Toy Figure Focus recent new releases (May-11)

*This is an excerpt from the regular section Toy Figure Focus first published in Collectors Gazette's May issue. To see which issues of Collectors Gazette are available to buy online, click here

Britains

Despite it being a relatively quiet month for new releases from WB, there are exciting announcements of future releases during the year in the 2011 Winter Collection catalogue supplement. There will be full reviews when they appear, but among the new sets to look forward to are five new generals and 16 new figure sets for the ACW.

One of the new figure sets is a striking US Colored Troops Marching. There are also new artillery sets plus an evocative ‘Fight For The Works – The Prize’ vignette of a Confederate colour bearer and a Union Iron Brigade soldier. The latter set is an exclusive from four US outlets.

There are new sets in the War Along the Nile to continue this marvellous series, including a drummer for the York & Lancaster Regiment. There are more sets for the Zulu War including two all-action vignettes which will attract a lot of attention.

The Museum Collection continues to grow steadily with a figure of General MacArthur and a US Marine WWI. Really striking is a 4-piece Modern British Stretcher Bearer set based on the logo of Help For Heroes. Part of the proceeds from sales will go to this most worthy of charities.

There are also four new Tactical Scenes, two pieces in the Redcoat Classic Collection and five figures in the Archive Collection. But, the best news of all which will get the pulses of all Napoleonic collectors racing, is of the releases in the Waterloo Collection: all of them are cavalry. There are no less than 12 new mounted figures! There are six French Lancers and, at last, some British cavalry in the form of six figures for the 1st Royal Dragoons. What splendid figures these look to be.

Back to current recent releases, which range from the Zulu War to WWII. First for the Zulu War is WB20067 Zulu Uve Regiment With Spear, another fiercesome muscular African warrior. In timescale, next up are two splendid figures for the Sudan: WB27017 Mahdist Mounted On Camel Charging (pictured: left) and WB27011 British Camel Corps Officer Mounted Advancing. Both these fantastic figures are limited editions and are my personal favourites in this excellent range so far. All the releases for the Sudan range have been good but these are beautiful!

The American Civil War doesn’t offer such exotic figures, of course, but WB31062 Union Cavalry Trooper Dismounted Kneeling Loading and WB31077 Artillery Crewman In Shirtsleeves With Fuse Pouch are nice figures all the same.

Finally comes another ‘exotic’ figure, a really striking one in the Elite Force series: WB24005 British SAS World War II 1942 (pictured: top right). These guys pleased themselves as to how they dressed when operating behind the German lines in North Africa, and this figure is an excellent example of how far they took this freedom. 

King & Country

K&C continues to provide the collector with temptations to add to their collections.

Recent new sets include more Desert Reinforcements for Monty! EA044 Desert Rolls-Royce is apparently a model K&C has wanted to produce for a long time.

The Rolls-Royce Armoured Car was a unique British fighting vehicle first developed and used back in 1914. It saw active service right up to the early half of 1942.

Based on a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost chassis, it was designed to have armoured bodywork surmounted by a single turret containing a Vickers machine gun. The original remaining 1914 models were modernized in 1920 and 1924 and saw extensive service in the Middle East. At the outbreak of war in 1939, some 76 vehicles were operational. 

K&C’s model is in a distinctive desert splinter camouflage and comes with one crew figure.

In complete contrast, but still in the desert, K&C also has some interesting little add-ons to its Ancient Egypt series. This time they are visiting the Market Place.

AE041, The Baker Set, has a young baker tending his oven as he prepares to offer a selection of bread to his customers. AE042, Mother & Son, features a mother and her young boy making their selection. AE044, Fruit Seller Set, features baskets of fresh fruit as the vendor offers a sample of her produce to a regular customer. AE045, The Bread Maker, shows a woman, perhaps the baker’s wife,  preparing the dough ready for the oven. Look out for more Ancient Egyptian pieces in the next few months.

Still in the ‘desert’ are some new sets for ‘Saracens & Scimitars’, where last time there were a few Crusaders. Now come some special opposition on camels for the first time: MK079 Mounted Camel Archer Firing Down, MK080 Camel Archer Firing Forward, MK081 Camel Flagbearer – a superbly detailed and colourfully painted piece deserving a place in any Saracen Collection – and finally MK082 Camel Drummer, another piece that adds an extra dimension to these warriors of Saladin.

EA044 Desert Rolls-Royce WWII

AE044 Fruit Seller Set