New Releases For December 2014 - The Great War 1914-1918 (2 Viewers)

[jjDesigns]

THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918

This was the appearance of the Saint-Chamond Tank after its first upgrade. It was armed with the 75 Tir Rapide (TR) Model 12 Cannon. The vehicle featured four roof turrets, twoobservation turrets forward, one on either side, with one between them for venting the gunsmoke after the firing of the cannon. The fourth turret was at the rear on the left hand side, and was used by the driver whilst driving backwards. The turrets were in fact weak spots of the tank’s structure, and it was quite common that machine gun fire would shoot away the turrets. The observation turrets were therefore removed for the later version.




GWF-02
THE GREAT WAR,1914-1918
SAINT-CHAMOND TANK, EARLY VERSION, 1st Battery, AS 31 “TEDDY”
(1pc)







The next round of French Infantry are in production! These will include more casualties, and 2 German prisoners.





GWF-02A
THE GREAT WAR,1914-1918
SAINT-CHAMOND TANK, EARLY VERSION, TANK COMMANDER
(1pc)


** PLEASE NOTE, This figure can be used with both the GWF-01 Schneider tank, as well as the GWF-02**

More releases to follow.......................................................

 

[jjDesigns]

THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918

The Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) was an arm of the Royal Artillery that was originally tasked with manning the guns of the British Empire's forts and fortresses, including coastal artillery batteries, the heavy gun batteries attached to each infantry division, and the guns of the siege artillery.
In the quagmire of trench warfare, it was finally realised that it was not the place for the artillery to be in the infantry line.
Henceforth the artillery would be positioned well behind the infantry battle line, firing at unseen targets, at co-ordinates on a map calculated with geometry and mathematics. As the war developed, the heavy artillery and the techniques of long-range artillery were massively developed. The RGA was often supported by the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) who had devised a system where pilots could use wireless telegraphy to help the artillery hit specific targets.
From 1914 the RGA grew into a very large component of the British forces on the battlefield, being armed with heavy, large-calibre guns and howitzers that were positioned some way behind the front line and had immense destructive power. The corps name was discontinued in 1924, when the RGA was re-amalgamated into the Royal Artillery
Ammunition supply to the Royal Field Artillery (RFA) and other field artillery units was normally the role of the Royal Artillery: that part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery which retained the Royal Artillery (RA) shoulder badges. However during the war the RGA, which had large numbers of men idling in fortified batteries around the World with little chance of seeing action, provided a draft of sub-units to the Western Front to assist with ammunition supply in the field, and the operation of supply dumps

**PLEASE NOTE, Several of these Artillery crew sets, can also be used with the Supply tank and Trucks.**





All the prototypes for the GWB-30 artillery crew and accessories are now finally complete!




GWB-32
THE GREAT WAR, 1914-1918,
BATTLE OF AMIENS, 6th August 1918, The Royal Garrison Artillery,
2 Crew Resting #2,
(2pcs)





The British did not have a separate Corps of Signals in the Great War: it was agreed that an independent unit would be formed in 1918, but for various administrative reasons it was delayed until 1920.
At the outbreak of war in August 1914 all the British Armies signalling/ intercommunication requirements were met by the Royal Engineers Signal Services (RESS) that was formed in 1908. Previously, in 1870, the responsibility for all military communications was officially given to the Telegraph Troop, of the Royal Engineers.




GWB-15A
THE GREAT WAR, 1914-1918,
Royal Engineers Signal Service(RESS),
Royal Engineer with pigeon,
(1pc)





**Please Note, more figures with pigeons are on the workbench, together with a pair of horses for the Pigeon Wagon.**

Whilst rather primitive and cumbersome wireless sets were available using, Morse Code, the British Army could not find any practical application for wireless at the early stage of the War and it was not until the final months of war in 1918 that wireless sets became widely deployed at the battalion level.
The inter-communications situation grew worse in early 1915 as the tempo of war increased and enemy activity and the winter weather wrought damage to the existing military communication systems. Many telegraph lines and (as they expanded, telephone lines) were either strung out in the open on ad hoc supports or buried in shallow trenches. The passage of men and material wreaked serious damage on the system, as did the incessant shelling in certain sectors. At that time the high explosive shell fuses only exploded when the round had penetrated quite deeply into the ground and was thus, potentially, in close proximity to the buried telephone lines.
Increasing recourse was had to pigeons carrying coded messages from the Front Line to the battalion HQ and beyond. Originally the British Army on the Western Front did not have any messenger pigeons. But in September 1914, the French provided a nucleus aviary of 15 pigeons from which was developed a bird strength of thousands: 12,000 pigeons were deployed at the First Battle of the Somme in 1916, and by 1918, 20,000 birds were available for duty.
Messenger dogs (Liaison dogs) were introduced for night work with mixed results. They tended to be spoiled as regimental pets and were much more susceptible to toxic gas and battle stress than the pigeons.

More releases to follow.......................................................

 

[jjDesigns]

The Great War 1914-1918

The Chauchat, named after its main contributor Colonel Louis Chauchat, was the standard machine rifle or light machine gun of the French Army during World War I (1914–18). Its official designation was "Fusil Mitrailleur Modele 1915 CSRG" ( in English: "Machine Rifle Model 1915 CSRG" ). It was mass manufactured during World War I by two reconverted civilian plants: "Gladiator" and "Sidarme" . Beginning in June 1916, it was placed into regular service with French infantry where the troops called it the FM Chauchat. The Chauchat machine rifle in 8mm Lebel was also extensively used in 1917-1918 by the American Expeditionary Forces (A.E.F) where it was officially designated as the "Automatic Rifle, Model 1915 (Chauchat)". The armies of eight other nations, notably: Belgium, Finland, Greece, Italy, Poland, Romania, Russia and Serbia, also used the Chauchat machine rifle in fairly large numbers during and after World War
I.
A total of 262,000 Chauchat machine rifles were manufactured between December 1915 and November 1918, including 244,000 chambered for the 8mm Lebel service cartridge, making it the most widely-manufactured automatic weapon of World War I.



GWF-27
THE GREAT WAR,1914-1918
FRENCH INFANTRY 1917-1918,
123e Regiment of Infantry,
2 Chauchat LMG Crew,
(2 pcs)



The Chauchat machine rifle was one of the first light, automatic rifle caliber weapons designed to be carried and fired by a single operator and an assistant, without a heavy tripod or a team of gunners. It set a precedent for several subsequent 20th century firearm projects, being a portable yet full power automatic weapon built inexpensively and in very large numbers. The Chauchat combined a pistol grip, an in-line stock, a detachable magazine, and a selective fire capability in a compact package of manageable weight (20 pounds) for a single soldier. Furthermore, it could be routinely fired from the hip and while walking (marching fire).



GWF-28
THE GREAT WAR,1914-1918
FRENCH INFANTRY 1917-1918,
123e Regiment of Infantry,
Infantry Captain,
(1 pc)



KNIGHTS OF THE SKIES

Leutenant Hans Weiss was a World War I flying ace credited with 16 aerial victories
Weiss scored his first victory on the 17th August 1917, and was commissioned a leutenant in October 1917. He then went on a streak as a balloon buster, downing four observation balloons in a row. Weiss followed that with four triumphs over enemy aircraft, the last of which, his tenth win, occurred on 13 March 1918. He was transferred to Royal Prussian Jasta 10, which was part of Manfred von Richthofen's Flying Circus. He scored a single victory there, on 28 March 1918, before being transferred to another Flying Circus unit, Royal Prussian Jasta 10, as a Flight Leader. He scored his first win in his new unit on 2 April 1918.
Six days later, he was selected to temporarily command Jasta 11, and did so until his death in action on 2 May 1918.
On that day, Weiss was flying his Fokker Triplane; although Richthofen's Jagdgruppe used scarlet as their identifying color, Weiss's plane was largely or entirely "Weiss" (white). Weiss died of a bullet through the head from the guns of No. 209 Squadron's Lt. Merrill Samuel Taylor's Sopwith Camel while attacking another Camel from Taylor's unit.






ACE-19P
THE KNIGHTS OF THE SKIES,
Lt. Hans Weiss,
(1pc)





**PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL DEALER FOR MORE INFORMATION**

 

[lancer]

Some brilliant releases for December. The new St. Chamond will be on my list, as well as the tank commander half-figure. The Chau-chau gunner, assistant, and infantry Captain will also be joining my French Army ranks. The prototype figures all look fantastic and will lend themselves well to a column of French infantry advancing towards the front on one side of the road while a column of wounded warriors moves towards the rear on the other side. Of course the armor will be taking up the middle of the road. It will be crowded but a very effective scene and I see the possibility of US troops being added to aide France in her moment of need. John has really got a vision here and is well on the way to making it reality. So many wonderful things! The British artillery is going to be outstanding and the General Service wagon is going to be a must have for me as it takes me back to my childhood and the Britains GS wagons I used to have. Finally, I will have to have Herr Weiss so that his triplane doesn't look so lonely. Gonna be an expensive Dec/Jan for my wallet. -- Al

 

[mestell]

Who am I trying to fool, I want everything shown here . . . . . especially the British artillery crew and French infantry figures . . . . Very nice looking "supply" wagon shown with artillery crew. It will certainly be an expensive December and New Year . . .
:smile2: Mike

 

[villagehorse]

A feast of stuff here. That wagon looks interesting, suggests it is separate from the pigeon boxes. All 10 crew now shown for the gun. Robin.

 

[PolarBear]

Forthcoming French Casualty Set.
Boy that is as good as a Michelangelo Pieta

 

[waynepoo]

John just keeps getting better each release, that GS wagon looks the bees knees.............:salute:::salute:::salute::
Wayne.

 

[Obee]

Brilliant work John ....

this must be the first time that any makers has produced a FULL gun detachment of 10 'sweaty gunners' for heavy artillery pieces.

Looking forward to seeing them all painted, and serving those lovely fire breathing monsters.

John

 

[jazzeum]

John just keeps getting better each release, that GS wagon looks the bees knees.............:salute:::salute:::salute::
Wayne.

And we keep getting poorer and poorer {eek3}

 

[Jack]

Brilliant work John ....

this must be the first time that any makers has produced a FULL gun detachment of 10 'sweaty gunners' for heavy artillery pieces.

Looking forward to seeing them all painted, and serving those lovely fire breathing monsters.

John

John

You use the language of poetry when talking about artillery!

Jack

 

[Obee]

John

You use the language of poetry when talking about artillery!

Jack

Yes, poetry ...

Once a gunner, always a gunner ...

I'm 'gunna' do this and I'm 'gunna' do that

John

 

[Mark IV]

I noticed with the GWB-32 that they are unloading from what looks like a horse drawn wagon.

This has my interest will JJD be releasing this at a later date as it will go so well with the other supply theme items they have recently produced?

Regards
Mark

 

[Rob]

I wish I'd learnt more languages at school, so I could emphasize JUST how much I'm getting that gun and crew!:salute::

Rob

 

[Jack]

I wish I'd learnt more languages at school, so I could emphasize JUST how much I'm getting that gun and crew!:salute::

Rob

There was a time when your native tongue and a British passport would have been enough to take you around the world ... aah ... good times!

 

[Rob]

There was a time when your native tongue and a British passport would have been enough to take you around the world ... aah ... good times!

^&grin:salute::

Love that saying that goes 'Why didn't the Sun set on the British Empire, because God didn't trust the English in the dark'!^&grin^&grin:salute::

Rob

 

[chalklands]

Hi,
Can't wait for the new releases.....Especially looking forward to the Poilu's, captured Germans and the still to come Doughboys. I see there is a message with the pigeon loft **Please Note, more figures with pigeons are on the workbench, together with a pair of horses for the Pigeon Wagon.**. And the artillery.......what can I say!!!!

Hello Mr Bank Manager.......

Pete

 

[mestell]

Call me crazy but I am really intrigued by the general service wagon pictured in the photo below. If and/or when released I will certainly be picking up at least two of them . . . .
:smile2: Mike


GWB-32
THE GREAT WAR, 1914-1918,
BATTLE OF AMIENS, 6th August 1918, The Royal Garrison Artillery,
2 Crew Resting #2,
(2pcs)


View attachment 162806

 

[whdamon]

General service wagon

Sign me up for a general service wagon as well. Great looking piece and very versatile in a multitude of displays I am thinking about.
Walt Damon

 

[Fraxinus]

Not a Nap guy, but isn't that green very close to the color of Napoleon's Field Artillery?