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Monday 31 March 2014

William Britain: New Nappies!

I don't generally post about Britain's figures but occasionally something catches my eye as I rifle through the pages of the latest edition of Toy Soldier Collector and, this weekend, it happened again

As a collector of German-themed fighting men from across the centuries my beady eye was drawn to a review of some of the latest Britain's releases, featuring as it did the figures pictured and briefly outlined below, the Black Brunswickers of the Napoleonic era. They're definitely on my hit list. What do you think?


Black Brunswickers

The Black Brunswickers were raised in 1809 to fight Napoleon Bonaparte’s occupation of Germany. These Brunswickers were distinctively attired in black wool uniforms, black leather belting and wore silver death heads on their shakos, quickly earning the nickname ‘The Black Legion’ or ‘The Black Horde.’




During the Waterloo campaign, they were placed under the Duke of Wellington’s command and joined the Allied forces of the Seventh Coalition in Belgium.




The regiments were heavily engaged at Quatre Bras on June 16, 1815, where their commander, Frederick William, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel, lost his life. The corps lost over 500 men in this engagement, and only two days later they were again engaging the French as part of the Anglo-Allied army at Waterloo.





Wellington held the Leib and Light Battalion in Reserve just north of the Chateau Hougomont. By mid afternoon the regiments were moved forward to support the Allied right wing, and were formed into squares where they stood in place taking heavy casualties from artillery. At about 4:00 P.M., 4,800 French horsemen charged their positions hoping to break the center right of the Allied line, but the Brunswick squares stood fast.




Late in the day, the Brunswickers were repositioned to the center of Wellington’s line facing the last gasp attack by Napoleon’s Imperial Guard. Facing these veterans, the Brunswick regiments broke and fell back in disorder, but were rallied by their officers in time to participate in the Allied “General Advance” that swept the French Army from the field.






Our new release of ‘Black Brunswickers’ will allow you to form a firing line or to build a square to repel your French Lancers!





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First Legion: Latest Releases

Not much to report on from First Legion this month but I thought I'd share these with you, a new infantry regiment from the Iron Brigade to swell the ranks of the Union army at Gettysburg and some rather fetching looking Samurai 'command' group figures, all of them bar one from the Takeda clan. Enjoy!













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Sunday 23 March 2014

King and Country: Dispatches



Here I go again, it's the third week in March and I've only just got round to putting this post together 






Ancient Persia versus Ancient Greece

At last our Ancient Greeks have an enemy to fight...




Saracen's

Three brand-new fighting Saracens are led by their most famous leader...
  • MK109 -- Fighting Saladin - The Saracen general believed in "Leading from the front"...Here with scimitar held aloft he charges into battle.
  • MK114 -- "Mounted Bodyguard" - Saladin may have been brave but he was not foolhardy! A troop of mounted bodyguards always rode with him.
  • MK115 -- Saracen Flagbearer - Accompanying Saladin was his personal standard bearer with a richly decorated triangular religious banner complete with a verse from the Koran.

Remember the Alamo

  • RTA071 -- "Lieutenant Colonel Jose Enrique de la Pena" - Colonel de la Pena was one of the most interesting "personalities" of the Battle of the Alamo because he took part in the battle and wrote a record of it. Contained in his record was the first report of the execution of the few survivors of the siege (which may have included Davy Crockett). Much controversy surrounds the authenticity of de la Pena's book however the majority of Alamo experts are convinced that it is genuine.
    Our figure shows de la Pena in the uniform of an officer of the Toluca Battalion making notes in his journal as he observes the besieged mission.
  • RTA072 -- "John McGregor" - This is the second figure of this Scottish Alamo defender K&C have made and the "first" to show him playing the bag pipes. McGregor born in Scotland in 1808, was living in Texas in 1836 when the Texians rebelled against Santa Anna's dictatorship. It is said that during the siege McGregor engaged in "musical duels" with the fiddle-playing Davy Crockett to entertain their fellow defenders. Alas, his ultimate fate was the same as all the rest...

German Field Hospital



WWII - German Forces

  • WS259 -- "The Panzer 35(T)" - In March 1939 when the Nazis took over all of Czechoslovakia one of their most important prizes was the Czech arms industry. Among the weapons of most use to the Wehrmacht were the Czech-made tanks...notably the Panzer 38(T) and its earlier stable-mate the 35(T).
    As K&C collectors and dealers know we've already released the 38(T) to much acclaim so we thought it only fair to produce the 35(T) and here it is...
    The Germans seized 434 of this light tank and it saw extensive service during the invasion of Poland, the attack in the West on Holland, Belgium and France and "Operation Barbarossa", the invasion of the USSR.
    Although by 1942 it was obsolete it's still a great addition for our "feld grau" collectors who like early-battles and campaigns. Our new model comes with the tank commander and a removable aircraft-recognition Nazi flag.


Royal Airforce

  • RAF066 -- "MKI/II 602 Squadron Spitfire" (Planned Production: 250) - This time we selected one of the most famous Royal Auxiliary Air Force Spitfires to portray - a Spit belonging to No.602 "City of Glasgow" R. Aux. A.F. flown by Squadron Leader "Sandy" Johnstone, who became an "ace" during the battle and went on to have a very distinguished air force career in the remainder of the war and afterwards.
    We also chose "602" and "Sandy" Johnstone for personal reasons...Many moons ago - 1962 to be exact, both Gordon and myself lived right next to Royal Naval Air Station "Sanderling". Today it's now Glasgow's international airport.
    Back then it was a military air-field and every year they held a NAVY DAY AIR SHOW. In 1962 the Guest of Honor was Air Vice-Marshall "Sandy" Johnstone and we two small boys actually met him and got his autograph!!!
    K&C is proud to honor this great pilot and the aircraft he flew to help protect our country during its darkest days.
    Special Note: Just 250 of this special "Sandy" Johnstone, 602 Squadron Spitfire have been produced.

Streets of Old Hong Kong

A young mother sings a soothing folk song to her son while the child rests contentedly in his rattan basket. Available in both matt and gloss finishes.




Heading for the Hills




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JJD: April Releases


The latest releases from John Jenkins Designs
















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