Arnhem 44: The Series That Started It All (1 Viewer)

[jazzeum]

Lately, Arnhem or Market Garden seems big news in the toy soldier world and the letter "P" must be the most popular letter in the alphabet

So, I thought it would be a good time to highlight the original Arnhem series or the one that set King & Country on its way to the position it holds today.

As I recall Andy telling it, at the 1993 (or 1994) Chicago Soldier Show, he was minding his table but saw that a big crowd had gathered at the Frontline table. So, he wandered over and saw a beautiful display of Charge of the Light Brigade. According to Andy, a light went off in his head and he decided that, in order to make a splash, he needed to do something thematic, but what? When he returned to Hong Kong, he thought about what subject he should do. According to legend he said something like "I like World War II" but that's a pretty big war. After thinking about it some more, he decided to do an iconic moment for the British forces in WW II, a Bridge Too Far, Arnhem 44, and he would do it in matte, as opposed to glossy. He proceeded to make British troops and Jeeps (later on adding buildings) and when he returned to Chicago the next year, he unveiled Arnhem 44 and it was a big success. The rest, as they say, is history :smile2:

Here a few of the Arnhem 44 figures that I own. The plane is a Beaufighter by Motion Models.

 

[jazzeum]

 

[jazzeum]

Here are some of the Arnhem 44 brochures.

The first one is from the first Arnhem brochure in 1995 while the second and third scans are from 1996. The third scan shows the buildings (the backlot buildings) Andy made to go with the Arnhem range. They are made of papier mache and are a work of art. I have three of them.

 

[villagehorse]

Great that you have bought these iconic figures up to the front. Nice collection, these are still wonderful figures despite the improvements made since there release all those years ago. Always regretted that I was not collecting this scale back than like you, dam Star Wars.^&cool, Robin.

 

[PanzerAce1944]

Definitely a classic WWII series and one that was worth doing. Looking at these figures and comparing them to "Todays" offerings there is clearly a huge difference in Detail currently. Good post during these hectic last few days !!!

 

[Northgate Woods]

Brad mate,
Outstanding collection and Dios. Thank you posting and thanks also for posting the brochures of the Arhhem 44 range. They too are classic. 1995 must have been a stella year for K&C. Make sure you lock these sets up when I am in NY.^&grin^&grin
Cheers from the Land Downunder, Howard

 

[sammy719]

I really can't exsplain it but I really like the older sets over the newer ones, esp. those from the very beginning and into the early 90's, even though they don't have the detail and such as the newer ones they just seem very cool and always enjoyable to look at and to realize what you said Brad that these were the first Matt soldiers that started it all...Sammy

 

[kogu]

Brad,
these sets you are showing, and the brochures, are truly significant pieces of history in the Toy Soldier World, and a pleasure to look at {bravo}}
Thanks for posting them.
Konrad

 

[uksubs]

Very nice Brad what a great range

 

[glossman]

This is a timely thread as it is injects perspective on the history and development of King & Country's Arnhem 1944 and Operation Market Garden ranges. The production of the Arnhem 1944 sets circa 1995 was a milestone for King & Country and the toy soldier industry as it marked a sea-change and shift away from the standard 54mm gloss figures to the larger 60mm+ matte figures.

I learnt much of this from Brad, Louis and "njja" who posted answers in great detail to my questions on the forum a few years back. There was an interesting discussion on the differences between the 1st and 2nd editions of Arnhem 1944 Set AN001 and others. Thus inspired, I took a "sabbatical" from gloss and went matte for a while and managed to secure some of these "seminal" sets, especially Set AN001. As my first love is gloss, I had already acquired the "catalyst" sets, namely the Charge of the Light Brigade and Thin Red Line sets by Frontline Figures.

Therefore, I was not surprised to read this paragraph in the latest King & Country April dispatches:

" Back in 1995 when K&C launched their very first Arnhem ’44 series of British Paras we were the original innovators…..Matt-painted, 1:30 scale, Second World War toy soldiers were the exception…not the rule. Those little paratroopers crated a mini-revolution in the toy soldier world that still continues to this day and our new “Pathfinders” opens up a whole new chapter of that story. It’s appropriate therefore that, once more, the Paras lead the way! "

For myself, I reserve judgement on the new Pathfinder Paras until I have inspected these in person.

Best, Raymond.

 

[gk5717]

When I started collecting K&C back in 2002 I bought 90% of that first Arnhem series from a dealer at a 20% discount. He had them discounted as he could not sell them.
I recently sold all of them at 3 times what I paid for them. I guess you could say they were my "P" series.
Gary

 

[Mitch]

Great sets and they are still classics
Mitch

 

[Guy]

Great collection and great pics, figurines are worth a couple of $'s I presume
guy

 

[jazzeum]

Thanks for all the great comments and likes. As some have noted, even though the sculpting and painting is crude by today's standards, they have a certain appeal, which are hard to resist. When I first started collecting in 2005, I hadn't intended to get involved and it had been long retired anyway but Warbuff 26 (Brian Wayeart; hope I spelled that right) offered a Daimler so I said what the heck and bought it. Over time, I've added sets and loose figures here and there, the latest being the Jeep you saw.

I remember Andy saying either publicly or telling me that at around the time he wandered over to the Frontline table, his wife Laura had said to him that he needed to get serious with K & C (or, impliedly, find another line of work). Andy said that up until Arnhem he had done okmwith his product, mostly gloss but some matte, but nothing to distinguish him from the crowd. That started to change over Arnhem but as you can see from the development of his figures, it took a long time.

 

[arnhem44mad]

For me Arnhem 44 was the series that really got me into the serious area of collecting. I still remember my first 2 arnhem 44 sets: ANO1 - Battle for the Bridge, and AN08 - The Mortar Team - 2nd Edition, and I think it may have been Beaufighter I got them from, but it was on ebay usa! I had no idea what arnhem was, I had seen'aA Bridge Too Far' before but had never made the connection till I got the first sets.

Now I remember it Arnhem 44 was the reason I jpoined this forum! I had been looking for at least 3 years for even a sniff of an arnhem 44 set after seeing them on Bill Sager's sight. I remember typing arnhem 44 into google and seeing 2 links on the first page to this forum to a post where someone was posting that these two sets were on ebay. I wanted to see the full thing so quickly ran through to the bathroom where my mum was plucking her eyebrows and asked her if I could join up, as I must have ony been about 12 at the time and she said it was ok. So I joined, and thus Arnhem44mad was born!^&grin^&cool

Collecting Arnhem 44 has to be one of the best and one of the hardest things to do as a young collector as the sets were released round about the time I was born so I remember many people did not take me serious when I was enquiring about these sets. I remember the absolute joy I had when I recieved the two sets, they were meant to be for christmas but my gran and mum let me have them then and there!^&grin

So many members helped me with finding these sets and all deserve a thanks, Brad always posted pics of his collection when I asked if I could see them, Kevin Elliot made his Arnhem diorama thread, Alexdakar sold me Lt Col. John Frost and Para firing tommy gun, leaving a month inbetween each sale which I believe he done to let me save up for the other so am for ever in his debt as they were amazing prices!^&grin

King and country UK sold me 2nd editions of the Gunners and fighting withdrawal (a set which had been one of my main goals at the beginning as I loved the figure sat at wall)!

I also got a daimler armoured car with crew but cannot remember where from!^&grin

John Gamble, with whom I had a bit of a dispute with, he helped me secure the bren gun carrier, another daimler and crew which wasn't in as good condition as described as it had the fire missing but hey ho, Horrocks with map, the defenders who's machine gunner was totally broken.

George at Minute men toy soldiers sold me 4 individual figures, all first edition, of the para firing sten from ano1, glider pilot from ano1, bren gunner from ano1, and figure sitting at wall from ano2. Then he also sold me the british figure from walking wounded which was for a loose figure in perfect condition!

Kinga and country UK again (Mike:wink2 sold me a jeep which is a mixture of the ambulance jeep and recce jeep!

The hunt has been thrilling!^&grin

I am still on the look out for several sets to complete the range as this will always be something I'd like to do; Urquhart, The Recce Jeep, Supplies, Captured with the german prisoner, but the chance of finding these is gettings smaller and smaller.

I owe a lot to Arnhem 44 as through it I joined this forum, developed a much more in depth interest in history, and it gave me something to look forward to and something to spend my money on. I fully believe if not for collecting arnhem or king and country I'd be spending my money on alcohol every weekend like half my mates, and that's something even my mum said she was greatful to King and Country for.

Scott

 

[HAWKEYE]

When I started collecting K&C back in 2002 I bought 90% of that first Arnhem series from a dealer at a 20% discount. He had them discounted as he could not sell them.
I recently sold all of them at 3 times what I paid for them. I guess you could say they were my "P" series.
Gary

how could you do it gary. sell your early arnhem figures. i could nver do it. i look back at those sets and collecting toy soldiers at that time with fond remembrences. king and country and trophy were plentiful and affordable . those were the good old days

 

[arnhem44mad]

how could you do it gary. sell your early arnhem figures. i could nver do it. i look back at those sets and collecting toy soldiers at that time with fond remembrences. king and country and trophy were plentiful and affordable . those were the good old days

I doubt I collected or for that matter could even spell toy soldier in the time you are talking about, but the fact you mentioned K&C and Trophy in plenty deserves a like in my books!^&grin

Scott

 

[Eazy]

Great post Brad. I don't own any of the original Arnhem series but I do own all of the Market Garden figures from a few years ago and am hugely proud of them. Loving the brochure not seen it before.
I think the new P figures look ok but I like the camo on the MG ones best! They have the K&C style I like.

 

[Njja]

Nice post Brad, Arnhem has always been one of my favorite series. I will try to post a few shots of the
Diorama Andy built for his release of Arnhem at the Chicago show so many years ago. I now use Apple products and fine it much more difficult to send photos to the forum.
Njja{eek3}

 

[Njja]

Hope this works! It's Andy's original Arnhem display along with a support battery now residing in my den!