ZOUKEI-MURA Official Website

Old Man Blog No.44 IPMS Colorado 2013 Event Report: Part III, Episode 1

-Contents-: * We have been to the IPMS Colorado!; * SWS #8 "What is the next airplane?" Quiz – Clue #2; * The SWS 1/48 "Shinden" is tremendously popular!

We have been to the IPMS Colorado 2013!!

Was it because of the climate change or because of the cyclone approaching after a typhoon? But, it has been raining a lot here in Kyoto, Japan.

Hello, SWS fans!

How is the weather in your places where you are reading this blog?
I wish there will be no bad influence because of the climate change raging all over the world.

So, I am going to write about the SWS Development team's participation in the IPMS Colorado this time.

Keeping the excitement and shock of the IPMS Orlando 2012 in our hearts We, the SWS Development Team, left from the Kansai International Airport.

This entire business trip was going to be for a week. In addition to this schedule, the development team went to the Smithsonian Museum to do some researches on the actual airplanes. It was a very long trip to the US.
We had to say good-bye to the Japanese foods for a while. Then, the members had an advance celebration at the restaurant in the airport as usual, as much as to say that it would be the meal right before a battle.
Well, there is a rumor saying that the members who are participating in the event are eating something all the time… It is…. actually very true.

But, I would ask you not to have any rustic questions about the pleasant IPMS participation.

Six of the SWS Development Team members were lining up in front of the headquarter of Volks? Wait, where are the two other members? The dark clouds were already hanging over on this US trip.	Just when we arrived at the airport, there were the members having an advance celebration! I began to wonder if we could win like this? Is it the right time toasting with beer?
I wouldn't have sushi for a while. But, I heard there were a lot of tasty foods there. As you know, Denver is famous for its meat! Hey, your mouth waters!	And, we couldn't forget presents for our close friends. We bought Kobe cakes and candies this time.

So, everyone, did you know where Colorado is located?

Yes, here is the middle of North America. There are Wyoming and Nebraska to the north, Kansas to the east, Utah to the west, and New Mexico and Oklahoma to the south. Colorado is surrounded by these states and has extensive grounds.

It is one of the representative states of the US where the stock farming is mainly flourishing and the Rocky Mountains in the West extend from North to South through.

I have never been to Colorado before.
I heard that the Rocky Mountains can be seen and it is a very beautiful place.

The SWS Development team was heading straight to Denver. We completed strip-searching without any problems. From here, it is a foreign country.	This was the airplane which would take us to San Francisco. Have a safe flight!!
It took 11 hours and we finally arrived at the US entrance door, San Francisco Airport. This airport has been renewed and cleaner every time I come here.	Finally, arrived in Denver! I felt even the airport welcome us. However, I wasn't feeling well… I guess it is because the time difference.

It was an 11 hours flight.

There was no direct flight from Kansai International Airport to Denver. We entered into the US in San Francisco first. Then, we took a two-hour domestic flight. It took a very long time and we arrived in Denver International Airport safely.

Oh dear! I was finally released from the airplane seat.

August 12 (Monday)

A car, which could carry six of us and seven baggage, should have been booked.So, what type of a car was it? It was one of our pleasures of this trip.

Our car was a minivan from Dodge. This was such an American car. Six of us didn't have any problems getting into the car plus the baggage. The capability of American cars was incredible.

When we participated in IPMS Telford in the UK last year, we were in trouble because of the lack of capacity in the car from the beginning. It was like a nightmare.

First of all, we aimed to the Conference Center where the event was held!

Oh! While in Japan it has been hot days over 35 degrees Celsius, I was surprised by the cooler temperature of Colorado. It is probably because of the height altitude. The wind caressing the members' faces made us feel that we were like on a plateau.

And then, I saw the splendid Colorado landscape from the window of the car.

For us seeing the landscape in Japan of mountains and only mountains, everything was very magnificent and it was like our mind stopped for a while.

This is our beloved car: a Dodge Minivan. Its acceleration is passable, but after all, six of us could sit comfortably even with the luggage.	The new member, Chris, was in a stupor from this long flight. It is not necessary to ask him, who was born in France and trained in Kansai in Japan, about his first impression of the USA. Hang in there, Chris!
From now, the GPS is activated. As you know, the US is so huge. We couldn't go anywhere without it. We entered our destination very carefully.	See!! This is the very first landscape of Colorado we saw! Well, there are large plains as far as we can see. We went to a very far place!

Here we are! We arrived safely at the "Cottonwood Suites Westminster Hotel" where we stayed for a week.
This so long first day finally ended…?

Hum…? What? Dinner? Hungry…?

I was fine but….?

It was not the case for the young guys.

I understood that just after arriving at our hotel, all the members were already thinking about the first dinner in the US.

Honestly, I wanted to take a shower and to go to bed as fast as possible. That is the way it goes this time.

Oh… As usual, they had dinner right after our arrival.

Finally arrived at the Cottonwood Suites Westminster Hotel. Except me who was already tired, all the members were enthusiast to have a dinner. Chris, can't you do anything about it?	Anyway, the Hotel was clean. This bed has healed our fatigue for the entire week. The bath and the toilet are very clean too.
It was a long day!! But our first night in the US has come. And then, the awaited dinner. No matter what, all of you wanted to have dinner, right?!	Even with a sleepy face, Mr. K and N got their teeth into hamburgers. Why doing such a thing… Hey, look they are asleep! Look at their eyes!

Today (Tuesday, August, 13th) was pleasant weather! The beautiful blue sky of Colorado was before my eyes. Well, I had the feeling that we would be very busy as it was the day for setting up our booth.

From the hotel to the convention center, taking a freeway, the distance was about 50 miles. It takes about 30 minutes.

And here we go!!

What?? What about the breakfast before leaving?
… Hey, are you guys serious?

All right. Don't worry, we'll have it, we'll going now.

If I go on like this, I will put on 5kg more when I go back to Japan for sure. Anyway, the group of six Japanese, who won't be seen much here in Colorado, were heading to the breakfast in high spirits.

Indeed, it is so different from Japan – you can find restaurants and convenience stores everywhere in Japan. But, here in Colorado, after entering on the freeway, just keep driving fast to the exit.

It was difficult even to have breakfast.

It was a sunny day! The sky of Colorado is blue, and the temperature was 25 degrees. Perhaps it was because the air was dry. It was a cool weather.	Look! On this main street, you could drive smoothly. It was completely different from Japan where there are cars overflowing from the morning to the evening.
Look at the volume of our meal in the morning. How about your work!? What? You will start working soon? Well, it's going to be all right then. But Chris, you are eating too much.	The American breakfast. It looks good, doesn't it? In fact, it was delicious. You would be surprised. Getting weight, getting weight…

We finally arrived at the Conference Center of the IPMS Colorado.

It was a day for set up. We verified that the boxes from Japan were delivered and we had to go getting some stuffs to complete our booth.

Fortunately, there are huge home centers and super markets here in the US if we drove about 10 minutes. We visited them again during this trip.

But, I won't go to the home "something."

Once I went there, I would be afraid of wanting something and wouldn't care about the shopping for the IPMS event because my eyes and heart were fascinated by what I want.

The inside of the store is very huge, and outside there are tools for gardening and seedling of flowers. Also, fertilizers, agricultural chemicals, other tools, and so on the shelves are lining up as far as the eye can reach. I can't help buying wonderful items which I can't find in Japan. I can't stand it for sure!!

Just by looking at the design and the price of especially the small lawnmower and carrying tractors, I can't stop having a sigh.

Well, the home centers in the US are so amazing.

When I ride the tractor, I have a sigh.

And once I get into the store, it is like a paradise!!

Everything is convenient and creative! I am overwhelmed by the big size of the products!

I am wondering why the home centers in Japan are not importing these dynamic and convenient products.

I am very disappointed.

Big garbage bins have cool designs. And the electric tools for professional are lined up to be bought whenever you want.

An American "Old Man" looked very happy when powerfully loading what he bought in his truck before going home quietly.

There are gorgeous barbecue cookstoves I have never seen in Japan and they cost from only $500. Seeing these line-ups full of different type of barbecues is just magnificent.

If I had one of them in my house, I will invite many of my employees and have barbecue!!

Oh dear, I have another sigh again.

Did you know that a barbecue cookstove whose size is 25 x 60 x 30 cm will be considered as a large one here in Japan?

And you have to win the rigorous "first come, first serve" competition.

The forks for barbecue here in the US are very big. In Japan, we have to call them as "spears."

Well, American will pierce a meat as big as your face with the spears and eat it. But for me, even before I start eating, I would like to excuse myself.

Now, you do understand why I don't want to go to the home centers in the US never again.

Finally, we were entering the IPMS Colorado. What do you think about the beautiful Conference Center?	This corner was our booth. Each member of the Development Team was busy with the preparations of the booth.
Also the baggage that was carried all the way from Japan has arrived without problem. It was damaged but it was OK as we double packed it.	Developer T was already showing the completely assembled Ta152. This time we showed all our SWS kits, perfectly assembled.

Meanwhile, Dennis-san, to whom we had requested to draw an SWS box art, came to the Convention Center. He brought us the finished illustration before the event starts.

Oops! This aircraft hasn't been revealed yet, but this beautiful illustration will be on the package of our next new product.

Moreover, the biggest characteristic of Dennis's illustration is that the artwork is entirely drawn by hand, based on his own designs. As the illustration will be shown to you someday as an SWS kit package, please look forward to that moment.

The preparations of the Zoukei-Mura booth progressed smoothly.

We succeeded in displaying everything: the finished kits, the advertisements, as well as the products. Now, we just had to wait for the opening of the event tomorrow.

When we had a look at the booths around us, American and foreign manufacturers, distributors, shops specialized in after parts, and also book stores were preparing their products.

Each time I see a big center with a full of items and advertisements, it is very splendid.

One of Zoukei-mura members, Mr. U, was building the shelves for the finished products.	Here was Dennis-san! Wow!! It was a wonderful "….."! I am pretty sure it will be a fantastic package!!
Would it be a celebration in advance a night before the event!? The event would be very successful tomorrow for sure. Look at a huge hamburger in Mr. N's hand!	It's embarrassing, but I had a rib stake! I wondered how much it would affect my weight. It was such a torture in the hell… but it was very tasty.

Right before the opening of the IPMS Colorado that will be tomorrow, the SWS Development Team was full of vigor. Far from being sick, we all had a vaster and vaster appetite.

How were the reputation and the sales of our SWS kits?

And how did the Zoukei-mura members' works go, who participated from Japan?

Being in high spirits, but also being worried a little, the night before the event opening quietly went on.

In the next episode, I will finally write everything from the first day to the last day of the event.
And, how did the contest, the IPMS main entertainment, look like?
How was the reputation of the Zoukei-mura booth and the sales of kits and after parts?

Please check the greatly flourishing of the Zoukei-mura team.

And please look forward to the next episode!!

SWS kit No.VIII is also under progress!!

What aircraft will be the new awaited SWS kit??

With your imagination and your sharped intuition, please make a guess what will be the next SWS kit No. VIII.

SWS#8 "What is the next airplane?" Quiz

[Quiz] What will be the next SWS kit!? Try to find it!!: Clue….. It is a twin-engine aircraft!!
Clue #2….. A spirited brother…!!
Name of the plane

Please write the name of the aircraft inside the ◯ sign.

[How to participate]: Please send 1 aircraft name by person.; We accept answer in Japanese, English and Taiwanese.; I will offer one kit of this airplane to one lottery winner when the kit is released.
Also, I will offer one Concept Note of this kit to three others lottery winners.; So, I am looking forward to your participation.
*How to Submit Your Answer: The quiz is not limited to SWS fan club members. Everyone can participate.
Address to Send Your Answer: [How to Submit by Regular Mail]
Please send Kansei-Hagaki (Japan Post's pre-paid postcard) to the VOLKS Headquarters, making sure to include your name and address as well.
Address:
　Volks, Inc.Attn: SWS #8 "What is the next airplane?" Quiz Team
60 Shichijo-Goshonouchi-Nakamachi,
Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan 600-8862; [How to Submit by E-mail]
Please send an email to the address below, making sure include your name and address as well.
Email: sws_quiz@zoukeimura.co.jp　*This email address is to be used only for this quiz.
Title: Submission to SWS #8 "What is the next airplane?" Quiz

Requested information
　-- Name:
　-- Address:
　-- Quiz Answer:
*Entry Period: Until October 31, 2013
*Winner Announcement: Winners will be announced here on the Zoukei-Mura Web Site.
*Prize Presentation: *We will offer one SWS kit No. VIII to one winner.
Three Winners will receive a Concept Note of the SWS kit No.VIII
(In case there are a lot of winners, we will proceed to a strict lottery)

We are looking forward to receiving a lot of entries from you.

How much has your work done so far?
How is it!? Don't you think that the kit is a full of SWS kit's charms even in the 1/48 scale? After the Shinden, the 1/48 Ta 152 is going to be released soon!
Furthermore, the He 219 will be coming out in 1/48 scale as well.
Enjoy your main collection size, 1/48 scale, with SWS.

SWS 1/48 SHINDEN　Price: 4800 JPY (+fee) Further details here.

We would like to enjoy with you the quest of the mystery of our favorite aircraft with SWS.

Well then, I'll see you on the blog for my next entry.

Wishing you and your scale model hobby a lot of happiness.

Hideyuki Shigeta
President, Zoukei-Mura

↓ Please don't hesitate to use the submission form below ↓