KING & COUNTRY

“DISPATCHES”

JUNE 2007

I’m writing this month’s “DISPATCHES” almost two weeks earlier than I usually do because in a few days time I’m heading off to the ‘States on business.

While there, in San Antonio to be exact, I’ll be participating with K&C in the inaugural “Texas Toy Soldier Show” which is being held on the 26/27 May in San Antonio. Looking forward to meeting up with quite a few K&C dealers who are also taking part and spending time with all our friends at “Kings X”.

So, without further ado, let’s get into this month’s news…

1) “COMING IN JUNE…”

A)“Hitler’s Wonder Weapons”

WS100 “The Fuhrer’s Last Fighter”

As Germany’s military situation became ever more desperate Hitler directed his engineers and scientists to come up with all kinds of “wonder weapons” and “miracle solutions” that would reverse the tides of war. One such project was the Focke-Wulf “Rammjager”.

This little jet fighter was designed to be flown by semi-skilled Hitlerjugend pilots with only the most rudimentary flying skills. They were to ram their small flying bomb into the midst of the massed Allied aerial armadas then bombing the Reich by night and day. It was rumoured that an ejection seat was provided for the young pilots to get out before their aircraft’s final explosion although this cannot be confirmed.

Our model, WS100, comes with a special “trolley” to transport the little jet to its launch pad plus two standing Luftwaffe figures—a pilot/instructor and a saluting guard. Inside the “see through” cockpit you can also see a seated Hitlerjugend pilot.

WS101 “The Transporter”

To pull and position the trolley with its “Rammjager” jet we have a neat little Sd.KfZ252 Halftrack vehicle. These were normally used as battlefield transports to haul ammunition and other supplies to forward troops. Our model is in camouflaged Luftwaffe markings and has a “commander” half-body figure in the open top hatch.

AVAILABILITY: Mid June

B) “Return to Normandy…”

There’s a whole big batch of GI reinforcements for our popular “Normandy’44” series and… a few very unique little “add-ons” as well…

DD075 “The Patrol Jeep”

A great looking set… three GI’s of the famous 1^st. Infantry Division “The Big Red One” and their ubiquitous 1/4 ton transport. In the front an officer sits next to his driver. Providing the “top cover” a standing GI rests on his .30 calibre machine gun.

DD076 “Combat Photographer”

A special “tribute” piece to Joe Rosenthal (the AP photographer who took the famous Iwo Jima photograph) and the thousands of other Allied combat photo and camera men who risked life and limb to cover World War Two and bring us so many stirring and incredible images of battle and war.

DD077 “War Correspondent”

The “companion piece” to DD076 is our seated at his typewriter “Ernie Pyle” War Correspondent. This terrific little figure is full of character another “tribute” to the war correspondent Ernie Pyle who wrote the classic “The Story of G.I. Joe” which was later made into a great WW2 movie starring Robert Mitchum and Burgess Meredith as Pyle himself. Sadly, Ernie was killed later in the war.

DD078 “M12 155mm Gun Motor Carriage”

This is the first of King & Country’s KINGSIZE collection… a big, big artillery piece with no less than 5 full-bodied artillery men to man the gun.

Mounted on a Sherman tank chassis the 155 gun was originally of French design. Adapted and improved by the U.S. Army, this heavy artillery piece saw much action in the European Theatre of Operations in the latter stages of the war.

Our gun comes with many fine detailed features and K&C’s very own battle-worn appearance. It will provide collectors with lots of extra fire support!

DD079 “General Omar Bradley”

The GI’s General and one of Eisenhower’s most steady and reliable field commanders. Bradley commanded the US 1^st Army Group during and after the Normandy invasion… here he stands, hands on hips, in a typical pose.

DD080 “General James Gavin 82^nd Airborne”

The youngest divisional commander in the U.S. Army during WW2. Gavin was only 37 at the time of the Normandy and “Market Garden” jumps. He also enjoyed a very successful post-war military and civilian career. Here, he is in parade dress, saluting.

DD081 “At Attention”

A proud 82^nd Airborne trooper in parade dress. Looks great in multiples…

And now here’s a whole bunch of GI’s… a mixture 82^nd and 101^st. Glider troops… all in action… and available as individual figures…

DD082 “Kneeling Officer w/Binos

Leading the attack is this crouching officer checking out enemy positions 82^nd Airborne.

DD083 “Kneeling Firing Rifleman”

Another kneeling figure… this one putting in some well-aimed shots. 82^nd Airborne.

DD084 “Standing Firing Tommy-Gun”

An NCO adding a little extra fire-power to the “fire fight”. 82^nd Airborne.

DD085 “Standing Firing BAR Gunner”

Even more fire to keep the enemy’s head down! 101^st Airborne.

DD086 “Running Forward”

Moving to a new location… 101^st Airborne.

DD087 “Warning!”

This “dismounted Glider Pilot” is sending out a pretty clear message to his buddies… “Wait!”

AVAILABILITY: Late June

C) “COLDSTREAM STAND FAST!”

From the lush green fields of war-torn. Normandy in the summer of 1944 we journey back almost 130 years to the field of Waterloo in 1815 for our new British Napoleonic regiment…

“Coldstream Guards in Action!”

As many of you know with me being Scottish I always have a “soft-spot” for Regiments from my homeland.

However I don’t want to neglect other parts of the Army and especially my many English friends so, without further ado, here is K&C’s first English Napoleonic Regiment—the world famous 2^nd Regiment of Foot Guards… The Coldstream Guards.

One of the most celebrated Regiments of the British Army up to the present day, the “Coldstreamers” fought throughout the Wars of Napoleon and at Waterloo in 1815.

Here, we have 12 outstanding individual figures that singly, together or in “multiples” will take “pride-of-place” in any Napoleonic collection.

K&C has specifically designed these pieces so that they can form up a traditional “British Square” to repel an enemy Cavalry assault.

Here’s what’s coming in early June…

NA125 “Coldstream Guards Mounted Officer”

A Major on horseback directs his men.

NA126 “CG Officer w/Regimental colour”

NA127 “CG Officer w/King’s colour”

NA128 “Standing Firing Rifle”

NA129 “Standing to Repel”

NA130 “Kneeling to Repel”

NA131 “Sergeant w/Pike”

NA132 “Drummer Boy”

NA133 “Kneeling Firing Rifle”

NA134 “Standing Ready Corporal”

NA135 “Dead Guardsman”

NA136 “Wounded Guardsman”

AVAILABILITY: Early June

D) “IMPERIAL COLLECTION”

From Belgium in the time of Napoleon to the Ching Dynasty in the 18^th and 19^th Centuries…

IC030 “Spear Practice”

Here, a soldier of the Emperor’s own bodyguard regiment perfects his fighting skills on a straw target.

IC031 “Sword Practice”

Two Imperial bodyguards sword fight.

AVAILABILITY: NOW

2) “UPCOMING ATTRACTIONS IN JULY!”

July is going to be a bumper month for K&C releases and collectors of two of our most popular ranges… “BERLIN’38” and “Fields of Battle” with over 20 new releases.

Let’s get into them…

A) “Black is back!”

Politically incorrect it maybe but there is no doubt that the LAH series is very popular and a big, big seller for K&C dealers.

LAH079 “LAH Recce Truck”

This Krupp “Protze” truck was used by the Reconnaissance Company of the “Leibstandarte” as their principal vehicle. Here, in “parade-mode” it comes with a seated driver… standing saluting officer and four sitting riflemen.

LAH080 “Reichsfuhrer Heinrich Himmler”

A standing saluting figure of “Reichsheini” as he was called, behind his back, in the SS.

LAH081 “Reichsleiter Martin Bormann”

“The Brown Eminence”—a major power behind the scenes in The Third Reich. Here he appears in SS uniform—many top Nazi officials such as Von Ribbentrop and Bormann were given “honorary” ranks in the SS by Himmler himself.

LAH082 “Nuremburg Review Stand”

Based on some of the ruins that can still be seen in present-day Nuremburg this stand makes the ideal display area for LAH “personalities”.

LAH083 “Nuremburg Nazi Eagle”

The companion piece and perfect backdrop for LAH082. A large bronzed gold coloured ceremonial eagle mounted on its own separate plinth.

LAH084 “LAH Motorcycle Combo”

Two-man motorcycle combination in parade dress of the LAH’s Reconnaissance Company.

LAH085 “Algemeine SS Officer Saluting”

LAH086 “Algemeine SS Man Standing”

AVAILABILITY: Mid July

From pre-war Germany we jump forward a few years to early-war France and the latest “Fields of Battle” releases…

B) “Rearguard Action”

This latest batch of British and French troops taking part in the Battle for France in the dark days of May and June 1940…

“The British”

FoB024 “Kneeling British Officer w/Binos”

FoB025 “Vickers Machine Gun Set”

A seated gunner firing his heavy Vickers Machine Gun.

FoB026 “ Lying Firing Bren Gunner”

Bren .303 Light Machine Gun in the shoulder this prone infantryman takes careful aim.

FoB027 “Lying Rifleman”

FoB028 “Kneeling Rifleman”

FoB029 “Standing Rifleman”

FoB030 “Kneeling Tommy-gunner”

This sergeant has one of the newly-issued Thompson sub-machine guns as his “personal weapon”.

“The French”

FoB031 “The French 75 Gun set”

The most famous French artillery gun of the First World War and still in wide use at this stage of WW2.

Our gun is camouflaged and comes with three superb action figures… one of whom is wounded.

FoB032 “Poilu Standing Firing”

FoB033 “Poilu Lying Firing”

FoB034 “French Officer in Action”

Revolver in hand this officer prepares to give his life “Pour La France”.

FoB035 “Surrendering Senegalese”

France’s colonial empire provided plenty of troops for the lost of Battle of France… here is one of them, kneeling.

FoB036 “Surrendering French Soldier”

FoB037 “Renault R35 Tank”

One of France’s smaller tanks together with two French crew and a captured German prisoner.

AVAILABILITY: FoB024 – FoB036: Early July

FoB037: Mid July

3) “BEING RETIRED…”

As usual, to make room for some of the new additions some of the older ones are consigned to history…

“The Hitler Jugend”

The “boy scouts” of the Nazi movement and the future “cannon-fodder” of WW2…

LAH050 “HJ Youth Leader Marching”

LAH051 “HJ Boy Marching”

LAH052 “HJ National Flag Bearer (Red + White)”

LAH053 “Standing HJ Drummer”

LAH054 “Standing HJ Bugler”

LAH056 “HJ Black Flagbearer”

And in addition our little German tankette…

LAH068 “Panzer I Tank Set”

Well, that’s the story so far… I hope there’re more than a few items you will be stocking your shelves with.

Best wishes…!

Andy C. Neilson

Co-founder & Creative Director