K&C February 2012 Dispatches (1 Viewer)

[Peter Reuss]

DISPATCHES
February 2012
“KUNG HEI FAT CHOY… Happy Chinese New Year!” and welcome to the YEAR of the DRAGON. As is usually the case at Chinese New Year the weather in Hong Kong is dull… grey… cold… and occasionally wet!
So, let’s cheer ourselves up and see what’s in store this month and the coming one!

1. APPEARING IN FEBRUARY 2012…
A. “Napoleon’s Egyptian Adventure”
This new series has proved to be extremely popular with collectors around the world for, I believe, a few reasons… It’s colourful, unusual (not many other companies have ventured into Egypt’s sands especially during the Napoleonic Wars) and, so far anyway, decidedly less violent than Waterloo… Austerlitz… Jena or any of Bonaparte’s usual battles.
It’s also possible to make small interesting vignettes with a few figures and the odd accessary or two.
Another factor is the ability to incorporate other K&C series items into it… “Life of Jesus”… “Desert Village”… “Ancient Egypt”.
So, here’s the latest add-ons…

NE011 “Mounted Infantryman”
A generously-proportioned soldier has decided to utilize the services of a local donkey to carry him around…

NE013 “The Laughing Drummer Boy”
This young musician is much amused by the antics of his donkey-riding comrade.

NE016 “Standing Napoleon”
Another fine study of the young General Bonaparte based on a pose in the original painting by noted French artist Jean-Leon GEROME.

NE017 “Watching French Officer”
This casually-dressed officer of Guides, hands clasped behind his back, observes the wonders of Ancient Egypt.

AVAILABLE: NOW!

B. “DESERT DILEMMA”
For Erwin Rommel, the “Desert Fox”, getting supplies and reinforcements across the Mediterranean for his Afrika Korps was a major problem… German convoys and aircraft were at the mercy of Britain’s Royal Navy and Desert Air Force.
Fortunately for the Germans they captured large amounts of Allied supplies and vehicles as the war raged back and forth along the coastal plain. Here are a few of their reinforcements.

AK085 “Daimler Dingo Armoured Car (Afrika Korps version)” Series 250
This former British reconnaissance vehicle now has a “new owner”. Though battle-weary and well-used it has been painted with large German crosses and a Nazi flag pinned on top of its rear engine cover for air recognition purposes. The model includes a driver and a separate MG34 machine-gun.

AK086 “General Ludwig Cruwell”
Ludwig Cruwell was a senior Afrika Korps general under Erwin Rommel. Awarded the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves for bravery, he was captured by the British when his spotter plane mistook British troops for Italian soldiers and landed near them by mistake.

AK087 “AK Photographer”
This AK soldier captures a “moment in time”.

AK088 “AK Feldwebel”
AK089 “AK Hot and Thirsty”
This panzer officer is feeling the heat!

AK090 “AK Rifleman”

AVAILABLE: NOW!

C. “KRIEGSMARINE ON PARADE”
One of the unexpected but great surprises of our “BERLIN ‘38” series was the huge popularity of the Kriegsmarine sailors on parade. So, we thought we would add a few more…

LAH158 “KM Drum Major”
LAH159 “KM Drummer”
LAH160 “KM Fifer”
LAH161 “KM Singing Sailor”
Belting out a traditional German marching song as he parades by.

LAH162 “KM Kettle Drummer”
LAH163 “KM Naval Trumpeter”

AVAILABLE: Mid February

D. “A Few More French Crusaders”
As promised here are the three more additions to our French Crusaders…
MK086 “Mounted Templar drawing Sword”
MK087 “French Knight with Lance”
Lowering his lance and preparing to do battle…

MK089 “Sergeant-at-Arms w/ double-handed Sword”

AVAILABLE: Late February

E. “DANGER UXB!”
“Danger UXB” stands for “Danger Unexploded Bomb” and was also the title of a popular British television drama series of the late 1970’s. The series told the story of a group of Royal Engineers tasked with the difficult and highly dangerous job of defusing unexploded bombs dropped by Goering’s Luftwaffe on British cities during the Blitz and afterwards.
Thanks to the assistance of one of K&C’s most loyal UK collectors, Rob Wilson I was able to obtain a complete boxed set of DVD’s of the series. As soon as I saw it I was determined to make a small “Fields of Battle” group of figures to honour these brave men.

FoB069 “Bomb Disposal Tilly”
Among the vehicles most widely used by the UXB teams was the little “Austin Utility”… the “Tilly”. This latest “Series 250” version has a new paint-scheme complete with bright red mudguards of all bomb disposal vehicles and… a male Royal Engineers “Sapper” driver.
Just 250 have been produced!

FoB072 “Danger UXB”
A Kneeling Royal Engineers officer closely examines an unexploded German bomb. Note the “bomb disposal” badge on his left sleeve.

FoB073 “Sapper Sergeant”
A standing R.E. sergeant, hands clasped behind his back, observes his officer at work.

FoB074 “Sappers at work”
As one of the Engineers listens on his head set to any “ticking” of the bomb timing mechanism the other, in shirt sleeves, goes forward to clear some more debris away from the bomb site.

FoB075 “Blitz Police Constable”
Holding a sign in one hand warning the public this constable prevents curious onlookers from getting too near the bomb-site.

AVAILABLE: Late February

 

[Peter Reuss]

2. COMING IN MARCH…
A. “At the court of the Emperor”
Perhaps it’s appropriate that just after Chinese New Year we have a small release for our “Imperial Collection”…

IC038 “The Emperor Qian Long”
Highly regarded as one of China’s best imperial rulers this new standing figure of the Emperor shows him studying the battlefield ready to make his next move…

IC039 “General & Map”
One of Qian Long’s foremost generals indicates on a specially-drawn map the disposition of the enemy’s armies.

AVAILABLE: Early March

B. “Vive La France!”
It’s been a while since our last World War One release so we’re releasing seven new figures of “1914” era French infantry in action to make amends…

FW074 “Officer w/ Pistol and Sword”
This dashing young French infantry officer valiantly leads his men forward.

FW075 “Kneeling firing Rifleman”
FW076 “Poilu Charging”
FW077 “With Rifle & Bayonet”
FW078 “Standing Firing Rifleman”
FW079 “Machine Gun Set”
This two-man set provides extra fire support to the attacking infantry.

In addition to our seven Frenchmen K&C are adding two more marching German infantry of the same early war period…

FW109 “Marching Rifleman w/Cap”
FW110 “Marching Rifleman w/ Pickelhaub”
Both of these marching Germans have their rifles slung and will add to any columns created with our first marching releases.

AVAILABLE: Mid March

C. “From 1914 to 1944”
Thirty years after the Germans advanced into France the Allies now advance further into France from their Normandy beachheads…

DD163 “Dingo Armoured Car” Normandy Version Series 250
This second “250” release portrays a reconnaissance vehicle of the famous “Guards Armoured Division”. Painted in typical British “Mickey Mouse” pattern the vehicle contains a seated driver and a separate Bren Light Machine Gun.

DD164 “Dingo Commander”
Also available is a seated Guards officer looking for the enemy with his binos. This officer can also be utilized in other British armoured vehicles.

AVAILABLE: Mid March

D. “Remember The Alamo!”
Every March sees K&C release a small group of additional figures for our KINGS X “Signature Series” about the heroic defense of the Alamo in March 1836.
This year we’re beginning a new Mexican regiment… “The Casadores”. These elite infantrymen were modeled on the British “rifle” regiments of the Napoleonic Wars and used surplus British weapons and equipment including the famous “Baker Rifle”.
Here are the first four…
RTA061 “Casadores loading Rifle”
RTA062 “Casadores standing Firing”
RTA063 “Casadores with Ramrod”
RTA064 “Casadores Officer with Pistol”

Note the green facings and epaulettes denoting a “rifle” regiment.

RTA065 “Almeron Dickinson”
The husband and father of two of the Alamo’s few survivors. This figure has Dickinson firing his old blunderbuss at the advancing Mexicans.

AVAILABLE: Mid to Late March

E. “Viva ll Duce!”
Alongwith our annual release of the Alamo pieces we have another small group of figures (and a vehicle) that venture into areas few other companies seem interested in…

IF010 “Air Marshal Balbo”
One of fascist Italy’s most famous military heroes and a close confidante of Il Duce himself… Balbo was a great pilot who was doomed to meet his end flying…

IF011 “Il Duce Saluting”
There have been quite a few requests for a standing figure of the Italian Dictator… and here he is!

IF023 “Fiat Mod. 500A “Topolino” Series 250
This great little Italian car was used by Axis forces throughout the war and appeared in every “Theatre of War” where Italian forces operated.
This particular little “Desert” Topolina has open top “air conditioning” and comes with a driver.
Two other 250’s will be released later this year… an “Afrika Korps” one and a “Luftwaffe” version.

IF024 “Carabinieri holding Carbine”
The role of “Military Police” in the Italian Army then and now is the responsibility of this legendary paramilitary police force. Even today they are a familiar sight on Italy’s streets.
Our wartime Carabinieri wears the Napoleonic bicorne with a grey cover and regular Italian grey uniform. Most men, in addition to their carbines, carried a pistol as a side arm.

IF025 “Carabinieri checking Papers”
IF026 “Carabinieri standing at Attention”

AVAILABLE: Mid to Late March

F. Another Great Normandy Add-on”
Earlier in this dispatch we told you about our British reconnaissance “Dingo”… Well let’s not forget our American cousins… Here’s a little something for them!

DD161 “US Armoured Jeep”
A summer version of our highly successful “Battle of the Bulge” armoured jeep… No snow-chains this time, just regular wheels but there is an all-new driver figure. A very useful new Jeep for any Normandy ’44 collection!

DD162 “US Trailer”
And… another version of the jeep trailer, this one with a brand-new load of supplies for the troops. By the way this little trailer can be towed behind other K&C American vehicles.

AVAILABLE: Late March

3. Finally… THE RETIREMENTS!
There’s quite a little bunch this month and we hope there’s something you might like among them… if there is… grab it while you can!

AK035 “AK Motorcycle combo”
IC019 “Mounted Qianlong”
KM001 “Flag Signaller”
KM002 “E-Boat Captain”
KM003 “Gun Commander”
KM004 “Naval Field Police NCO”
KM005 “Petty Officer w/Whistle”
KM006 “Seaman Guard”
KM007 “Walking Guard”
KM008 “Radioman”
KM009 “On Guard Duty”
KM013 “Korvettenkapitan Otto Kretschmer”
KM014 “Kapitanleutnant Shouting”
KM015 “Submariner”
KM016 “Kriegsmarine BMW 327”
KM017 “Sd. Kfz. 9 Famo Recovery Vehicle”
WS122 “Advancing on the Enemy”
WS123 “Machine Gun Team Forward!”
WS124 “Flame Thrower Set”

And that my friends is that for about another 30 days or so. Once again, we thank you for your continued support and wish you and your families all success, wealth, health and happiness in this the “YEAR OF THE DRAGON.”


Andy C. Neilson
Co- Founder & Creative Director
King & Country