KING & COUNTRY BBA009
Overview
Introduction
History Section: Howitzers in the Ardennes
Collector Notes
Collectors encounter the King & Country BBA009 Pack Howitzer Set as a meticulously detailed representation of U.S. 75 mm Airborne Pack Howitzer with three paratrooper crew figures from the Battle of the Bulge. Released in November 2005 by Hong Kong–based manufacturer King & Country, the set joins the company’s Battle of the Bulge Americans series as item number 004. Cast in a lead/tin alloy and polystone and factory-painted at 1:30 scale, the model captures the frozen Ardennes atmosphere. This concise review examines both the miniature set and the howitzers’ historical deployment in the dense forests of the Ardennes.
Historical Background
During December 1944–January 1945, the dense, snow-laden Ardennes forests witnessed the last major German offensive on the Western Front. American airborne units, deployed via parachute and glider—such as elements of the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions—relied upon the 75 mm Airborne Pack Howitzer (M1) for artillery support. This howitzer, capable of being broken down into mule-transportable loads and rapidly reassembled, provided direct and indirect fire during the Battle of the Bulge’s tight forest terrain. Facing German forces featuring infantry, armored elements, and artillery, U.S. units needed flexible and mobile artillery capable of navigating the dense woods and steep slopes of the Ardennes.
The pack howitzer’s relatively light weight allowed it to accompany paratrooper units in terrain unsuitable for standard field artillery. It fired high-explosive shells over open sights at nearby German positions, contributing to delaying actions and defensive strongpoints. Notably, during the Siege of Bastogne (December 20–27 1944), even though Bastogne defenders relied heavily on air-dropped supplies, the underlying strategy emphasized light artillery’s significance. The 75 mm pack howitzer’s mobility and rapid deployment shaped Allied responses in the Ardennes, helping blunt German advances and enabling counterattacks in terrain that normally hindered heavy guns. Overall, its use exemplifies how compact artillery proved crucial in difficult terrain and winter conditions where traditional artillery could not operate.
Collector Notes
Identification: The BBA009 Pack Howitzer Set belongs to King & Country’s Battle of the Bulge Americans range and is catalogued as item 004 within that series (lastdodo.com). Released in November 2005 and retired in July 2009, it comprises a 75 mm Airborne Pack Howitzer figures firing over open sights, accompanied by three paratroopers portrayed as cold and hungry (actionfiguren-shop.com). The set is cast in lead/tin alloy and polystone, factory-painted, and in 1:30 scale (lastdodo.com). Packaging is typical of King & Country boxed sets; shrink-wrapped examples appear in online listings, with current secondary-market pricing around US $140–150 for new-in-box or mint-condition pieces (ebay.com). Variants are rare; this set exists only in its original configuration.
Condition notes focus on maintaining intact factory paint and box, avoiding scratches or chipping. Seek out original box art and any shrink-wrap labels; buyers often pay a premium for complete, near‑mint examples. Typical market watchers report stable demand among airborne and artillery collectors, with prices holding close to the $140 mark unless damage or missing crew earn heavy discounts, while pristine boxed sets may reach toward $150–160.
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