Here is the announcement from King and Country:
1. COMING IN MAY
A) The British 8th Army
When we were planning our earlier Afrika Korps releases (the March ’06 ones) we realized we had to bring out some new ‘enemy’ for them to fight. It had been well over 2 years since our last British and Empire forces fighting in the Western Desert had been released so the timing was long overdue.
And here they are…Seven brand-new sets of 2, 3 and 4 figure groups plus a great little fighting vehicle – all of them “kitted-out” in typical desert was uniform of Khaki drill shirts and shorts.
EA009 “Advance Under Fire”. A crouching British officer pistol in hand, leads his men towards the enemy. Two additional desert “Tommies” follow their officer with Lee Enfields and fixed bayonets. Backing them up is an advancing Bren Gunner firing his weapon from the waist.
EA010 “DINGO Scout Car Set”. The Daimler “Dingo” Light Armoured Car was mostly used as a scouting vehicle for armoured units. Our little “Dingo” is in the markings of the 2nd New Zealand Cavalry Regiment and includes 2 “Kiwi” troopers in the vehicle.
EA011 “Field Marshall Harold Alexander”. Handsome, debonair and always immaculate “Alex” rose to supreme Allied Commander in the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations. Here, however he is Commander, Middle East Forces in August 1942. Accompanying him is one of his Military Police “bodyguards”. “Alex” was “Monty’s” Boss.
EA012 “The Best of Enemies”. The Desert War was fought on almost chivalrous terms for modern warfare. Both sides, for the most part, fought cleanly and fairly and that included treatment of prisoners. Here, a British “Tommy” provides a drink of water from his own water bottle for a captured Afrika Korps soldiers. A charming little vignette.
EA013 “The Mine Sweepers”. A Royal Engineer officer, map in one hand, “Tommy – gun” in the other, looks on as two of his men recover enemy mines. Two wooden German “Minen” signs are included in the set.
EA014 “Indian Army Machine Gun Set”. Several distinguished Indian Divisions served with the Eight Army. Here 3 Sikh gunners man a Vickers heavy machine gun laying down covering fire for the infantry assault.
EA015 “Returning Fire”. Three more British infantry add their “firepower” to the attack. All are armed with the standard .303 Lee Enfield bolt – action rifles.
AVAILABLE : MID MAY
1B) (WS072) “NORMANDY PANTHER” Panther Ausf. G.
The release of our latest PanzerⅤ model – a Panther Ausf. G of the 12th SS “Hitlerjugend” Division; this new model features
l A fully elevating main gun
l Battle-worn appearance
l German summer camouflage scheme
l Moveable main gun support bracket
l Four crew figures (1× fully body, 2 × half-bodies and 1 × “head and shoulders”)
l Specially-designed “Panther” box and
A bag-full of camouflage material (only for the first 1,000 Panthers released)
AVAILABLE : Early to Mid May
1C) Summer and Autumn Camouflage
Collectors have requested more of the camouflage material we supplied with WS47…a couple of years ago. Finally we ‘sourced’ some more and its available NOW!
SP022A Autumn Camouflage
SP022B Summer Camouflage
AVAILABLE : NOW
2. COMING SOON…IN JUNE!
A) “The Charge of the Scots Greys”
Immortalized in the dramatic painting by Lady Butler “Scotland The Brave”, the charge of The Scots Greys at Waterloo is justly famous.
Like some other toy soldier makers we at K&C were also ‘inspired’ to recreate in miniature this famous military action. We’ve produced eight different releases – seven of them individually mounted figures plus one very special 3-man vignette. All of them dynamic, colourful and very, very collectable!
NA083 “Standard Bearer”. Charging forward this trooper carries one of the Regimental Guidons.
NA084 “Bugler”. Wearing his distinctive reversed chevrons on both sleeves this Scots Grey bugler sounds the “Charge!”.
NA085 “Charging”. Another trooper at the full gallop.
NA086 “Slashing!”. A Scot Grey trooper, minus his distinctive bearskin, prepares to deliver a mighty blow.
NA087 “The Sgt. Ewart Set”. One of Waterloo’s most famous incidents - Troop Sgt. Ewart captures the flag of the French 45th Infantry of the Line regiment. As one French infantrymen lies wounded his companion makes a vain attempt to ‘recapture’ the standard.
NA088 “Hard Landings”. A Scots Grey trooper prepares for a “rough landing” as his horse is shot from under him.
NA089 “Rearing Horse”. A trooper struggles to bring under control his rearing horse.
NA090 “Cutting Down”. Another trooper leans forward, sword downwards to engage a French infantryman.
AVAILABLE : MID JUNE
B) “RETURN TO NORMANDY”
A whole batch of American fighting men to add on to our acclaimed “NORMANDY ‘44” series – among them two famous personalities of history’s longest day…
DD067 “M5 NORMANDY STUART TANK”. A brand-new and totally upgraded M5 Stuart tank model complete with 3 × crew figures. This M5 Stuart also boasts a set of those “hedge cutters” specifically designed to break through the stubborn Norman bocages.
DD068 “Ambulance Jeep Set”. A really outstanding piece…our latest jeep belongs to one of the forward medical aid units and has no less than 3 full body figures included – a driver…a medic holding a ‘drip’ and…a seriously wounded GI on a stretcher. Two other stretchers (1 × folded) complete the set.
DD069 “Brig. General Norman ‘Dutch’ Cota’. Played by Robert Mitchum in “The Longest Day” movie our figure represents the real “Dutch” Cota – not the Hollywood version. Brig. Gen. Cota was Deputy Commander of the 29th Infantry Division on Omaha Beach.
DD070 “Lt. Colonel Benjamin Vandevoort”. Another real life hero featured in “The Longest Day” and played by John Wayne. Our figure is based on historical fact and real photos of the real man. Lt. Col. Vandevoort was the Commander of the 2nd Battalion 505 Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division who landed in the small Normandy town of Ste. Mere Eglise. Set also includes the town sign.
DD071 “Horse Paratrooper”. During the first couple of days following the invasion some US paratroopers used captured German cavalry horses to conduct ‘patrols’. This para also boasts a captured Schmeisser machine pistol as his personal weapon.
DD072 “Paratrooper with Walking Horse”. Another American para, this time wounded, walks alongside his recently captured “four-legged prize”.
DD073 “The Souvenir Hunters”. All soldiers like “battle-trophies” and these three GI paratroopers are no exception! While one shows off his captured German flag and officer’s cap his buddies enjoy a well-earned bottle of good French wine.
DD074 “Reach for The Sky”. Based on a famous photograph this young paratrooper has captured a tough-looking crewman of a German Assault Gun. Even though his enemy is disarmed and lightly wounded this GI, with rifle and fixed bayonet, is taking no chances.
AVAILABLE : LATE JUNE
C) “Streets of Old Hong Kong”
HK150 The “New” Mahjong Set. An all-new, upgraded version of an old favourite – this latest set features amazingly detailed painting – you can even see the different markings on the individual “mahjong” tiles! Set includes table and four different players.
AVAILABLE : LATE JUNE