DISPATCHES
MAY 2014
A couple of months ago I was
getting ready to fly over to Los Angeles for the Annual West Coaster
Show…Well today, as I write this, I’m preparing to head out again in just a
few weeks’ time to the States but this time the destination is San Antonio for
this year’s TEXAS TOY SOLDIER SHOW.
As anyone who reads these “DISPATCHES”
knows King & Country and yours truly are big
“believers” in and supporters of Toy Soldier Shows all over the world.
I’m fortunate to get to meet
many of our collectors and also get to catch up with any of our K&C dealers
who take part.
This particular “TEXAS”
show is being held over two whole days (Saturday and Sunday) during Memorial
Day Weekend and is the third that K&C and KINGS X have
put on together and we hope will be the best one yet!
However, as usual, there’s a
whole bunch of new items to review and release…So here goes…
1.
Ancient Greek Alternative Additions
A.
When we
first released this series more than a few collectors suggested that they
wanted to “build-up” multiples of many of the releases…and they
requested alternative colour schemes and shield
designs. Here they are…
AG026 “Standing
Hoplite”
AG027 “Hoplite
On Guard”
AG028 “Hoplite
Officer w/Sword”
AG029 “Hoplite
Soldier w/Sword”
AG030 “Hoplite
w/Long Spear” (Horizontal)
AG031 “Hoplite
w/Long Spear” ( 45∘)
AG032 “Hoplite
w/Long Spear” (Vertical)
Available:
Early May
B.
“VIVE LES VOLTIGEURS!”
VOLTIGEURS played an important role in Napoleon’s
Army. He decreed that each Infantry Line and Light Infantry Regiment should
select their finest marksmen and most agile soldiers and form them into special
units that would provide one company in each battalion.
These troops would act as “skirmishers”
and “scouts” to help protect the main body as well as moving forward in
loose order to be the “eyes and ears” of their commanders.
Ten all-new K&C “Voltigeurs”
advance forward in “action” poses to get to grips with the enemy.
Special Uniform Note:
Although wearing the same basic French Infantry uniform of
the period Voltigeurs could be distinguished
by their green and yellow epaulettes and collars as well as their black shako
with the yellow stripe.
NA273 “Mounted
French V Officer Shouting
NA274 Fr. V
Flagbearer Advancing
NA275 Fr. V
Charging Port Arms
This voltigeur
is carrying the hunting horn and wears the lighter blue uniform
NA277 Fr. V
Advancing Firing
NA278 Fr. V
Kneeling Firing
NA279 Fr. V
Advancing Loading
NA280 Fr. V
Charging with Bayonet
NA281 Fr. V
Advancing with Rifle Up
NA282 “Fr.
V. Advancing Pointing”
AVAILABLE: Mid
May
C.
“FROM NAPOLEONIC FRANCE TO WW2 FRANCE!”
With the 70th Anniversary of
D.DAY coming up in June we thought we would add a few extra pieces to
collectors’ D.Day Collections.
DD224 “M3A3
Stuart”
The M3A3 served alongside the M5 in the “scouting and screening role” in
most U.S. Army tank battalions. Usually these battalions comprised 3 x
companies of “Shermans” and 1 x company of “Stuarts”.
Our model is typical of those that took part in post D.Day
operations.
DD228 “U.S.
Army Tank Riders Set #1”
Two kneeling GI’s, one with an “M1 Garand”, the other with the “M1
Carbine…can work equally well on the back of a fighting vehicle or on
the ground.
DD229 “U.S.
Army Tank Riders Set #2”
Two more GI’s, one kneeling, one sitting, armed with another “M1 Garand” and
a “Browning Automatic Rifle”. As flexible as the
previous two.
AVAILABLE: Mid
to Late May
D.
THE RAF’s ONLY FIGHTER PILOT V.C.
During the Second World War Royal
Air Force pilots and other aircrew won a number of Victoria Crosses,
Britain’s highest military honor.
Most of those awarded went to
men from RAF “Bomber Command”…Just one, surprisingly enough,
was presented to RAF “Fighter Command” – to Flight Lieutenant
James Nicolson.
RAF067(SL) “Hawker
Hurricane GNA”
Last month we produced a new version of the Supermarine
“Spitfire”. This month we are honoring the other great fighter aircraft
that won the “Battle of Britain”…the Hawker “Hurricane” –
and a very special Hurricane at that!
Flight Lieutant James Nicolson was a pilot with No.249 Squadron when on
August 16, 1940 he was flying “GNA” on an operational sortie near Southampton
when he was fired on by a Messerschmitt Bf.110. Enemy fire injured him in
one eye and badly wounded his left foot. At the same time his engine was
hit and the petrol tank set alight. As he struggled to bail out from the
burning aircraft another Bf.110 flew in front of him…Struggling to get back
into his blazing Hurricane he pressed the gun button and saw his bullets strike
the German plane. After seeing the enemy aircraft crash into the ground,
Nicolson successfully bailed out.
On his descent, painfully injured, he had the bad luck to be fired on by
members of the “Home Guard”,…fortunately their accuracy was not as good as the
young Flight Lieutenant’s!
On November 15, 1940, it was announced that Flt.Lt. Nicolson had been
awarded the Victoria Cross for “Conspicuous gallantry and disregard for his
own life”.
He was later promoted and sent out to fly in both India and Burma. By May
1945 he was now a Wing Commander but alas lost his life in a flying accident in
the Bay of Bengal. His Victoria Cross can be seen at the Royal Air
Force Museum, Hendon, England.
Our 1:30 scale Hawker Hurricane “GNA” comes with an unoccupied cockpit
and a standing figure of Flight Lieutenant Nicolson. A specially-designed,
full colour box also includes a certificate about James
Nicolson V.C.
This “SL” edition comprises just 300 aircraft and figures.
AVAILABLE: Mid
to Late
May
E.
“ON A FRENCH STREET…”
From the skies above
Southern England to the streets of a Normandy village…
SP056 “La
Cremerie”
Another addition to our beautiful series of French building facades…”La Cremerie” is a typical 1940’s style family-owned
and operated little shop selling all kinds dairy products such as cream,
butter, milk and, of course, a wide variety of excellent French cheeses!
Despite some minor battle damage the store is still “open for business”.
AVAILABLE: Mid
to Late May.
F.
“WATCH OUT FOR THE PROWLING PANTHER!”
Over the years, KING & COUNTRY has produced quite a number of different “Panthers”…Next
to the “Tiger” it’s probably our most-produced German tank!
Originally designated as the Panzerkampfwagen V it soon became better
known as “The Panther” to friend and foe alike. With this
tank the Germans finally had a fighting vehicle that could counter the Soviet
T34. The Panther copied, adapted and improved many of the
characteristics of its Russian opponent. It proved to be an excellent
combination of firepower, mobility, a wider track and good armour
protection. From 1943 until 1945 just over 6,700 of all variants
were produced.
WS272 “Panther Ausf.G”
The
“Ausf.G” version was reckoned, by most Panther
crews, to be the best of all and the new K&C “Ausf.G.”
is certainly the best we have manufactured!
Our
model represents a late-war, battle-weary, two–colour camouflaged “G” and comes with a tank
Commander and plenty of space for either extra supplies or a number of tank
riders.
This
is the first of two “G” models to be released…a second will be available
later in the year.
WS286 “Pointing Officer”
Armed with an MP40 “Schmeisser” machine pistol
this officer points out a possible enemy
position. This figure can stand easily on both a fighting vehicle or on
the ground…The choice is yours…
WS287 “Kneeling Loading”
WS288
“Kneeling Grenadier”
WS289 “Kneeling w/Rifle”
WS290 “Kneeling w/Binos”
Note:
All of the above figures can be utilized in or on vehicles as well as on the
ground in action.
AVAILABLE: Mid to Late May
2.
BEING
RETIRED
Not too many this month but…still some great figures at their original issue
price!!!
Check ‘em out and
grab ‘em while you can.
|
LAH119 |
Walking Drum Horse |
|
LAH120 |
Officer on Walking Horse |
|
LAH121 |
Mounted Flag Bearer |
|
LW041A |
Major Walter"Nowi"
Novotny |
|
LW041B |
Major Heinz Bar |
|
NE002 |
Arab Guide on foot |
|
NE006 |
Soldiers drinking |
|
NE007 |
Standing Dragoon |
|
NE008 |
Kneeling soldier |
|
NE010 |
The Artist |
|
NE014 |
The Graffiti Artist |
And that my friends is that for another 30 or so days. I look forward to meeting up with at least some of you in San Antonio in a few weeks but in the meantime… all the very best!!