Old Man Blog No. 41 Uhu Edition, Episode 4

- Contents -

* The final production prototype for SWS No. 6 Uhu is done.

* Zoukei-mura is finally participating in the "Shizuoka Hobby Show"!!

* An introduction to the Extra Parts for the SWS Uhu.

Surrounded by SWS kits, my smile spontaneously surfaces.
Very soon, this Uhu kit will be delivered to your side as well!!
I wonder if your smiles will show themselves like mine!! It'll be very soon now!! Very soon!!

To all of our SWS fans, how are all of you doing?

Here in Japan in the Northern Hemisphere, the plum, peach, and cherry blossoms that herald the arrival of spring have finished blooming, and it is now the time of year when we greet the season where fresh green leaves and early summer flowers all bloom at once.

In the garden attached to our home in the suburbs on the outskirts of Nishiyama in Kyoto, the azaleas currently hold the spotlight, blooming after the plum and cherry blossoms.

Eh? It's currently autumn where you are? My goodness, I'm sure you'll be preparing for winter soon, then.

As the temperature continues to drop, soon it will be the start of your long-awaited hobby season, won't it?

Along with warding off the chill, please do enjoy yourself.

Take a moment to look at the huge box!
After all, inside is the twin-engine night fighter that was the pride of Luftwaffe, the Uhu!
It's a moment of heart-pounding excitement.

And yesterday! The production prototype for SWS No. 6, the He 219 Uhu, was finally completed and delivered to the Gunroom, my workshop.
Tonight, I took a commemorative photo of it with all of the other SWS kits that have been released so far.

I'm so~~~~ happy~~!! I started inspecting the finish and the contents right away!

Although I've had to inspect various prototypes all this time, the finish of the final production model really is a matter of concern.
Hmm, okay, box art, check. Outer box construction, check. Inner box construction, check.

Oh~~!! This is definitely a large and quite substantial box!

I grow increasingly worried for your sakes, comrades. Time to put those diversionary tactics into operation!

Furthermore, inside the box, the Uhu parts have been divided into a total of 17 sprues!

Enclosed in plastic bags, the entire box is tightly packed with them.
By the way, I tried weighing the box just to see, and....yep~!! Over 2kg.

Well, it's not that I think that anyone else measures all of their airplane kits' weights one by one like this, but, you know... just making sure, just making sure.

Eh? You always weigh your kits, you say? I see. You've put to rest my worries that it was just me.

Indeed, because their weight is part of the SWS kits' appeal!

The SWS Uhu kit contains 455 plastic parts, 20 transparent parts, 3 die-cast landing gear struts, and one die-cast weight to help maintain the tricycle landing gear configuration.

Look, look, look! The big box is crammed with parts!
You could spend an entire day just enjoying the overhead view of all of the sprues in their plastic bags.

Look! You can even make out the needles for the instrument gauges on the Cartograf decal!
If you combine the decal with the Interior Set available in the Extra Parts, you can finish a truly unrivaled cockpit!

Also, this time we outsourced the manufacturing of the decals to Cartograf S.r.l.

One amazing thing about these decals is that, under the direction of reliable research of the Uhu scholars, both domestic and foreign, that cooperated with the kit's development, even the great many caution notes that were written on every part of the aircraft are included in the set.

Of course, everything involving the German language has been proofread by a friend of mine who lives in Germany. Using the actual Uhu aircraft manual from back in the day for comparison, we did our utmost to ensure accuracy.

The three plates that are on each main landing gear strut, the caution notes on the wheel hubs, and the caution notes on the engine oil tanks are not only particular conspicuous, but the fact that they are being recreated as part of an Uhu kit for the very first time is also worthy of mention.

The caution notes on the interior side of the gun pack hatch also cannot be overlooked.

Once the Uhu kit is in your own hands, please do confirm everything for yourself, with your own eyes.

Astonishingly, the numbers on the instrument gauges are legible. They're so small that it's difficult to read them using the naked eye, but under a magnifying glass, you can see that everything has really been printed, even the numbers.

Look, even the numbers and needles for the instrument gauges have been printed.
They can be clearly seen through the large aperture of the Uhu canopy.

We chose Hauptmann Modrow's aircraft for the Luftwaffe markings.

The Development Team had a truly difficult time selecting the insignias for the Uhu.
Due to the turmoil in Germany at the end of the war, very few clear photos remain, and of the ones that do, many were taken by the Allies and are terribly out of focus.

There's no mistake that if we had not had the cooperation of both Japanese and foreign Uhu scholars, we would have been unable to achieve decals anywhere near this complete.

Please allow me to take this moment to extend my sincerest gratitude to everyone who cooperated with us.

Nuremberg International Toy Fair Zoukei-Mura Booth

For four days from May 16~19 (general admission is only for two days, May 18 and 19), Zoukei-mura will finally participate in the "Shizuoka Hobby Show"!!

Shizuoka, Japan: the heart and soul of Japanese model manufacturing.

At last, Zoukei-mura will bring SWS kits, etc., to participate for the first time in the city's traditional event, the Shizuoka Hobby Show.

Every year, many people joyfully participate in this event. This year, please do visit us as well, in the Zoukei-mura and Volks booths.

Beginning with the SWS kits, we will be displaying all of our newest hobby items at the booth, including HO rail models, Vlockers, CharaGumin, etc. It's also expected that the SWS Development Team will be participating.

Now, allow me to introduce you to the much-anticipated Extra Parts for the SWS Uhu.

As long as you order prior to May 20, Volks Japan can ship any desired Extra Parts together with your Uhu kit. For all of those who have already ordered the kit by itself via the Volks Japan website, we eagerly await your Extra Parts order at the address below.

VOLKS JAPAN Online Store

[ SWS06 He 219 Uhu Order ]

*For those who placed advance pre-orders via the Zoukei-mura website, please consult the
"Subject: SWS No.6 1/32 He 219 A-0 UHU pre-order confirmation Procedures" email that was sent to you.

In addition, please understand that separate shipping costs will be charged for any Extra Parts orders that are placed through Volks Japan on or after May 20.

Volks USA

[ Order Website Store ]
The differences between ordering from Volks USA and Volks Japan are:

Now, please have a look at the many different kinds of Extra Parts that can make your Uhu even more realistic!!

*SWS06-M01 Metal Struts (Metal Parts by G-Factor)
Look at this Metal Struts, which are even more detailed than the ones that come with the kit! This set include a nose landing gear and two main landing gears as well as guide rails for the inside of the landing gear well cover. It enables you to decorate your Uhu's landing gears even closer to the actual airplane.

*SWS06-M02 Weighted Tires (Without Tread) (Resin Parts)
It comes with a front tire and four main landing gear tires (two tires for each side). These are the common tires without tread. We realistically recreated the tires expanded to the sides because of the airplane's weight. If you use this set together with Metal Struts, you can add more strength and stableness as well as a realistic finish to your work.

*SWS06-M03 Weighted Tires (With Tread) (Resin Parts)
It comes with a front tire and four main landing gear tires (two tires for each side). We realistically recreated the tires expanded to the sides because of the airplane's weight. If you use this set together with Metal Struts, you can add more strength and stableness as well as a realistic finish to your work.

*SWS06-M04 Turned Metal Machine Gun Set (Turned Metal Parts by Master Model)
Two sets of Inter-Wing "MG 151/20" Machine Gun & Shroud, four sets of Ventral Gun Pack "MG 151/20" Machine Gun & Shroud, two Schräge Musik "MK 108" Machine Guns are included in this set.
It covers all the main weapons that "The Night Hunter" had! Ever-popular turned metal machine guns by Master Model are sharp and accurate!

*SWS06-M05 Turned Metal Antenna Set (Turned Metal Parts by Master Model)
Nose "FuG 212 Lichtenstein C-1" Antenna, Nose "FuG 220 Lichtenstein SN-2b" Antenna, Ventral "FuG 25a" Antenna, four of Shaft Cylinder (two for each side) and Pitot Tube are included. Please note artistic work by Master Model for these sharp metal parts!

*SWS06-M06 Photo-Etched Interior Set (Photo-Etching by Eduard)
Popular! Colored Photo-Etched parts are a specialty of Eduard. These console panels are a must-have! If you are making a detailed inner cockpit where the pilot works, this is the one you should get. It includes Front and Rear Console Panels, Side Consoles, Foot Pedals, Seat Belts, etc.

*SWS06-M07 Photo-Etched Frame Set (Photo-Etching by Eduard)
The long main wings which carry twin engine nacelles are firmly recreated with spars to keep their angles as usual for the SWS kits.
If you are planning to make a skeleton model, we recommend this Frame Set which includes main inner structures such as Wing Spars, Gun Pack Internal Frame and Nose Armor Plate!

*SWS06-M08 Photo-Etched Access Panel Set (Photo-Etching by Eduard)
It's a pity to hide the great inner structures when you assemble SWS kits! If you think so too, we recommend this Access Panel Set, which has finely photo-etched access hatches, the most for you! The actual airplane-like inner structures that you can see over the hatch panels are the best part of the SWS!

*SWS06-M09 MG 151 Set (Turned Metal & Resin Parts by MDC)
It comes with six Turned Metal Machine Gun Barrels and six Resin Gun Bodies. This is for you if you want detailed MG 151 under the main wings and fuselage! We recreated the details of the most popular weapon among the Luftwaffe. Please use it not only to decorate your SWS Uhu kit to pursue the actual airplane look, but also for other German airplanes.

*SWS06-M10 MK 108 Set (Turned Metal & Resin Parts by MDC)
This set includes six Turned Metal Machine Gun Barrels and six Resin Gun Bodies.
If you want to mount four MK108/40s under the fuselage, this is the one for you! You can also use the remaining two for rear upward-firing guns. If you use this set together with the MG 151 Set, you will be able to cover almost all of the main weapons of the Uhu! You can also use a motor cannon for the SWS#2 "Ta152 H-1". Or you can use four nose guns for the Me262 as well. It's a convenient set!

*SWS06-M11 MK 103 (Turned Metal & Resin Parts by MDC)
This set includes four each of the Turned Metal Machine Gun Barrels and Resin Gun Bodies.
You can recreate the planned airplane with the MK103/30, which we can confirm its existence only in papers! You can use it as a motor cannon for Do 335, but the airplane is not available in 1/32 so far. This is literally a dream weapon!?

*SWS06-F01 Limited Forward Facing Pilot Figure (Resin Parts)
If you missed the bonus figure for advanced pre-order, this is good news! Now you can pre-order this pilot figure regardless of membership! Don't miss this detailed and expressive pilot figure by Master Box! He is in a sitting pose that you can use conveniently!

*SWS06-F02 Barrel Cleaning Set (Resin Parts)
Hoping for a good job by heroes to protect their homeland, these technicians are carefully maintaining the MG151 barrel. Adding to these technicians with vivid expression, we included the base with props such as a sheet, bucket and tool box. You can recreate the scenery for the strongest twin engine night fighter, the Uhu, which had a variety of armaments!

*SWS06-F03 Engine Maintenance Set (Resin Parts)
During a severe night fight, the heart of the strongest twin-engine night fighter, Uhu, was the "DB 603A" engine , which gave Uhu a high performance as a fighter not only depending on the radar.
Technicians and an engineer, who are carefully maintaining the removed engine, are vividly expressed!

*SWS06-F04 Tactics and Strategy Discussion Set (Resin Parts)
Radar instruments and navigation technics are not enough to take control of the fight during the dark of night. Cooperation with ground control is necessary. The tension of pilot and technician is captured in this figure set as they confirm the expected flight routes of the enemy, aside from their own radar lines and flight paths.

*SWS06-F05 Heroic Return Set (Resin Parts)
Though the Uhu was a rare airplane that didn't have a chance of a large production number, it produced a lot of ace pilots because it was used for many night fights. We vividly recreated an ace pilot who came back from a successful night fight to get some rest before the next mission, as well as a technician who had been waiting for his arrival.

*SWS06-F06 Limited Radar Operator Figure (Resin Parts)
A radar operator who seeks out the enemy so that they can sneak beneath it in the dark of the night with his radar is beautifully recreated! If you missed the bonus figure for advanced pre-order, this is good news! Now you can pre-order this radar operator regardless of membership! Don't miss this detailed and expressive pilot figure by Master Box! He is in a convenient seated pose!

In my next blog entry, as information for you immediately prior to the SWS Uhu's long-awaited release date, I'll be writing about the assembly of the fuselage structure, among other things.

It's currently the turning point between the seasons of spring and early summer.
Whether it's day or night, please take care to avoid damage to your health due to any extremes of heat or cold, and please enjoy a fun hobby life.

Well then, I'll see you next time, here on the blog.

Hideyuki Shigeta
President, Zoukei-Mura

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