DISPATCHES

September 2022

Dear Partners,

Welcome to September! Just a few short years ago, before the dreaded COVID struck and virtually the entire world dissolved into mass hysteria, this was the month that K&C would launch a whole raft of new products just in time for the famous ‘CHICAGO SHOW’.

At the same time, here in Hong Kong, we would be frantically putting the final touches to whatever dioramas and displays we would be featuring at the ‘Old Toy Soldier Show’ itself.

And then, a full week before the show took place, I would fly over to the ‘States and join up with my good buddy Chris Munro from California to unpack all our boxes, set up our room display and start to meet up with many of our K&C collectors and dealers from all over the U.S. and around the world. Well… That was then… This is now!

Alas, no ‘CHICAGO’ for me this year again… Due to continuing quarantine and travel difficulties and restrictions plus a huge spike in the cost of air travel we’ve had to take a ‘pass’ on this year’s show.

Another fly-in-the-ointment is that I have to get some minor surgery around the same time as the show, so, in short, I will be staying home this year.

However, there is always 2023 which all things being equal, I really do want to attend as next year marks K&C’s 40^th Anniversary of our founding in 1983.

Has it really been that long…? Seems to me more like ‘the day before yesterday’.

So, apologies once more I cannot attend ‘Chicago’ but here’s a wee ‘look-see’ at a few of our latest offerings…

BEING RELEASED THIS MONTH…

‘South of The Border… Down Mexico Way’

As part of our ‘Cattle Drive’ range we have released a number of Mexican figures which have proved to be very popular and so, continuing our historical travels ‘South of The Border’ here are two handsome looking additions…

CD020 ‘Dressing For A Fight’
Every well-dressed ‘Vaquero’ would not be fully turned-out unless suitably attired with a pair of rifle bullet bandoleers across his chest.

As this Mexican gentleman adjusts his jacket his female companion hands him a pair of bandoleers of rifle ammunition.

CD021 ‘Emiliano Zapata… The Mexican Revolutionary’

One of the most colourful and memorable Leaders of just one of Mexico’s many revolutions stands proudly wearing a shoulder sash in the national colours under his own ammunition bandoleers. He was to be killed in an ambush aged just 39 in 1919.

AVAILABLE: Mid September
‘Local Support’
Throughout the bitterly-fought Kokoda Campaign the loyalty and bravery of the local tribal peoples played a vital part in the eventual Allied victory. In defiance of the invading Japanese and despite savage reprisals New Guinea natives, both men and women, acted as guides, porters and stretcher bearers for the Australian forces battling against the Imperial Japanese Army.

Many Australian soldiers owe their lives to these ‘Black Blokes’ who led them through some of the toughest, densest and most difficult tropical rain forest jungle and up and down its steepest mountain slopes.

KT004 ‘On The Kokoda Trail ’
Another ‘walking-wounded digger’ being gently led down the trail to safety by one of the local Papuan tribesman dressed in his native dress and carrying the Australian’s .303 Lee Enfield.

AVAILABLE: Mid-September

IMPERIAL EQUESTRIAN

From the steaming hot and humid jungle forests of New Guinea to the broad boulevards and streets of old Vienna, and the capital of pre WW1 Austria-Hungary. That’s quite a leap but just a hop, skip and a jump for King & Country and the latest release in our ‘The Royals’ series…

TR008 ‘The Emperor Franz-Joseph’
Born in 1830, Franz-Joseph became Emperor of the sprawling and often fractious Austro Hungerian Empire at the age of 18.

He would go on to become the longest-reigning monarch of this ill-fated conglomeration until his death at the age of 86 in 1916.

Franz-Joseph’s reign was anything but peaceful and throughout this period was beset by wars, revolts, suicides and assassinations… often involving close members of his own family.

The two most notable being the killing of his heir apparent, the Archduke Franz-Ferdinand and his wife Sophie in Sarajevo in June 1914. This murderous act was to ultimately lead to the outbreak of World War One just two months later.

Our K&C rendition of the Emperor is based on several portraits of Franz-Joseph as well as a mounted statue and shows him in a typical saluting pose while riding one of his favourite horses.

AVAILABLE: Mid September

‘BLACK WATCH IN WHITE TROPICAL UNIFORM’
CHK012 ‘Black Watch In White Tropical Uniform’
25 years ago, on the last day of June 1997, the former British Crown Colony of Hong Kong was ceremoniously handed back to the Peoples’ Republic of China.

On that evening, in what could be seen as the very last day of the once great British Empire, the ‘Union Jack’ was lowered and the red flag raised over this amazing city that l’ve proudly called home for the last 45 years!

Among the U.K. armed forces on parade that night was the last British Army regiment to be stationed in Hong Kong… the 1^st Battalion, The Black Watch.

One of the oldest infantry regiments in the Army and with one of its finest battlefield reputations the ‘Watch’ wore their traditional kilts together with the ‘Tropical Parade Dress’ tunics in white.

This new version of our Regimental 13 piece ‘Pipes & Drums’ are uniformed as they were on that historic last parade on the evening of June 30, 1997.

Today the ‘Black Watch’ have been amalgamated into the much larger Royal Regiment of Scotland and form this new unit’s Third Battalion.

Just 100 sets of this ‘1997’ edition are being released in their own Special Presentation Box.

AVAILABLE: Early September
STILL IN HONG KONG…

Going back even further in the Hong Kong story to many years before 1997, here is another colourful and delicious memory of street life in this very unique part of the Orient…

HK301 (Gloss & Matt) ‘Street Food Hawker Stall’

Travel down almost any thoroughfare in old Hong Kong and you were bound to come upon all kinds of ‘street-food ’sellers (hawkers) offering an amazing range of cooked foods and snacks that could be enjoyed at all times of the day and night… and nearly always very inexpensive too!

This lady together with her little food cart is offering a range of freshly-made steamed vermicelli roll with all kinds of condiments to suit her customers’ tastes and pockets.

AVAILABLE: Mid-September

Marshal ‘Rooster’ Cogburn

TRW186 ‘Marshal ‘Rooster’ Cogburn’
Marshal Reuben ‘Rooster’ Cogburn was the fictitious creation of writer Charles Portis in his 1968 novel ‘TRUE GRIT’ which in turn was made into a hit 1969 movie of the same name starring John Wayne, who won his only ‘Oscar’ for playing the title role.

The film was made again in 2010 starring the inimitable Jeff Bridges in the Cogburn role.

Our little Winchester toting figure is a tribute to a great book and two terrific movies as well a rare breed of Western lawman!

AVAILABLE: Mid-September

‘Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen’
And so, once more, as we leap onto our magic carpet and leave the lawless, badlands of the American West and fly across the Atlantic and make a gentle left turn towards Scandinavia and the quaint and quiet streets of the beautiful Danish capital, Copenhagen.

I have loved this fabulous city ever since I first visited it as a 14 year old Boy Scout in 1963… Since then I’ve returned several times with my wife Liza and enjoyed and explored it discovering new sights and sounds on every occasion.

One particular sight l have always enjoyed is that of the Royal Danish Life Guards who stand guard outside the Royal Palace in the centre of Copenhagen throughout the year.

These Guardsmen are an integral part of the Danish Regular Army and are mostly conscripts however their drill and military bearing are first class and do credit to their training as well as their officers and NCOs.

One original touch is that they appear to have not one, but two, ‘Ceremonial Parade’ uniforms… Their ‘red tunics’, similar to the British Guards uniforms, are only worn on major ‘State Occasions’.

Their dark Navy Blue, double breasted tunics are called ‘Revue Order’ and are the ones most commonly seen as they perform their guard duties and parades throughout the year.

Because my wife and myself love Copenhagen so much we have wanted to produce a marching figure in ‘Revue Order’ ever since we released the ‘Colour Party’ set several year ago.

Well, here it is… Not only him though… in a few months time we will release a companion for him… A Regimental Drummer, also in ‘Revue Order’ uniform. Look out for him!

MRDG004 ‘Marching Royal Danish Lifeguardsman’

AVAILABLE: Mid-September

Special Note: The Drummer will be available in October.

“WHO ARE YOU CALLING A MUTT..?”

One of the most iconic American-made vehicles associated with the Vietnam War was the M151 Military Utility Tactical Truck better known to the troops who used it as… The ‘Mutt’.

In production from 1959 until 1982 it saw plenty of active service with all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces operating in South Vietnam as well as the ARVN (Army of the Republic of Viet Nam) .

As the worthy successor to the Korean War M38 it utilized a monocoque design making it more spacious than previous jeep designs and, in addition, incorporated an independent suspension with coil springs.

Apart from these improvements the ‘Mutt’ did not feature the jeep’s distinctive seven vertical-slot grille opting instead for a horizontal-style grille.

Even though slightly larger than WW2 and Korean War jeeps it was still able to fit inside the CH53 ‘Chinook’ heavy lift transport helicopter.

Phased out of U.S. Military today, M151s can still be seen in the Armed Forces of Israel, the Philippines, Denmark and over 100 other countries worldwide.

K&C is proud to produce two new ‘Vietnam Mutts’ for collectors to choose from…

VN141 M151 ‘Mutt’ (USMC)
This dust-covered, battle-weary M151 has been in the thick of the fighting during the 1968 TET Offensive…

As one ‘Grunt’ drives, his buddy mans the post-mounted M60 machine gun and lays down effective fire on the enemy… Perfect for any battlefield where our K&C Marines are in action!

VN142 M151 ‘Mutt’ (U.S. Army Military Police)
A very visible presence on any Saigon street or indeed any large South Vietnamese town or city where American troops were stationed. This particular MP vehicle is clean and well-maintained and again has a two-man crew comprising a sitting driver behind the wheel and a standing Military Policeman wearing the MP brassard and suitably-painted helmet in charge of the M60 machine gun.

Both men belong to the 716^th Military Police Battalion whose primary mission was providing security and law enforcement in the Saigon/Cholon/Tan Son Nhut metropolitan area. In addition, they guarded the US Embassy, the MACV (Military Assistance Command Vietnam) headquarters and other critical US facilities throughout the city.

All members of this unit were heavily engaged during the ’68 TET Offensive and suffered a number of fatalities.

Our model depicts these MPs on regular vehicle patrol prior to the surprise attack.

AVAILABLE: Late September

MEANWHILE SOMEWHERE ON THE MEKONG.

Here are two more additions to our ‘VIETNAM’ series that provide some of the opposition to our latest M151 releases…

VN149 ‘The Sampan Soldiers Set’
During the Vietnam Conflict the Viet Cong made ample use of the huge Mekong Delta of canals and waterways to move men, supplies and weaponry all over the southwest region of Vietnam.

Although heavily patrolled by US Navy and South Vietnamese ‘brown-water’ naval units the Delta offered an abundance of hiding places and ambush opportunities for the wily V.C. while they moved stealthily around the area using all kinds of small watercraft. This little set comprises three V.C. kneeling, sitting and crouching together with their weapons.

As they have no cumbersome bases they can easily fit onto our Sampan or any other small boat or even… on dry land.

VN154 ‘The Viet Cong Sampan Set’
This handy little boat has a V.C. ‘Skipper’ manning the tiller as he makes his way quietly along some waterway in the Delta always listening for the approach of any U.S. or South Vietnamese patrol craft.

VN-S03 ‘The VC Sampan Combo’
Here’s a great way to save yourself US$19… Combine both VN149 the 3-man ‘Sampan Soldiers’ set together with VN154 ‘The Viet Cong Sampan’ boat and hold onto an extra US$19!

AVAILABLE: Late September

BEING RETIRED

Some excellent figures are being ‘put out to pasture’ this month… Grab ‘em while you can!

HK204(G/M) Sailor at-ease

HK255(G/M) Royal Navy Sailor-At-Ease

LoJ041 Mary, Joseph & The Infant Jesus

LW038 Major Rudolf “Rudi” Sinner

LW039 Coffee Break

NA241 92nd Highlanders marching w/ rifle

RnB002 Battle Trophies

ROM023 Roman Soldier Throwing Pilum

ROM024 Roman Soldier Kneeling w/ Pilum

VN079 NVA/VC RPG Team

VN094 The S.F. Radio Operator

VN114 The Water Buffalo Boy

And there you have it my friends… Not too many items to ‘break the bank’ but certainly more than a few to enhance and enlarge your collections.

All the very best and, as ever, happy collecting!

Andy C. Neilson

Co-founder & Creative Director

King & Country Ltd.