Dispatches are up! (1 Viewer)

The Dingo looks very impressive although as my major interest in NW Europe 1944-45 I shall be eagerly awaiting that version. One thing that struck me was the advances that K & C have made recently in their manufacturing/modelling techniques. Only a short time ago prone models of Bren and MG34/42 gunners had their weapons balanced on a pile of sandbags but now recent German MG teams have had the bipod represented. The separate MG34 with the captured Dingo looks a little gem. I wonder if the Bren in the Normandy version will be removeable?

I must confess to certain reservations about the Singapore figures. Perhaps future releases could balance this national humiliation, which resulted in so many soldiers (British, Australian, Indian) undergoing a terrible imprisonment. Perhaps Japanese officers surrendering their swords to British officers in 1945 or a reproduction of the surrender ceremony on the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. A Chindit range would be nice.
 
I was pleasantly surprised by the Singapore figures. While I too am much more interested in the ETO, I think there are some Pacific subjects that would be very compelling to collectors. Since airplanes are really in Vogue right now, how about sailors and a carrier-based plane. If one of the diorama supplies companies made a deck mat to go with it, what a great scene that could be. For now, I am awaiting delivery of the downed ME-109 and deciding which bomb disposal pieces to get.
 
the 3 new French Crusaders suit me fine...I just ordered them...I'm glad K&C continues to add to this colorful range and hope some Saracens are in the near future...I especially like the MK-087...French Knight with Lance...his steeds armor looks special...
 

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Brett,

I think you are correct about the identification of the figures.

The members of the British Delegation that surrendered comprised the following officers:

Lieutenant General A. E. Percival (General Officer Commanding, Malaya Command)
Brigadier K. S. Torrance (BGS, General Staff)
Brigadier T. K. Newbigging (Chief Administrator General Staff) carrying the Union Jack
Captain (later Major) Cyril Wild (43rd Light Infantry) carrying the White Flag

This was the composition of the second delegation, as the first did not include Percival. Yamashita wanted to deal directly with Percival in the surrender negotiation. Have a look at this photograph.

View attachment 83632

The credit for this picture: The Changi Murals website managed by Peter W. Stubbs.

Link: http://www.petrowilliamus.co.uk/murals/background/background.htm

Cheers, Raymond.:)

This set has rekindled my interest in K and C. It is really great. Well sculpted and out the box. I have been reading a bit about the whole Pacific war. Max Hastings book Nemesis is pretty good on the topic. I also have got hold of a book called Scapegoat about Percival. It was in many ways a very signifciant defeat as it undermined the whole idea of Imperial Rule and lead to the decolonization of Asia and in some ways even the war in Vietnam. Apart from that it was a great tragedy for the locals and for the many colonial and British soldiers who did not manage to escape the fortress. In some ways it was early 1942 rather than Summer 1940 which were the darkest hours for Churchill.
 
Commemoration of the American Civil War's 150TH anniversary continues into 2012. Way to go.

I think we have to face facts that ACW has never been a huge priority for K & C. This is not being critical, just the way it is, not to mention that, at least in the fast few years, Britains has made a concerted effort to become the ACWcompany and to a great extent has cornered the market.

I think when K & C has done ACW, they have done a very good job as sculpts are animated, well done and well paiinted. Maybe they just haven't sold up to expectations.

Brad
 
Surprised by Singapore set
KC getting very spiffy with crusaders, very nice
 
Regarding the Surrender set the most senior officer in the iconic photo was Lt Gen Arthur Percival DSO and bar and MC who had a very distinguished career prior to Singapore. However there are a few different photos and two groups who were photographed. Can't see the ranks of these figures but they might be the first group particularly as K&C has not named Percival in the group.

To quote Wiki "A deputation was selected to go to the Japanese headquarters. It consisted of a senior staff officer, the colonial secretary and an interpreter. They set off in a motor car bearing a Union Jack and a white flag of truce toward the enemy lines to discuss a cessation of hostilities. They returned with orders that Percival himself proceed with staff officers to the Ford Motor Factory, where Yamashita would lay down the terms of surrender".

After his time as a POW Percival was taken, along with American Lt Gen Wainwright (who surrendered to Japanese forces in the Phillipines), to stand immediately behind General Douglas MacArthur as he confirmed the terms of the Japanese surrender aboard USS Missouri (BB-63) in Tokyo Bay on 2 September 1945.

Percival and Wainwright then returned together to the Philippines to witness the surrender of the Japanese army there, which in a twist of fate was commanded by General Yamashita. The Tiger of Malaya was momentarily surprised to see his former captive at the ceremony. The flag carried by Percival's party on the way to Bukit Timah was also a witness to this reversal of fortunes, being flown when the Japanese formally surrendered Singapore back to Lord Louis Mountbatten.

Yamashita was subsequently put on trial for war crimes and executed (although seems to have been a controversial trial in relation to the evidence against him).

Regards
Brett

Brett

You might be interested to know that at the school I teach at I got into a chat with a student by the name of Webb. I asked why he was attending the school and he mentioned, rather vaguely, that his great grandfather had lived there while studying at University and his grandfather had been a student there just before WW2. It then dawned on me that his great grandfather was Sir William Webb who was in charge of the Tokyo War Crimes Trials. Small world.

Was it Yamashita who was executed for, in the words of William Manchester, having merely fought MacArthur? I cannot check my copy of Manchester's biography of Mac as I am siting in a hotel foyer in Hawaii waiting for my room!

jack
 
Love the Singapore sets. I know most WW2 collectors want German stuff. But maybe a few sets here and there of early Pacific War would do
OK. Singapore, China, Burma, India, Bataan and Correigedor, New Guinea and Guadalcanal? Kind of like the FOB releases.
 
Love the Singapore sets. I know most WW2 collectors want German stuff. But maybe a few sets here and there of early Pacific War would do
OK. Singapore, China, Burma, India, Bataan and Correigedor, New Guinea and Guadalcanal? Kind of like the FOB releases.

I agree with you on the Singapore sets. Any different sets depicting different battles/theaters of the war would be welcomed.

I would love to see a couple of sets depicting the Warsaw Uprising or some sets from the Finnish/Soviet theater.
 
Love the Singapore sets. I know most WW2 collectors want German stuff. But maybe a few sets here and there of early Pacific War would do
OK. Singapore, China, Burma, India, Bataan and Correigedor, New Guinea and Guadalcanal? Kind of like the FOB releases.

I Believe i heard that Thomas Gunn this year might be producing an Early war Pacific series which would consist of imperial Japanese soldiers and some commonwealth boys !
 
Very nice looking set
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Very nice
 
Love the NAPOLEONIC RELEASES !!

^&grin ^&grin ^&grin

Happy K&C Napoleonic Collector here !!
 
Anybody going to jump on the cossaacks? they are well done and are bound to be highly sought after once kc really gets into the eastern front
 
Anybody going to jump on the cossaacks? they are well done and are bound to be highly sought after once kc really gets into the eastern front

This is very true, they are really nice figures, if I had the extra cash I'd get them but am tied up in Normandy and the skies over Britain. So much to choose from but only so much to spend, how long do you get in prison for bank robbery these days???:wink2:

Rob
 
Yeah I agree Rob ,alot on my plate too. Need time to get to them and maybe some more to come
when KC put out some Eastern Front releases.
 

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