News From the Front - May 2012

News from the Front May 2012.

I have written this blog as a means to keep customers informed about the new projects and products under development at Early War Miniatures or EWM for short. Well , we have been very busy and the first big announcement is that I know work on EWM full time. I gave up my work in IT on my 50^th Birthday in February to devote more time to grow and expand the EWM business. As you can imagine, its been a busy time here but we have still managed to bring a good number of new projects out and have a load more under development. Going full time on EWM is a big step, but having been building the business for a while up to this point, it became increasingly difficult to work full time and maintain the standards I set for the EWM business.

Whats new then.

WW1 Tanks.

Well, one major set of new products are a range of WW1 and post WW1 tanks. These were started back in November last year with the first of the ranges appearing in March 2012. So far I have released French St Charmond and Schneider CA1 and a British Mark 5 Star Male. Just about to be released are a Mark 8 liberty, a Mark 9 supply and personnel carrier and a Mark 5 in male, female and hermaphrodite versions. These are all now cast and awaiting more production moulds and instructions and then they are ready to go. A Medium C in both male and female masters are nearing completion as well. These have all been designed by Andy Ribbans, a keen and talented modeller at my local war games club. I have taken his designs and turned them into “easy build” kits. Easy build is a term I have adopted as they take around 15 minutes to build. The hull is a single, high detail resin casting and other detail is cast in white metal. I hope to release the new WW1 additions to the range later in May.

New Japanese Army 1937 to 1945.

Other new designs focus around the Japanese, most designs by Tom Lobley. A whole range of infantry in helmets and caps, officers, flam throwers, sub machine gunners are now cast. Some have already been released, but there are a whole load of new additions about to be launched. These include Type 92 70mm Battalion howitzer and crew with accessories, 37mm ATG and support gun with crew and ammo box’s,  Infantry on Bicycles, stretcher bearers, type 92 MMG deployed and being carried by crews of 4 and 5 respectively. More AA guns and a type 38 75mm field gun masters are made and will be released shortly. Tom has also made a type 97 motorcycle and side car with crew (Jap Harley Davidson copy). More New Jap vehicles are being discussed currently.

New Dutch Army 1940 and KNIL for the Pacific theatres.

To meet the Japs a new range of Dutch KNIL (Indonesian Legion – far east) have been made and are ready for release. These include infantry in bush hats and helmets with sun flap. Support weapons including mortar and MMG, and anti-tank rifles. These are also some new additions to the 1940 Dutch including Lewis gunner and number two carrying weapon and these feature the correct Lewis gun magazine pouches. A Mortar and Machine gun cart with crew pulling is nearing completion and the Solothurn ATR being towed by two gunners is also made and will be added to the range. Inspired by the excellent book on the 1940 Dutch Army by Rob Taz and ..... called, I also sculpted and will be adding the first Dutch army Field semifor signals team. Field semifor was used first in WW1 and the pictures of these Dutch troops in 1940 using it, called for it to be added to the range of Dutch I already have.

As this is the first News from the front for a long time, most of it will be focused on new releases. In addition to all the above there are a whole range of new British Cavalry just released with more to follow. These provide mounted and dismounted troopers in either Helmets, Field caps or Solar Topee. Dismounted weapons include the Hotchkiss LMG support weapon with crew. This comes on a pack horse as well.

Future blogs and “News from the Front”. The idea is to keep this blog updated at a minimum of monthly intervals with more as and when possible. I have provided a small taster of the things going on at EWM. Please do let me have your views on the new designs and products.