KING & COUNTRY Dispatches -- December 2014 (1 Viewer)

[King & Country]

“DISPATCHES”
DECEMBER 2014​

One of the questions I get asked most often by K&C collectors (as well as a few of our competitors) is “How do you guys manage to come up with so many new items every single month – month after month?
The answer is deceptively simple...”Because we work so bloody hard!” However that’s only part of the reason, the main part is that King & Country is a large team of almost 2 dozen people who work both here in Hong Kong and in China. These folks are extremely talented, skillful and have a great work ethic that makes coming into work every day a pleasure and a delight.
Although I may be one of the more visible faces of King & Country I never forget that it is a full team effort to produce the quality and variety of what we make on a regular monthly basis. And so, as the year draws to a close I want to extend my grateful thanks on behalf of myself (and I am sure many of you) to the K&C team, led by Helen, who do their best to keep me on the “straight and narrow” and to keep you guys supplied...and I hope satisfied all-round the year!
Now, that’s the compliments over...What’s in store for you this month...?

1. APPEARING IN DECEMBER...and I hope just in time for Christmas!
A.“The World of Dickens”
Eight brand-new, add-ons to what I believe will be a very collectible series for the ladies, families or indeed anyone with an interest in the novels of Charles Dickens and life in mid-Victorian London...

WoD005 “Bob Cratchit & Tiny Tim”
Mr. Scrooge’s humble clerk from “A Christmas Carol” together with his crippled young son, “Tiny Tim”...Poor but happy.

WoD007 “Miss Lucy”
A fashionable young lady and popular with the gentlemen.

WoD008 “Mrs. Brown”
With her fur-lined coat and muff this married lady can well withstand a cold English midwinter.,

WoD009 “Miss Greene”
Another of the capitol’s beauties and, like her name, likes to wear the appropriate colour.

WoD012 “George The Grocer”
Before supermarkets and convenience stores there was the local grocer who would not only sell you fine produce...he would even personally deliver it!

WoD013 “Mr. Chuckster”
Another memorable Dickens’ character from “The Old Curiosity Shop”.

WoD014 “Dick Swiveller”
One more genial personage from “The Old Curiosity Shop” and fond of the ladies...

WoD018 “The Christmas Corner Fountain”
A reinvisioning of an old favorite complete with a light frosting of snow and...three little “Robin Redbreasts” resting on the lip of the fountain.

AVAILABLE: Early December

 

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B.“Back to the Trenches!”
From the colour and jollity of mid Victorian London to the mud and blood of the Western Front in 1916...

FW171 “Crouching Wounded”
A kneeling British corporal, his arm wound already “dressed” waits for transport out of the line.

FW172 “A Nice Cup of Tea, Mate!”
Another British casualty lies on his stretcher for transport back to a base hospital...In the meantime a Medical Orderly offers him a drink of tea.

FW174 “The Royal Hospital Visit”
The bearded King George V, in the uniform of a Field Marshal, pays a visit to one of the Military Hospital in Flanders. He is greeted by one of the Ward Sisters.

FW179 “Lieut. General Sir William Birdwood”
Birdwood commanded the 1st. Anzac Corps made up of both Australian and New Zealand troops in France during this time. A highly experienced professional soldier he was well-liked by his Aussie and Kiwi soldiers, both officers and rank & file. After being presented with an Australian slouch hat he continued to wear it through the war as a mark of respect and affection for his men.

FW180-V “Australian at Attention” (Victoria)
This smart-looking Aussie at attention (and in the “shoulder arms” position) has the red and white patch of the 8th. Infantry Btn. from the State of Victoria.

FW180-Q “Australian at Attention(Queensland)
As above but with the black and blue patch of the 9th. Infantry Btn. from the State of Queensland.

FW180-NSW “Australian at Attention (New South Wales)
Like the previous two but with the black and green patch of the 1st.Infantry Btn. from New South Wales...mostly Sydney.

FW181-V “Australian Marching”(Victoria)
Stepping out smartly with rifle on shoulder. This soldier belongs to the Victorian 8th. Infantry Btn.

FW181-Q “Australian Marching”(Queensland)
As above but with the Queensland 9th.Infantry shoulder patch.

FW181-NSW “Australian Marching”(New South Wales)
Like previous two...only from New South Wales and the 1st.Infantry Btn.

FW182 “New Zealander Stand-at-Ease”
Lee Enfield rifle by his side and wearing the famous “Kiwi” lemon-squeezer shaped hat this soldier is immediately recognizable as a proud New Zealander.

FW183 “New Zealander Presenting Arms”
Not all Kiwis wore the “lemon-squeezer” hat...Some units were issued with the Aussie-style “slouch-hat”. However their coloured striped hat head bands (“puggrees”) easily identified them as “Kiwis”.

FW184-V “Hitching A Ride” (Victoria)
An Aussie medic helps a wounded “Tommy” get back to the casualty clearing station. His shoulder patch identifies him as a Victorian from the 8th.Infantry Btn.

FW184-Q “Hitching A Ride” (Queensland)
The 9th.Infantry Btn. version.

FW184-NSW “Hitching A Ride” (New South Wales)
The 1st.Infantry Btn.medic from New South Wales.

AVAILABLE: Mid-December

 

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C. “For King & Country”
Still in Europe but we’ve moved off the continent and into the England of the 17th. Century and...The English Civil War...
Our first “Pike & Musket” release featured Parliament’s soldiers under the command of Oliver Cromwell.
Now it’s time to produce at least the first of their opponents...from the Royalist Army of King Charles I.

PnM002B “Crouching Pikeman” (Royalist)
This Pikeman wears the typical blue coat of his Royalist Regiment and a different style of steel helmet from his Parliamentary opposite number.

PnM003B “Present Pikeman” (Royalist)
Holding his long wooden pike horizontally, this blue-coated warrior awaits battle.

PnM004B “Vertical Pikeman” (Royalist)

PnM005B “Advancing Pikeman” (Royalist)
Self-explanatory.

PnM006B “Standing Pikeman” (Royalist)

PnM-S05 “Crouching and Presenting Pikemen” (Royalist)
A terrific value, 2 x figure set.

PnM-S06 “Vertical and Advancing Pikemen” (Royalist)
Another great value, 2 x figure set.

PnM-S07 “Two Standing Pikemen” (Royalist)
Another great value 2 x figure set.

PnM014 “English Civil War Cannon”
Artillery really began to make its presence felt on the battlefield at this time...and this is one of the heavier pieces.
This particular gun can be used by either Parliamentary or Royalist forces.

PnM015 “Parliamentary Gunners” Set A
2 x Artillery men to “man” your gun.

PnM016 “Parliamentary Gunners” Set B
Another 2 x Gunners at work.

PnM017 “Parliamentary Gun Commander”
Sword in hand and bellowing out orders!

PnM018 “Parliamentary Artillery Officer”
A fine figure of a trained Artillery Officer observing through his telescope ”The fall of shot”.

PnM019 “Standing Musketeer”
One more red-coated Parliamentary Musketeer.

PnM020 “King Charles I”
The King himself...a brave man but unduly influenced by his Queen...He set himself on a collision course with Parliament...He was to lose his crown, his country and eventually...his head.

SPECIAL NOTE:
Royalist Cannon and Gunners will be available later in an upcoming release.

AVAILABLE: Mid-December

 

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more PnM images...

 

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PnM018-020

 

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D. “TORA! TORA! TORA!
From England’s green and pleasant land and bubbling bucolic streams and rivers to...The pure blue skies and waters of the Pacific...and the Hawaiian Islands on the morning of December 7, 1941!

JN001 “The A6M Mitsubishi ZERO (1JNS “Akagi” version)
K&C’s first major release of a Japanese fighter aircraft and an iconic one at that!
At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor the Japanese Navy “ZERO” was, without doubt, the finest carrier-borne aircraft in the world. Fast, light and packing a punch from 2 x machine guns plus 2 x cannon it literally flew rings around its opponents.
Our first “ZERO” is in the markings of Lt.Saburo Shindo flying off the Imperial Japanese Navy carrier “Akagi”...It was him who announced “Tora! Tora! Tora!” over Pearl Harbor to signal the surprise attack.
This K&C aircraft includes a figure of Shindo in the cockpit of his aircraft “saluting” as he prepares to fly off the carrier on his historic mission.
Only 250 of this aircraft have been produced.

JN002 “Flight Deck Crew Set”
Two kneeling crewmen with aircraft “chocks” ready to pull them away before the aircraft takes off.

JN003 “Imperial Japanese Navy Bugler”

JN004 “Flight Deck Flag Man”
Japanese flight deck crews used small coloured flags to indicate positioning of aircraft on the deck and “readiness to start engines and take off”.

JN005 “Imperial Naval Pilot w/Parachute”

JN006 “Imperial Naval Pilot w/Headband”

JN007 “Banzai!”
Japanese sailor shouting “Banzai”...Long Live The Emperor!

JN008 “Admiral Yamamoto”
A standing, saluting version of the “architect” of the Pearl Harbor attack. Here, he wears the “winter” version of the senior Naval officers’ uniform.

JN009 “The A6M Mitsubishi ZERO”(1JNS “Hiryu” version)
This second “Pearl Harbor” ZERO was piloted by a Petty Officer from the IJN carrier “Hiryu” and bears the blue stripes on the tail and fuselage. This model has NO pilot in the cockpit allowing collectors to select either JN005 or JN006 to accompany the aircraft.
Only 150 of this aircraft have been produced.

AVAILABLE: Mid-December

 

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more JN photos

 

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E.“Down on the Farm...”
For our final release this month we’ve got a really useful diorama piece that can look great in the English Countryside in the 17th. Century or on a Napoleonic battlefield in the 19th or even somewhere in Normandy in 1944!

SP064 “The New European Farm house”
A larger, more detailed and better proportioned update of an old favorite...Walls and a Courtyard Gate will be added later – a really useful piece!

AVAILABLE: Mid-December

2. BEING RETIRED
Just a few pieces but great value!

NE019 Standing General w/Map
NE020 Guide w/ Musket
NE021 Inspecting The Mummy
NE026 Smoke Break
RAF031 Rocket Primers
RAF032 The Rocket Handler
RAF033 Sitting Airman
RAF034 Airman Radio Operator

And that my friends is that... at least until January 2015! In the meantime... Have yourselves a merry little Christmas, as the old song goes...and a peaceful one too!
All the very best to you and yours,

Andy C. Neilson
Co-founder & Creative Director
King & Country​

 

[wayne556517]

TORA TORA TORA well done Andy + co what a great release.

 

[Obee]

Yet another fine set of figures Andy

I love seeing ARTILLERY and these guys are great, being some of the early pieces to enter the English Army

Glad that you are now making some Kiwis to build up a 'real' ANZAC Contingent that will hopefully 'storm the beaches' again in 2015 ?????

Especially like your figures of 'Birdy' Lieut. General Sir William Birdwood who is associated with our family (my wife's grandfather who fought with 16 Bn AIF WW1) so WELL DONE again

I almost couldn't believe this month's DISPATCHES.. there were NO WW2 GERMANS

Wayne's wallet $$$$ will be pleased ...

John

 

[Jack]

Tragically, I was three visits to my TS shop short of being up to date across all of my ranges ... three stinkin' visits and I was free to contemplate a new range ... buy some doubles ... maybe a vehicle ... perhaps even a plane. Not now!

Some great releases - like the WW1 figures and the Dickens and ECW look great too. The Zero is a beauty as well ... I suspect Moe will be along soon!

 

[Rob]

Some lovely releases in there, dig the WW1 sets (especially guy on stretcher) and the Jap Zero looks very good indeed. Still deciding if I can afford to take the ECW plunge!:salute::

Great releases Andy and see you in London mate.
Rob

 

[Fitzgibbon]

Aussies AND New Zealanders - a real ANZAC mix - thanks Andy....and for the reduced price...very timely with the Aussie dollar taking a strong dip. Very nice series of Dickens. Not really my thing but I can see a few of these ending up in 'behind-the-lines' Napoleonic dio's...and also at a reduced price...thank you thank you....:salute::

 

[zulucollector]

TORA TORA TORA well done Andy + co what a great release.

Very timely choice.... we will finally see if the Pacific War will sell. I will be buying the lot .... would love to hear Andy's comments about where he sees the direction of this JN line..... ie a one time deal around pearl harbour or will K&C fully develop this line... ie carrier tower façade etc...

while figarti did the doo- little raid, medium bombers are difficult to display due to space but I guess a few of them will find their way back to shangra la so I think this K&C concept is more realistic for the average collector trying to do a carrier based diorama....


cheers
Jay

 

[lancer]

Wonderful releases and the capper are the IJN releases. Been asking for the Zero forever and now I have 2 to choose from (or to get:wink2, along with the fantastic looking figures. The Pearl Harbor Strike Force is shaping up nicely. Could be the start of a whole first strike dio, with perhaps a D3A 'Val' and a B5N2 'Kate' to come. Now, to find a Japanese carrier deck... Bravo, Andy. Beautiful job. -- Al