an outbreak of hostilities with any of their neighboring countries.
No nation exercised their soldiers and
generals as eagerly or as expertly as Imperial Germany.
Under the eye of Kaiser WilhelmⅡ
the German Army and its generals placed great emphasis on their ability to move
huge bodies of troops rapidly and efficiently around the battlefield in order
to outflank and outmaneuver any opponent.
Within the Army itself it was widely
acknowledged that the Prussian Line Infantry regiments were among the
best trained and led and would be in the forefront of any advance if training
maneuvers ever changed to... actual war!
The troops shown here are in the
traditional pre war summer
uniforms of dark blue tunics with white canvas cotton trousers and the
traditional black ‘pickelhaub’ helmets and
jack boots. The riflemen are armed with the Mauser Model ’98 rifle.
FW243 ‘Prussian Line Infantryman
Standing Firing’
FW244 ‘P.L .I.
Kneeling Firing’
FW245 ‘P.L.I. Firing Prone’
FW246 ‘P.L.I. Kneeling Ready’
FW249 ‘P.L.I. Maxim Machine Gunner’
AVAILABLE:
Early June
D.
‘WATCHING
& WAITING’
By December 1941, the Imperial
Japanese Army had 51 Divisions ready for,
or already in action. 27 of these formations were stationed and
fighting in China while 13 stood defending the Mongolian
border due to concerns about a possible attack by the Soviets in that
region.
The remainder of the army meanwhile was
preparing for a massive surprise assault to the south against the British in Malaya,
Singapore and Hong Kong and the Americans in the Philippines.
The Dutch East Indies was also added to the list.
These latest individual Japanese
soldiers can be used in a number of ways... to protect
military installations and airfields, to guard prisoners or... just to be ready
to go into action, you make the decision.
JN069 ‘Japanese Officer with Binos’
Sheathed ‘Samurai’ sword in one
hand, binoculars in the other, this officer observes the enemy.
JN070 ‘Japanese Sergeant with Sword’
The Imperial Japanese Army were firm
believers in the military shock value of the power of ‘cold steel’ in
combat whether by the ‘Samurai’ sword or the more modern fixed bayonet.
JN071 ‘Standing I.J.A. Machine Gunner’
JN072 ‘I.J.A. Soldier on Guard Duty’
Standing at attention with his ‘Arisaka’
rifle and fixed bayonet by his side.
JN073 ‘I.J.A. Soldier Standing at
Ease’
Another Japanese soldier with rifle and
bayonet... slightly more relaxed.
AVAILABLE:
Mid June
SPECIAL NOTE: The vehicle shown in our pictures here
is the ‘Type 94’ truck due for release later this year.
E.
‘NOT
ANOTHER BLOODY HITLER...!’
Well yes actually... Although nobody
likes him and many loathe him he is the single biggest
individual seller of all time! That can’t be denied alas and of all the many
figures of ‘Der Fuhrer’ K&C has produced, the brown-shirted
version is by far the most requested.
LAH262 ‘Adolf Hitler’
The world’s least favourite
house painter in a very familiar pose.
AVAILABLE:
Mid June
F.
THE
RETIREMENT LIST
So, that’s June for you but before we go
here are the retirements... Some you might have expected a few others less so but all have to go... Pick out what you like pass on the
rest or see what July will bring!
AF035
“Airstrip Leathernecks”
DD279 FURY
IF028 Carabinieri Motorcycle Set
IF031 Flagbearer Sergeant
LAH236 Standing at ease
LAH237 Winter-help BDM Girl
LAH238 BDM Standing Bearer
LAH239 BDM Pennant Carrier
LAH240 Marching BDM Girl w/Backpack (Brunette)
LAH241 Marching BDM Girl w/Backpack (Blonde)
NA316 Napoleonic Guard Box
PnM009 Firing Musketeer
PnM013X Trooper w/Pistol
PnM014 English Civil War Cannon
PnM015 Parliamentary Gunners Set A
PnM016 Parliamentary Gunners Set B
PnM017 Parliamentary Gun Commander
PnM018 Parliamentary Artillery Officer
RAF059 Intelligence Officer
RTA084 Mexican Casualty
RTA085 Mexican Bayoneteer
WoD047 The Coffee Cart
WoD048 The Coffee Couple
WoD049 The Extra Cup
WS277
Smoking
General
All the best and happy collecting!
Andy C. Neilson
Co-founder & Creative Director
King & Country Ltd.