“DISPATCHES”
September 2016
WELCOME TO
SEPTEMBER ... and that means cooler weather here in Hong Kong and a long
journey ahead of me to THREE of my favorite American destinations ... Los
Gatos, California ... Chicago, Illinois and, of course, San Antonio,
Texas.
Los Gatos means my
annual weekend “get-together” with Mike & Myzska
Hall of SIERRA TOY SOLDIERS, not only one of that rare breed of ‘bricks
‘n’ mortar’ toy soldier stores in North America but one of the finest toy
soldier shops in the world!
I arrive on Friday afternoon 16 September in beautiful Los Gatos
and will spend all-day Saturday the 17th meeting and talking
with many of SIERRA’S regular K&C collectors from all over Northern
California. After the store closes many of the collectors stay on for a
fun “Q&A” session where we share ideas, suggestions and all
kinds of info about the hobby in general and K&C in particular. Mike
& Myzska also provide complimentary drinks and
snacks for all attendees.
If you are around Los Gatos on Saturday 17 September make a date
now to come along during the day ... in the evening ... or both.
The folks at SIERRA TOY SOLDIERS will make you very welcome!
On Monday 18 September, bright and early, I fly out of San Francisco for
Chicago’s O’Hare Airport and “The Chicago Toy Soldier Show”.
I make no apologies for ‘plugging’ this great show. King & Country and myself have been taking part in this
annual event for over 30 years!
The “CHICAGO SHOW” is still the biggest and best toy soldier show of its
kind in the world because it has both ‘room trading’ before the
full-scale Sunday event and, of course, the ‘Sunday Event’
itself. Manufacturers, dealers, traders and collectors come from
all over America and the rest of the world to this multiday celebration
of toy soldiers.
Manufacturers like K&C bring our latest releases plus upcoming items that
everyone can preview in advance of the launch date. The ‘Chicago
Show’ is also a great social gathering ... You meet up again with old
friends and make new ones. PLUS, you get to eat, drink,
sleep and talk toy soldiers from dawn till dusk (and beyond).
For those of us who love the hobby and enjoy sharing it with others “Chicago”
is the place to be in late September. Here are a few details:
Venue : The Hyatt
Regency Schaumburg, 1800 East Golf Road, Schaumburg IL. 60178
Dates &
Times: The Official Show : Sunday
25 September 2016
10:00am till 3:30pm
Admission: US$8
(only charged on Sunday)
Other
Details: Most dealers begin arriving on Wednesday/Thursday 21/22
September.
K&C will be there on 19th. but
that’s another story ...
Room
Trading: Begins as early as Wednesday 21 thru till Saturday 24. Rooms
open up usually after breakfast time and stay open at
least until
dinner time and often later.
The
amazing variety of what’s on offer as well as the chance to
talk ‘one-on-one’ with your favorite toy
soldier maker or
dealer is not-to-be-missed. If you love toy
soldiers don’t miss
the “CHICAGO SHOW” ...
After Chicago its down to San Antonio but enough of
my travels ... Here’s what you really came for!
1.
BEING
RELEASED THIS SEPTEMBER
a)
“Pike
& Musket”
Perhaps in this case it should be renamed “Drums
& Drummers” ...
Collectors of this series have requested different colour
variations of these
English Civil
War drummers to be used
with different regiments ... Here they
are
...
PnM069 “Phillip Skippon’s Regimental Drummer”
Raised in London
for the Earl of Essex’s Parliamentary Army they were easily recognized
on the battlefield by their red coat with blue cuffs.
PnM070 “Henry
Tillier’s Regt. Of Foote Drummer”
Henry Tillier was
of a French Huguemont family and an officer in
Charles I’s army when it fought in Ireland in
1642. In 1643 he was promoted Colonel and raised his own regiment from
the Dublin garrison which crossed over to
England in 1644 on the
King’s side. Their green
coats marked them out as proud Irishmen ... as is our drummer.
AVAILABLE: Early
September
b)
“On
The Streets of Old Hong Kong”
One completely new set and
four alternative colour variations for this
popular and long running series ...
HK228 “The
Running Rickshaw”
A running Rickshaw
Puller together with his passenger ... Although still wearing the
traditional Chinese “Cheongsaam” (long
coat) the gentleman passenger has cut his pigtail off and now wears a straw
‘boater’ and dark glasses ... a sign of changing times and fashions
in China.
HK251 “The
Shoe Shine Stand”
A Royal Navy sailor
is going on shore leave and has his shoes polished. This new version has
the ‘matelot’ wearing his ‘tropical whites’
HK261 “The
Chinese Street Doctor Set”
A new colour version of an old favorite .
HK264 “The
Street Doctor’s Helper”
A young boy helps
heat up one of the doctor’s potions for a waiting patient.
AVAILABLE: Early
September
c)
“Marine
Corps Mechanics”
We received quite a few
requests from our USMC Corsair collectors to ‘convert’ our
earlier released U.S. Army Air Corps mechanics into USMC air wing mechanics ...
And here they are ...
AF040 “USMC Mechanics”
A nice little (and
useful) 3 x figure set.
AVAILABLE: Mid September
d)
More
WW2 American Releases ...
DD295 “General Omar Bradley”
This is the third “Bradley” figure K&C has produced and, I believe,
the best one yet! Standing, hands on hips, General Bradley
is dressed as he was on the morning of June 6, 1944 at the time of the
Invasion of Normandy. As commander of the US First Army he won the
respect and admiration of his soldiers as well as the nickname ... “The
GI’s General” He had a long and distinguished military career
eventually becoming Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and General
of the Army. He died in 1981.
DD299 “The US Army Medical Tent”
Where there are wars and
battles you’re going to need medical services ... even in miniature actions.
This latest version of the typical WW2 US Army Square Tent
carries large red crosses denoting either a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital or
a First Aid Tent.
Whichever you choose it’s the perfect backdrop for any of K & C’s many
military
medic sets (figures and vehicles).
AVAILABLE: Mid September
DD292 “The Shannon Set”
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
When our good friend Shannon
Reuss of Treefrog Treasures passed
away last year K&C wanted to do something special to remember her by and
this is it ....
Before founding and leading Treefrog Treasures Shannon trained
and qualified as a Nurse working in several Veterans Hospitals in the
U.S. After discussions with her husband Pete, K&C proposed designing
and creating a special 2-figure set of Shannon, dressed as a WW2 WAC
Army Nurse tending a wounded GI. Several months later this is the set you
see before you.
Just 300 of this first edition have been made and they are
available direct from Treefrog Treasures.
Here at K&C we
are already working on additional WAC Nurse sets (and a jeep too seen in the above photo)
that can add onto “The
Shannon Set” … Look out for them soon!
AVAILABLE: NOW!
Direct From Treefrog
Treasures in Minnesota or ... at the “Chicago Show”.
e)
“At
Nottingham Castle” ...
RH020 “The Banners Set”
A trio of Medieval
Banners to decorate any castle, tournament or even an
Archery Contest ... Goes very well with our recently released
Archery Targets
and Robin Hood figures.
AVAILABLE: Mid September
f)
“TERROR
ON THE STREETS OF LONDON”
In 1888, on the mean streets and darkened
alleyways of London’s
impoverished Whitechapel District a series of
gruesome murders took place
that have become a grim legend in criminology.
Five unfortunate
female victims fell foul of the still unidentified killer
who, till this day is known only by his terrible nickname ... “Jack The Ripper”.
Even
the Victorian era’s most famous detective. Mr. Sherlock Holmes, could not find the killer ... But
K&C have discovered him lurking on “The Streets of Olde London”
...
WOD044 “Jack The
Ripper”
The most infamous
serial killer in British criminal history ... complete with a doctor’s bag full
of sharp implements ... a deadly-looking knife and a nasty, evil look about him
– obviously up to no good!
WOD045 “Whitechapel Molly”
This young lady
could well have been “Jack’s” next victim ... fortunately for her she
met a friend and together they hooked up with a pair of sailors and went off
for a spot of gin in a local pub.
WOD046 “Smithfield Sally”
Another “Lady of the Evening” and
Molly’s good friend, if occasional
competitor
... Sally also had a lucky escape from the clutches and knife of “ The
Ripper” that evening.
AVAILABLE: Mid September
g)
‘FROM
LONDON TO BERLIN”
Two well-known figures from the Third
Reich ... and brand-new sculpts.
LAH203 “Reichsmarschal
Herman Goring”
No leading personality in
the Third Reich had as many or as varied uniforms than the large and imposing
figure who commanded the Luftwaffe.
Goring had almost as much passion for designing uniforms and costumes for
himself than creating and running the German Air Force!
Here he is in one of his more restrained (but still colourful)
personalized Luftwaffe uniforms.
LAH204 “Oberst
gruppenfuhrer ‘Sepp’ Dietrich”
‘Sepp’ Dietrich
(1892-1966) was the first
leader of the “Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler”
and rose from being Hitler’s personal bodyguard and driver to commander of the 6th
Panzer Army.
A much decorated soldier he
was personally brave and devoted to his men. It was said by some other military
leaders that he was promoted much higher than his actual military skills
merited however at his funeral in 1966 over 6,000 former Waffen SS soldiers attended.
Our newest Dietrich figure shows him striding confidently forward in his
wartime parade uniform and greatcoat.
AVAILABLE: Mid September
h)
“TRIPLE ACES HIGH”
Three of the Royal Air
Force’s best-known fighter pilots are brought together in this little
set...
RAF075 ”A Trio of Aces”
Adolph Gysbert “Sailor” Malan, DSO & BAR, DFC & Bar was a South African
pilot
in RAF Fighter Command during WW2. During the Battle of Britain he led No.
74 Squadron. His final war tally of ‘victories’ was 27
‘Kills’, 7 ‘shared’, 3 ‘ probables’ and 16 ‘damaged’.
Our figure shows him as a
Squadron Leader during the Battle of Britain.. He left
the RAF in 1946 as a Group Commander.
Douglas Robert Steuart Bader,
lost his legs in a flying accident in 1931 and was invalided out of the RAF in
1933. With the outbreak of WW2 in 1939 he managed to rejoin the Air Force and
by June 1940 was made Squadron Leader of No. 242 Squadron.
In August 1941 he bailed
out over France and spent the rest of the war in various prisoner-of-war camps
including the infamous ‘Colditz’.
His wartime record included 22 kills’, 4 ‘shared’, 6 ’probables’
and 11 ‘damaged’. Among his awards were the DSO & Bar, DFC
& Bar and ... a later knighthood.
The K&C figure portrays him as a Squadron Leader in mid
1940.
Our final RAF figure is Alan Christopher Deere, known to his friends as ‘Al’.
This New
Zealand-born pilot joined the RAF in 1937 and flew during the Battle of France
... the evacuation of Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain.
In 1942 he took command of No. 403 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
and swiftly established himself as a ‘born leader’. Unlike both Malan and
Bader he remained in the RAF after WW2 eventually becoming an Air Commodore.
His personal awards included the DSO, DFC & Bar and the French Croix de
Guerre.
His wartime tally of victories ... 22 ‘kills’, 10 ‘probables’
and 18 ‘damaged’
‘Al’ Deere passed away in 1995 and, fittingly, his ashes were scattered over
the River Thames from a Spitfire!
AVAILABLE: Mid September
i)
“ANOTHER
GANG ... ANOTHER TIME ... ANOTHER PLACE.”
THE WILD BUNCH was an epic 1969 American Western about an
aging outlaw
gang trying to exist on the Texas / Mexican
border in 1913 as the world changes about them ...
Directed by Sam Peckinpah it was one of the
most controversial and violent movies of its time ... and one of my all time favourites!
TRW098 “The Pike Bishop Gang”
In the climactic scene of
the movie Pike Bishop (Willian Holden) leads three of his
gang, “Dutch’ Engstrom, (Ernest Borgnine) and two brothers, Lyle and Tector Gorch (Warren
Oates and Ben Johnson) to bring back another member of their gang
who has been held and tortured by a rebel Mexican General.
This leads to the final ‘shoot-out’ which is one of the bloodiest in
film history. But before that there is the long tension-filled sequence where
the gang make their way, guns in hand, towards the
General’s headquarters.
This is the image we’ve chosen to portray ... Now you’ve seen the figures ...
Go watch the movie again or see it for the first time.
AVAILABLE: Mid September
j)
“FROM
WAR-TORN MEXICO to WAR-TORN EUROPE” PART : 1
Here’s a varied selection
of Wehrmacht figures, vehicles and artillery for you to consider ...
WH055 “Nurse Taking Notes”
An additional German nurse keeping notes on
her individual patients ...
WH056 “Pz.Kpfw.
35R(F)SPG”
Large quantities of
French armour were captured by the Germans in 1940
and many were adapted and pressed back into service by their captors.
This particular
model mounts a 4.7cm anti tank gun in an open armoured turret to become a tank destroyer... Some were
used during “Operation Barbarossa” – the Invasion of Russia in
1941. Others were deployed in the occupied territories on anti partisan operations. A few even saw action
in Normandy in June 1944.
WH059 “German
Military Policeman”
A
single standing “Chained-Dog” on traffic control duty.
WH060 “SPG
Crew Members”
A neat little 2-man
set comprising a standing vehicle commander, still wearing his black “Panzer”
uniform and a shell-loading gunner. Both figures are suitable for
standing inside the vehicle ... or next to it. They go well with WH056.
All Above
AVAILABLE: Mid to Late September
WH061 “Sd.Kfz.11
Special Tracked Transport”
This German
half-track was only previously available as an ‘Afrika
Korps’ vehicle ... Now you see it in ‘feldgrau’ complete with an all-new driver figure.
One of the smaller
German half tracks it was used for general transport
duties and also as an artillery tractor ... Especially to tow anti tank guns and even the 10.5cm Field Howitzer
... see following.
In this ‘feldgrau’ paint scheme it’s very suitable for all
early-mid war
operations. Driver included.
AVAILABLE : Late September / Early October
WH062 “10.5cm
Light Field Howitzer”
This was the
standard divisional field piece used by the Wehrmacht in WW2.
Designed and developed by Rheinmetal as
far back as 1929/30 it entered service with the Wehrmacht in 1935. It was
also a successful export model being sold to Hungary, Spain, Bulgaria,
Finland and even Sweden.
The K&C model
was only previously available in desert AK colours.
Now, as you see it comes in standard ‘field grey’.
The gun can
be towed behind the Sd.Kfz.ll or with trails extended
for firing duties. The barrel also elevates and depresses.
WH063 “Artillery
Officer”
Standing
issuing “fire orders and instructions.”
WH064 “Gun
Crew #1”
One
gunner transporting the shell ... the other holding the “rammer”.
WH065 “Gun
Crew #2”
One crew member checking the sights ... the
other holding the ‘charge’ ... always loaded after the
shell.
WH066 “Propaganda
Kompanien Kamerman”
Virtually all German
Military War correspondents, photographers and cameramen came under the overall
control of the Propaganda Ministry.
Our movie cameraman
is in Wehrmacht uniform and using his “Arriflex”
camera to record the action. At that time the Arriflex
was considered the best camera of its kind in the world.
All Available : Mid
to Late September
And that my
friends is that except, of course for these retirements ...
2.
BEING
RETIRED ...
LAH186
3 x Marching SS Men
LAH188
2 x SS Men Present Arms
LoA005
Arab Standing Firing
LoA006
Sitting Arab Firing
NE024
Mounted Mameluk
NE025
Standing Mameluke with Musket
RA045
Female Shooter
TRW036(P)
“Gall”
WS228
Jagdpanther Ausf.G
In closing ...
Looking forward to seeing some to you in Los Gatos and some more
of you at the “Chicago Show”.
Be sure to stop by
and say hello.
Best wishes
and happy collecting!
Andy
C. Neilson
Co-founder & Creative Director
King & Country