King & Country
Captain
- Joined
- May 23, 2005
- Messages
- 5,099
Hi Guys,
Just a few points from the last few days...
1) Andy’s Cartoon...
Many thanks for the appreciative comments. I don’t know what made me do it but maybe it was the Forum getting a little bit “too hot” for comfort...for all of us. This hobby and business is meant to be fun but occasionally we take things too personally (me included). So, it seemed right to crack a few jokes and have a wee laugh or two. Glad you liked it...I hope from time to time to post the odd scribble when and where I get the time and inspiration...
2) Fields of Battle New Troops
Re the discussion on the wearing of British Army battle dress in the desert. I remember when I was in the Marines back in the mid 70’s we took part in a live-firing exercise in Morocco (North Africa) with the Moroccan Army...during the day it was blistering hot...and at night it would “freeze the balls off a brass monkey”. So, wearing BD in the desert was definitely right on...here’s some pix to prove it.
3) HACHETTE/K&C
As most of you know K&C designed many, many figures for both companies...Occasionally, their own production teams either ran out of ideas or needed something in a hurry so would utilize one of K&C’s own designs or masters with minimal changes. That’s why on a rare few figures there is the similarity.
4) Difference In Detail Quality...
Personally speaking I always identify two particular points when K&C made giant leaps forward in quality...
A) 1994/1995...
As stated previously I went to Chicago in 1994 and was “gobsmacked” by Frontline’s superb “Charge of The Light Brigade” series. I returned from that show both exhilarated and determined that K&C would develop and go down its own unique path in creating an entire series in an original way. That range was, of course, “ARNHEM’44” and it was the first MATT painted range created by any company in China or elsewhere.
B) The Second Turning Point 2000/01
K&C had realized for quite some time that we had to improve our sculpting. So, in 2000/01 we started to recruit our own sculpting team for a K&C studio in China itself. Up until that point we had used “freelance” sculptors in HK (among them Gerard and Howard of Frontline in K&C’s very early days).
Once we had our own boys (and girls) in place in China big improvements in quality began to be seen in K&C.
Now, we have six figure sculptors (with 2 more in training), two Vehicle Engineers (with 1 in training), 3 x Master Painters (plus seeking 1 more) all based in China itself. In Hong Kong we have a creative team of six led by me...this now includes Gordon’s Diorama workshop. All of us are involved in figure conception and design (but no sculpting)...graphic design (advertising, promotion material, packaging) and...Internet development.
In building up our infrastructure K&C have an admin staff of eight plus a warehouse/dispatch team of four. Our involvement with and in China is total...I am still totally amazed how some of our competitors who also produce in China rarely, if ever, visit their production facilities in the People’s Republic. Myself and our guys are in and out of China on a weekly (and sometimes) a daily basis!
Oh well such is life...
5) Left-Handed Guns...
On a lighter note to finish talking of “Lefties” one of our brand-new “Fields of Battle” British Tommies is firing his Lee Enfield left-handed! So there...
Best wishes and...happy collecting!
Andy C.
Just a few points from the last few days...
1) Andy’s Cartoon...
Many thanks for the appreciative comments. I don’t know what made me do it but maybe it was the Forum getting a little bit “too hot” for comfort...for all of us. This hobby and business is meant to be fun but occasionally we take things too personally (me included). So, it seemed right to crack a few jokes and have a wee laugh or two. Glad you liked it...I hope from time to time to post the odd scribble when and where I get the time and inspiration...
2) Fields of Battle New Troops
Re the discussion on the wearing of British Army battle dress in the desert. I remember when I was in the Marines back in the mid 70’s we took part in a live-firing exercise in Morocco (North Africa) with the Moroccan Army...during the day it was blistering hot...and at night it would “freeze the balls off a brass monkey”. So, wearing BD in the desert was definitely right on...here’s some pix to prove it.
3) HACHETTE/K&C
As most of you know K&C designed many, many figures for both companies...Occasionally, their own production teams either ran out of ideas or needed something in a hurry so would utilize one of K&C’s own designs or masters with minimal changes. That’s why on a rare few figures there is the similarity.
4) Difference In Detail Quality...
Personally speaking I always identify two particular points when K&C made giant leaps forward in quality...
A) 1994/1995...
As stated previously I went to Chicago in 1994 and was “gobsmacked” by Frontline’s superb “Charge of The Light Brigade” series. I returned from that show both exhilarated and determined that K&C would develop and go down its own unique path in creating an entire series in an original way. That range was, of course, “ARNHEM’44” and it was the first MATT painted range created by any company in China or elsewhere.
B) The Second Turning Point 2000/01
K&C had realized for quite some time that we had to improve our sculpting. So, in 2000/01 we started to recruit our own sculpting team for a K&C studio in China itself. Up until that point we had used “freelance” sculptors in HK (among them Gerard and Howard of Frontline in K&C’s very early days).
Once we had our own boys (and girls) in place in China big improvements in quality began to be seen in K&C.
Now, we have six figure sculptors (with 2 more in training), two Vehicle Engineers (with 1 in training), 3 x Master Painters (plus seeking 1 more) all based in China itself. In Hong Kong we have a creative team of six led by me...this now includes Gordon’s Diorama workshop. All of us are involved in figure conception and design (but no sculpting)...graphic design (advertising, promotion material, packaging) and...Internet development.
In building up our infrastructure K&C have an admin staff of eight plus a warehouse/dispatch team of four. Our involvement with and in China is total...I am still totally amazed how some of our competitors who also produce in China rarely, if ever, visit their production facilities in the People’s Republic. Myself and our guys are in and out of China on a weekly (and sometimes) a daily basis!
Oh well such is life...
5) Left-Handed Guns...
On a lighter note to finish talking of “Lefties” one of our brand-new “Fields of Battle” British Tommies is firing his Lee Enfield left-handed! So there...
Best wishes and...happy collecting!
Andy C.
