Time Line
I will answer you question about the time line of Andy's Modern WWII sets by just going forward through the old brochures from the First Appearance of WWII in the 1989-1990 brochure through around 2000, when all of the lines had been introduced. Bear with me, as this will be a little longwinded (as if I am not long winded enough to start with). These early brichures can, for the most part, be seen on the Sager's Toy Soldiers Website. In the 1989-1990 brochure, on he back cover, Andy first addresses WWII, with the release of "The First of the Few" RAF pilot set, and the first Warbird, a Spitfire MK 1. The 1991-1992 Post card catalogue, indicate that available in mid-June, 1992 Andy would be the First 3 Waffen SS sets in Glossy, the First Seven LAH sets in Glossy, the rest of the "Commemorative Editions", the 9 sets of pilots that go with the warbirds (including a Churchill Figure and a Captain Clark Gable Figure) and a limited to 200 sets release of Desert Storm U.S. Marines. All these figures were glossy. 19 new Warbirds were added, and the first ever wooden tank, a long barreled wooden Sherman in U.S. markings (one of a kind and never sold) was depicted. By November of 2002, the first glossy LAH Band, and the first three wooden tanks for sale, a handpainted Tiger, Panther and Sherman were released (at $165 per vehicle-the same tiger that recently sold on ebay for $2,150). By the Winter 1992 Dealers Dispatch (yes, I even collect old dealer dispatches) Andy had added 2 sets of very primitive glossy 82nd Airborne figures, USP1 and USP2, as well as 2 Glossy Free French sets FF1 and FF2 (Foreign Legion and French Marines) in U.S. Style uniforms with french flags on the shoulder, wearing french style hats (I have never even seen a photo of these sets) and a glossy U.S. MP, MP1. Also first released on November, 2002 were the marching SA Brownshirts and SA Brownshirts color party in glossy, SA1 and SA2, as well as the Fife and Drums of the Hitler Youth, Hitler Youth Color Party and Hitler Youth's marching in Glossy, HJ1, HJ2 and HJ3. The first Waffen SS tank crew in glossy, WSS4, was released in February, 2003, along 4 new warbirds. Six additional warbirds were added by November, 1993. By the end of 1993, 47 wooden aircraft, including the Vietnam era UH1 Huey Helicoptor were available. By September, 1994, the first wooden para jeep is depicted in a flyer, but without a price listed for it. As of June, 1995, LAH sets 8, 9 and 10 are added to the price lists, as are the two RAF Ground Crew sets, RAFGC1 and RAFGC2. The first Arnhem set (and the first matt set), the Battle for the Bridge, AN01, went on sale Sunday, September 17, 1995 (I'm not kidding, it says the day and date in the Flyer), with AN02 available January, 1996. As of February, 1996, WWII in matt was in full swing, with AN03 and AN04 joining the party, as well as WSS1-WSS9 being rereleased on matt (and WSS4 [the tank crew] being slightly redesigned for the matt release), the first five highly detailed and beautifully finished wooden "Normandy Fighting Vehicles", the Tiger, Stug IV, Hanomag, Jeep, and Bren Gun Carrier, the two wooden RAF vehicles, an Austin K2 Ambulance (in Blue, Green [rare] and desert tan [only 5 made]) and Bedford QL Fuel Bowser, and the five French or Dutch 3 dimensional wood and papier mache "Backlot buildings". By June, 1996, a wonderful 30 Corps British Sherman Tank, a Resin Hanomag, a resin Kubelwagon, a resin bren Gun Carrier and a wood and papier mache Nuremberg Display Stand with glossy Axis Leaders were added. Before March, 1997, the First two metal rnhem Jeeps, AN06 and AN07, and the Arnhem Morter Team, AN08 and the standing para with tommy gun were released, as was WSS10, the machine gun team with wall. In the same catalogue, the Vietnam sets, including the Firebase, both the wood and resin M113 APC, and the Tet Offensive Street scene diorama first appear. By July, 1997, the SAS Desert Jeeps, Arnhem Supplies Trailer, AN09, and Attack Jeep, AN10, have been released. The wonderfully detailed wood and metal Stug III and the resin and metal Jagpanther appear in the same catalogue. By September, 1997, the first release of nine sets of Afrika Corps (including a Kubelwagon, side car cycle, & dispatch cycle), as well as a desert Hanomag and a one of a kind Diorama with a one of a kind knocked out metal Humber 8th Army staff car) had occurred. Simultaneously, Andy released the first wood Quad Gun & Limber as well as a Cromwell Tank (both in olive green european camo). In March 1998 Andy adds the resin Long Range Desert Group Chevy 30 cwt. Truck (probably the most beautiful and highly detailed vehicle he ever made) as well as a desert version of the wood Bren Gun carrier and the desert version of the wood Quad Gun & Limber. The first 2 D-Day sets were released in November or December, 1998. The first eleven Iwo Jima sets, including the first 2 polystone vehicles came out in January, 1999. By April, 1999, the price list adds WS11-WS15, including the first 3 German Polystone vehicles, the first WhitmanTiger, the Hanomag & the Stug III, as well as sets DD1-DD6. By Christmas, 1999, DD7-DD11 are added, as well as the cute "Christmas Dinner" YA03 and first Battle of the Bulge releases, YA01 and YA02, along with the 8 piece foamtech-produced Normandy Village & Strongpoint. Simultaneously, the Stalingrd series, including the very poorly sculpted and painted RA01-RA04 (the T-34, which was produced in very limited numbers [10-20] in white at the request of the Toy Soldier Gallery in Highland Falls), and WS16-19, as well as the entire German Winter series (WS03(w), WS06(w), WS11(W)-WS19(W)) were released. In February, 2000, a second release of the original Arnhem series occurred, with five new sets, AN012-AN016, including a polysone Bren Gun Carrier and polystone Daimler Armored Car and a huge wood Horsa Glider (only 2 1/32 scale Horsa Gliders were produced according to Andy). DD12-18, and WS20-21 (the 88mm Gun, crew and Officer & Range Finder) simutaneously appear. WS22 (the Rommel Staff Car), WS23 (the Panther), WS24 (the winter 88 gun & crew) and FJ01-FJ03 (the fallschirmjager & Schwimwagen) are released in May, 2000. WS23a (the ambush panther) WS23(w) (the winter panther), and WS25 (the second polystone Tiger, #131), the second Russian release, RA05-RA07, and FJ04-FJ05 appear in March, 2001. DD19-DD23 are simiarly released by March, 2001, as is the second Iwo Jima release (IWJ12-IWJ18). WS26-WS28 are relased in April, 2001, as are FJ06 and LAH19-LAH21. DD24, the M3 Lee tank, is released in May, 2001. By July, 2001, WS29-WS36 join the party, as does DD25-DD29 and SP08-SP10 (the knocked out Stug, abandoned Hanomag and ambushed kubelwagon). The New Normandy Village facades appear b September, 2001. By April, 2002, LAH22, WS37, the German Cavalry (GC1-GC7) and DD30 have joined the fun. Later in 2002, the second Afrika Corps release (AK11-AK20) and the first true 8th Army release (EA1-EA8) occurred, as did the release of WS38-WS43, including the Wermacht 1939 sets and the latest Whitman Tiger). You gentleman know more than I do about the more recent stuff, I just buy it and stick it in storage, as I have no room to display any of it. Finally, in response to the questions about whether there are any sets I need, yes, I need several of the early Afghan Hill Tribesmen from 1988-1989, an Indian Army Maxim Gun Crew (1989), several Zulus(1988 and 1994), a Captain Clark Gable (1992), a resin and metal Hanomag (1996), 2 Guards Camel Corps Officers (1990-1992), an Elvis Presley and a Charlie Chaplin (1993) and countless wood warbirds (he made 96, and I have 35). Well, I hope you find the above information useful, and good luck collecting!
. I'm going to show ignorance here but what are Dealer's Dispatches?
