K&C August Dispatches (1 Viewer)

[Peter Reuss]

DISPATCHES

AUGUST 2011

Well, it’s that time again… Here in HK the weather is hot, stickyand often wet… all at the same time. Thanks goodness for air conditioning!

This past month though has also been busy up in China… we’ve beenvisiting a couple of new factories which I’m hopeful can help alleviate at least some of our production headaches.

At the same time there’s also lots of figures and models we’re preparing for upcoming releases in the next few months that have to be checked and evaluated…

All in all, plenty to keep us busy. So without further ado…

1. WHAT’S ARRIVING IN AUGUST…

A. “Napoleon in Egypt… Part Deux (2)”

Five all-new pieces… four figures and a display item…

NE004 “Soldier Pointing”

Another of Bonaparte’s men pointing out the ancient wonders of the Land of the Nile.

NE005 “Soldier with Sun Canopy”

This infantryman has rigged up an ingenious way to shade himself from the blazing desert sun…

NE007 “Chef de Musique”

This colourful Napoleonic musician has definitely “gone native”… In addition to his baggy Mameluke-style pantaloons he has also equipped himself with a Mameluke sabre.

NE009 “The Monument”

Soldiers the world over,have, for centuries sought to leave their mark… On these ancient stones one of Bonaparte’s men has already carved the General’s name.

NE014 “The Graffiti Artist”

One more French infantryman cannot resist the impulse to leave his name on the “Ancient World”

Note: Look out for more “Napoleon in Egypt”releases later in the year!

AVAILABLE:NOW

B. “Egypt Again… but a little earlier”

Many centuries before Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Egypt another, much prettier, ruler made her name there… Cleopatra!

AE039 “Cleopatra and Her Handmaidens”

Egypt’s fabled Queen enhances her natural attractions with a little cosmetic assistance. Three figure set.

AE040 “Court Official”

While the Queen beautifies herself one of her high court officials makes a report…

From the goings-on at court we move to a more humble duty…

AE043 “The Water Carrier”

A classic pose for an everyday occurrence and… a useful figure in any Middle Eastern scenario.

AVAILABLE:Mid-August

2. “SCOTS WHA HAE!”

In Scotland in 1314, the nation was still under English rule… the times however were changing and the Scots were about to challenge the might of the English Crown…

During my schooldays (many moons ago) every Scottish school boy knew the story of the Battle of Bannockburn when King Robert the Bruce won Scotland’s freedom from England and the rule of Edward II.

One of the most famous events of the battle actually happened the day before…

Robert the Bruce was in front of his small Scottish Army when an English Knight… Sir Henry deBohun detached himself from the much larger English Army and charged his heavy war horse across the heath that separated both forces and headed straight for The Bruce.

DeBohun, lowered his lance and prepared to “spear” the lightly armed Bruce from his saddle… At the last minute Bruce neatly sidestepped his own mount and brought down his battle axe on de Bohun’s helmet, cleaving it and its owner’s head in two! A great cheer went up from the Scots… a loud collective groan from the English…

One nil for Scotland and a terrific omen for the battle the following day…


MK083(SL) “THE DUEL” (Robert the Bruce and Henry de Bohun)

This great two-piece vignette captures the moment when the Scottish King is about to bring his battle axe down on de Bohun’s head!

A“Strictly Limited” Edition of 750 sets

AVAILABLE:Mid-August

D. “THE TYPHOON TANKBUSTER”

Moving on from a time when English and Scots were fighting each other to a time when together they were fighting a much more dangerous and deadly foe…

RAF030 “The HAWKER TYPHOON MK.1B”

Widely recognized as the best and toughest ground /attack fighter bomber of WW2 the HAWKER TYPHOON isK&C’s most detailed warbird yet! Our version of this powerful aircraft carries 8 underwing,anti- tank rockets and has 4 hard- hitting Hispano cannon. A seated pilot is in the cockpit of this Typhoon from 257 squadron, Royal Air Force. It also bears the bold blackand white “invasion stripes”of all Allied aircraft flying over the Normandy landing beaches on and after June 6, 1944.

NOTE: Just 500 are being manufactured.

Supporting this Typhoon are a selection of RAF ground crew…

RAF031 “Rocket Primers”

Two RAF Aircraftsmen assemble one of the tank-busting rockets.

RAF032 “RocketHandler”

A single RAF ground crewmember “shoulders”one of the rockets to the aircraft.

RAF033 “SittingAirman”

Many wartime photos show airmen “perched” on the wing of an aircraft… including Typhoons.

RAF034 “Airman Radio Operator”

Equipped with a backpack radio this airman is in touch with other RAF ground / air units in the area.


RAF035 “Typhoon Pilot”

Enjoying a welcome“smoke” and a cup of “Char” this pilot istaking a welcome breather between ops!

RAF036 “Flight Sergeant”

A “new” version of an old favourite… from our Battle of Britainset of RAF Ground Crew dating back almost 20 years!

UNIFORM NOTE: By mid-war many RAF pilots and ground crew could be seen wearing British Army battledress (with relevant RAF rank badges) while on active duty.

As these releases gowith our new Hawker Typhoon as it might be seen in forward battle airfields in Normandy after the invasion it is appropriate that some of them are in army Khakias well as RAF blue.

AVAILABLE:Late August

 

[Peter Reuss]

E.“RETURN TO AFRIKA”

AK078 “AK Officer with Schmeisser”

Wearing his AK greatcoat to fend off the desert chill this officer is about to fire a burst from his machine pistol…

AK079 “AK RifleSection”

Two more greatcoat-clad infantrymen with rifles.

AK080 “AK Grenadier”

AK081 “AK Machine Gunner”

Difficult but not impossible… this gunner fires his magazine- fed MG34 from the hip.

AK082 “AK Observation Team”

This two-man set of officer and NCO… One observes the enemy position… the other uses the field telephone to call in an artillery or mortar strike.

AK083 “British Prisoner”

For this dejected Tommya POW cage looms up!

AK084 “Panzerjager 1”

Based on a Panzer 1 tank chassis this self-propelled gun mounts a 4.7 cm Czech-made Skoda gun and was the first German tank destroyer of WW2.

Our model comes with a standing crewman.

SPECIALNOTE: A field-grey version will be in September

AVAILABLE:Late August

2. COMING IN SEPTEMBER

A. AK077 “AK Captured Morris CS8 15cwt. Truck” (Series 250)

As virtually everyoneknows the German Army made much use of “captured” enemy vehicles throughout the war… Rommel’s Afrika Korps were no exception!

Here, complete with driver, is one of the “liberated”vehicles, the classic British Morris 15cwt. Truck still in its 8th Army colour scheme but with prominently displayed German crosses on the sides and on top of the engine.

SpecialNote: This little 15cwt truck is a “Series 250” release, three other versions will be available…

i) RAF (blue) with WRAF driver.

ii) 8th Army (desert splinter camo) with Aussie Driver

iii) British Army (black /Olive drab Mickey Mouse camo) with British Army driver.

AVAILABLE: EarlySeptember

B. “A FLIGHT OF EAGLES”

From the desert sands of North Africa to the gray skies over northern France and Belgium during the First World War. Finally, our little biplanes line up on the airfield …and come with famous pilots too… and in three different versions!

FW098(S) “Albatros DV (Von Richtofen)”

Although Manfred VonRichtofen is usually pictured in his famous all red-Fokker Tri-plane he originally achieved fame flying an all-red Albatros… and that’s how he and his aircraft are pictured here.

FW099(S) “Albatros DV (Goering)”

This particular Albatros was flown by the future Luftwaffe Chief before he took over command of the “Flying Circus” after the death of the Red Baron.

FW105(S) “Albatros DV(Voss)”

German flying ace Werner Voss flew one of the most colourful and brightly marked Albatros of any of the leading pilots. The swastika on the fuselage was originally intended as a good luck symbol…

In addition to the “pilot ‘n’ plane package”all three German Air Aces are also available as single figures…

FW106 “Lt. Werner Voss”

FW107 “Manfred Von Richtofen”

FW108 “Hermann Goering”

AVAILABLE:Early September


C. “BERLIN ‘38”

From the skies above France and Belgium during the Great War we move forward 20 years to the streets of pre war Berlin…

LAH139 “Marching Flagbearer”

A new-updated version of a now retired figure…. Carrying the “blood” banner.

LAH140 “Marching SS Banner-man”

LAH142 “Standing with Banner”

This particular SS officer is wearing the dress “aiguillettes and gauntlets” of the 1st company of the “SS Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler”.

LAH143 “Standing-At-Ease SS Officer”

LAH144 “Father & Son”

An SS officer and his Hitlerjugend son.

LAH145 “Reichsfuhrer SS Himmler”

In 1938, with the warclouds gathering, Himmler decided that he and his men should also have field gray uniforms just like the German Army as well as their traditional black garb.

LAH146 “At-Ease“Sepp” Dietrich”

LAH149 “Panzerjager1”

When the Leibstandarte was incorporated into the Waffen SS this was one of the first armoured vehicles they were equipped with. The set includes the vehicle commander.

LAH150 “Double Banner Street Lamps”

For any parade or Berlin Street scene the new Street Lamps make a useful addition… swastika banners on one side… SS rune banners on the reverse.

AVAILABLE: Mid-September

D. “Luftwaffe Conference”

LW048 “A Squadron of Spitfires!”

At the height of the Battle of Britain in 1940 Chief of the Luftwaffe, Hermann Goering was becoming increasingly impatient with his air force’s inability to decisively crush the Royal Air Force. At the same time the Luftwaffe was beginning to lose an growing number of aircraft to the British. He decided to pay a visit to his frontline squadrons in France to find out for himself what was going wrong…

Traveling on his private train the Reichsmarshall summoned Adolf Galland and Werner Molders,two of his top fighter aces, to meet him and discuss the worsening situation.

At first he berated the two leading pilots and accused them (and their fighter units) of not doing enough to protect his bombers. After a while, his mood softened and he asked them both how to succeed…and what they required?

Galland looked at Molders… Molders look to Galland… and finally Galland said, “A squadron of Spitfires!”

The Reichsmarshall was not amused. This little vignette set portrays the historic meeting…

AVAILABLE:Mid-September

E. “ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CHANNEL”

Four years later, the shoe is on the other foot… now, it’s the Germans who are on the defensive as the British, Americans and Canadians prepare to launch a mighty invasion to free occupied Europe from the Nazi Jackboot.

DD154(SL) “The EisenhowerStaff Car Set”

This latest “Strictly Limited” shows supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower on a tour of inspection somewhere in southern England in the spring of 1944. His U.S. Army Staff Car comes complete with a female WAC driver. At Eisenhower’s side is Kay Summersby, his personal driver when he arrived in Britain in1942. Over the next three years she proved invaluable to him and took care of many of his domestic and personal tasks.

During this time Summersby became a U.S. citizen and was commissioned into the U.S. Women’s Army Corps (WAC’s)leaving the service as a Captain in 1947.

PleaseNote: Just 750 of this special set have been produced.

DD155 “Saluting BritishMilitary Policeman”

DD156 “EscortOfficer”

Wearing the famous “IKE” jacket this U.S. Army Officer is a perfect “add-on” to accompany any senior inspecting officer.

DD157 “Escort MP”

Where the “brass” go the MP’s are sure to follow…


DD158 “Gen. Omar Bradley”

Omar Bradley the “soldier’s general” inspecting the troops…

DD159 “US Soldier Port Arms”

A GI in his parade uniform being inspected.

AVAILABLE:Late September

F. CHARACTERS FROM THE “THREE KINGDOMS”…

Two striking figures from Chinese History
IC036 “Zhou Yu”

Plays an important role in defeating the enemy troops in the “Battle of Cliffs”. He’s also considered handsome, loyal and multi-talented, a poet and a musician.

IC037 “Zhuge Liang”

A well-known military strategist and statesman in the “Three Kingdoms” period. Our figures ows him in a typical pose holding a hand fan.

AVAILABLE:Late September


3. “HEADING FOR THE HILLS…”

Here’s the latest retirements list…

American Civil War

CW014 “Marching Officer”

CW015 “Wounded Flagbearer”

CW016 “Marching Rifleman w/Pipe in Mouth”

CW018 “Rifleman Marching”

CW019 “Kneeling Firing Rifleman”

CW021 “Standing Firing Rifleman”

CW022 “Standing Ready”

CW023 “Standing Loading Rifle”

CW024 “Kneeling Loading Rifle”

CW025 “Advancing Confederate”


The Age of Napoleon

NA170 “Mounted Officer”

NA171 “Marching Drummer”

NA172 “Marching Officer w/ Sword”

NA173 “Marching w/ Rifle”

NA174 “Marching Set”

NA175 “Marching w/ Flag”

NA176 “Advancing Forward”

NA177 “Shouting Corporal”

NA178 “Standing Firing”

NA179 “Standing Ready”

And so friends, that’s the story so far… I hope you find something that interest you.

Many thanks again for your continued support and advice.

All the best and… adios for now!


Andy C.Neilson

Co-Founder& Creative Director

King &Country