July 2019


For anyone who follows the international news this past month (June) has been a very eventful one here in Hong Kong to say the least.

At the same time I was fortunate enough to get out of town for 10 days or so and head over to Europe and meet up with some very enthusiastic collectors in Paris and show them a few of our upcoming releases…  And also get to hear a wealth of great ideas and suggestions from French K&C dealers and collectors alike… Lots to digest and ponder on.

Meanwhile back at the ranch… Much was going on in “The Land of the Pharaohs”…

BEING RELEASED IN JULY…

1. "Building The Pyramids"

The recent relaunch and reinvigoration of K&C’s ‘ANCIENT EGYPT’ series has received a very warm and appreciative welcome from AE collectors all around the world. So, we decided to add some more

AE063, 66, 68, 76, 78_group

The Architect & His Assistant

AE063 "The Architect & His Assistant"

A young apprentice holds a piece of papyrus on which part of the plan for a new pyramid has been drawn and painted. Studying the plan is one of the principal architects. Is he happy with the progress so far...? Is it all going to plan...?

Now, you decide.

The Measurers

AE066 "The Measurers"

Checking all the angles, dimensions and positions of each and every stone block before it is finally maneuvered into place is a daunting task... These two men ensure all that is... is as it should be.

The Mud Brick Molders

AE068 "The Mud Brick Molders"

In Ancient Egypt the absence of rain, the scarcity of wood and an abundance of sunshine made ‘adobe’ the much-preferred building material.

Nile mud was mixed with straw and other materials to form a surprisingly strong brick when molded and baked in the strong Egyptian sun.

Well-tended mud brick walls could last for many generations. Here, a team of two ‘molders’ set about their task.

Ethiopian Bread Carrier

AE076 "Ethiopian Bread Carrier"

This young girl brings two large baskets of freshly-baked bread out to the work-site for the builders’ mid day meal.

Egyptian Sandstone Block Set

AE078 "Egyptian Sandstone Block Set"

A box of 10 sturdy, sandstone-coloured blocks perfect to begin construction of a city wall, a temple facade or even... your very own pyramid.

AVAILABILITY: NOW!

2. "BACK TO THE BEACH"

Following on from our initial June release of US Army Rangers to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the D.Day Landings of June 6, 1944 here are some welcome reinforcements…

DD329_group

On The Beach

DD320 "On The Beach"

Two Rangers ‘hit the deck’ as they come under heavy machine gun fire from the German positions on the bluffs above Omaha Beach.

One Ranger fires his B.A.R. (Browning Automatic Rifle) while the other gets ready with his M1 ‘Garand’ rifle.

Medic!

DD322 "Medic! "

As all hell breaks loose around this Ranger Medic he runs forward to help a wounded buddy.

Demolition Man

DD323 "Demolition Man"

Among the first men onto Omaha Beach were these soldiers carrying 12 pound ‘pack charges’ fixed to the end of long wooden poles. These were specifically designed to be shoved into a pillbox opening.

Advancing Under Fire

DD326 "Advancing Under Fire"

Two Ranger riflemen making their way forward.

NORMANDY ’44 LCVP Landing Craft

DD329 "NORMANDY ’44 LCVP Landing Craft"

A reissue of a classic K&C model... This specially-marked LCVP (Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel) commemorates the 75th Anniversary of D.Day. Our LCVP or ‘Higgins Boat’ is a superb mixed-media model (white metal, polystone and resin) and comes with a moveable ramp, a US Navy cox’n and two sailors manning their .30 cal. machine gun positions.

Almost 24,000 were built during WW2 and they could carry a platoon of infantry or a jeep and trailer.

Typically constructed from plywood, these shallow-draft, barge-like boats were usually launched from larger troop transports.

If you’re interested in D.Day this model is a ‘must’!

AVAILABILITY: NOW!

3. "DEATH ON THE NILE"

Back to Egypt again… not Ancient Egypt this time… but a murder mystery on a Nile river steamboat that became one of author Agatha Christie’s most successful stories and launched several very popular motion picture adaptations.

Once again Christie’s most famous Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, is at the very centre of the murder, mystery and mayhem!

WoD063_group

Hercule Poirot

WoD063 "Hercule Poirot"

M. Poirot is impeccably attired in a cream-coloured Egyptian cotton suit and comes complete with a dapper straw hat, dark sun glasses, his ebony cane and... a very handy fly whisk to chase away those very annoying local flies... and tourist guides!

AVAILABILITY: NOW!

4. "CANTONESE OPERA... AN ACQUIRED TASTE..?"

While the joys and pleasures of Cantonese Opera can, to the ears of most Western listeners, be a shock to the ears at first no one can deny that it is still a colourful spectacle…

The Opera Performers (Matt)

HK288M "The Opera Performers (Matt)"

The Opera Performers (Gloss)

HK288G "The Opera Performers (Gloss)"

Two of the most colourful and spectacular characters that can be seen here feature a famous mythical Chinese General and his beautiful wife.

In days gone by many of the female parts were played by young men... that, however is a different story for another time.

The Opera Musicians Set (Matt)

HK289M "The Opera Musicians Set (Matt)"

The Opera Musicians Set (Gloss)

HK289G "The Opera Musicians Set (Gloss)"

Back by popular demand! But with all-new costumes... If you are going to stage an Opera performance then you simply must have the musicians playing their traditional Chinese instruments! Four great little figures... One great little set.

AVAILABILITY: NOW!

5. "Good Morning Vietnam!"

King & Country’s TWO ranges of Vietnam War figures and fighting vehicles have become two of our most popular ranges ever! The more we produce the bigger the collector base grows… especially among new collectors who did not previously collect toy soldiers.

Perhaps the continuing popularity and availability of several excellent ‘Vietnam War films’ has also played an important part in this growth of interest and fascination with a war in South East Asia that was at its height 50 year ago.

VN052, 53, 64, 67_group

Charlie Don’t Surf!

VN052 "Charlie Don’t Surf!"

These were the immortal words spoken by Colonel Bill Kilgore, a battalion commander in the 9th Air Cavalry Regiment in Francis Ford Coppola’s Vietnam epic “Apocalypse Now”.

Kilgore is a surfing fanatic who loves war... and surfing. After successfully leading a helicopter assault on a coastal Viet Cong village the Colonel is delighted to find that the nearby beaches offer some excellent surfing opportunities.

When one of his troopers questions the advisability of surfing near a Viet Cong stronghold Kilgore assures him that he has nothing to worry about because... “Charlie don’t surf!”

A classic movie... a classic line... and a great little figure of an Air Cav Colonel who loves surfing.

Helping the Wounded

VN053 "Helping the Wounded"

A young Aussie rifleman helps a Vietnamese girl wounded in the cross fire back to the platoon medic.

Patrol Leader

VN064 "Patrol Leader"

This Australian officer is armed with the ‘Owen Gun’, an Aussie-designed weapon first developed back in 1939.

The ‘Owen Machine Carbine’ was the only entirely Australian- designed and constructed submachinegun of WW2. It came into service in 1942 and continued until the mid 1960’s. It’s unusual appearance included the top-mounted magazine and a side-mounted sight however in combat the Owen proved reliable and sturdy.

This particular figure is the ‘Show Special’ created for the Annual K&C Oz Visit down to Australia. A limited number of this figure are also available to worldwide dealers and collectors.

One Man & His Dog

VN067 "One Man & His Dog"

Tracker dogs have been an essential component of many armies for many years... The Australian Army is no exception. Here our Aussie Dog Handler, SLR in one hand... His dog rope in the other prepares to go out on

patrol with his black Labrador.

AVAILABILITY: NOW!

6. "BEFORE BATTLE COMMENCES..."

Early morning, just behind the frontlines men prepare for battle… For some it’s all about the plans and the strategies to defeat the enemy. For others it’s the simple everyday actions of washing, shaving and cooking breakfast…

WS355, 356_group

Battlefield Conference

WS355 "Battlefield Conference"

Three Panzer commanders gather together to discuss today’s plan-of-action. During the Battle of Normandy it was virtually impossible for any German vehicle to appear on the roads during daylight. As the morning dawn begins to break these three have already moved their tanks into position during the previous hours of darkness... Now, they prepare for their ambush of the approaching Allied armour.

Wash, shave... and eat!

WS356 "Wash, shave... and eat!"

Three dismounted tankers freshen up for breakfast, they know it’s going to be a busy day and a violent one too... who knows when they’ll get another chance...?

A great little add-on set for all kinds of ‘behind-the-lines’ displays of German armour.

AVAILABILITY: NOW!

7. "BEING RETIRED THIS MONTH..."

And that’s the story for July except of course for the retirals… Check these out

M51 'Super Sherman' Israeli Tank

IDF002 "M51 'Super Sherman' Israeli Tank"

Sometimes nicknamed the “Isherman” the M51 was a much modified version of the classic WW2 American M4 Sherman. It served the Israeli Defense Forces from the mid 1950’s up until the early 1980’s... a remarkable military achievement!

Israel received almost 300 of these models from France in the mid 1950’s... Sometime in the early 1960’s these M51’s were ‘upgunned’ with a powerful 105mm main gun and were also reengined with the ‘Cummins Diesel Engine’.

M51’s and their Sherman stablemates the M50 saw combat over a wide area of battle during the short SIX-DAY WAR. They fought in the Sinai... helped retake Jerusalem and the West Bank and helped capture the Golan Heights.

Our K&C model mounts the big 105mm main gun together with the secondary armament of a hull-mounted .30 cal. machine gun and a turret-mounted .50 cal. heavy machine gun.

Two Israeli tankers come with the vehicle and the tank also ‘sports’ a broad, black-bordered white aircraft recognition stripe on top of the turret and over the rear engine compartment. And now for the infantry support... A squad of elite Israeli paratroopers in action...

Tall Poster Column (Late War)

LAH235 "Tall Poster Column (Late War)"

In this case Herr Hitler is front and centre as well as other National Socialist posters.

Major General Pakenham

NA257 "Major General Pakenham"

This mounted senior officer is wearing the traditional cocked hat and simple “undress” uniform. He commanded the British 3rd. Division at the Battle of Salamanca in 1812 during the Peninsula War.

Lieut. General Stapleton Cotton

NA258 "Lieut. General Stapleton Cotton"

In 1812 Cotton commanded the Cavalry Division during the Peninsula Campaign. He was well-known for his “splendid appearance” as a general officer of Hussars. Our figure shows him pointing out to Wellington some enemy movement.

Victory At Last

RA070 "Victory At Last"

These two figures are again based on the same series of photographs that inspired RA064 “Raising The Red Flag” and go well with that set or...on their own.

RAF Airfield Starter Cart Set

RAF046 "RAF Airfield Starter Cart Set"

Yet another familiar wartime sight... This little starter cart is pulled by an RAF Aircraftsman (an ERK).

The Wood Merchant's House

SP062 "The Wood Merchant's House"

A very useful structure that can fit in nicely with any of K&C’s middle-Eastern themed ranges…from biblical times right up to World War Two.

The European Farm House

SP064 "The 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!

Marder III Tank Destroyer

WS334 "Marder III Tank Destroyer"

This little Marder III was based on the Czech Panzer 38 (T) chassis and wheel arrangement. The K&C model is in the same camouflage style and markings (#102) as the Marder III seen in Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Pvt. Ryan” movie. Our model also includes a crew member who can stand outside or inside the vehicle... as you prefer.

8. "Oz Visit 2019"

For our Aussie friends, don’t forget I’ll be ‘down under’ during the middle of this month. I’m really looking forward to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourneand for some typical Aussie Winter Weather!!!


Best wishes and... Happy Collecting!

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