Old Man Blog No. 40 : Uhu Edition, Episode 3

Old Man Blog No. 40 Uhu Edition, Episode 3 "Cockpit Assembly"

- Contents -
  • * Three things to keep in mind when purchasing the SWS Uhu.
  • * In this blog entry, I will be continuing with the DB603 engine assembly from my last entry, and would also like to begin assembling the Uhu's distinctive cockpit and its peripherals.

Good afternoon!

Today, and recently in general, there have been faint signs of spring amidst the winter weather here -- how are all of our SWS fans doing where you're living?

Regarding advance pre-orders for the Uhu, we have received many orders from both within Japan and around the world -- as the representative of the SWS Development Team, allow me to extend our sincerest gratitude.

Thank you all so very much!!

For Japanese domestic orders, we are aiming for delivery around the end of May, and are expending great effort to ensure we meet that deadline.
At the same time, we are doing our utmost to ensure that international orders will also begin shipping sequentially at the end of May, and I humbly request that you all bear with us just a little while longer.

For the same degree that we were delayed, the kit will be just that much more magnificent!!
Please look forward to the release date of the SWS Uhu as you wait.

Furthermore, the Uhu box size is 53cm L x 33cm W x 14.5cm H, making it almost the same size as the box for the preceding Skyraider kits.
In other words, the box will be rather large, and very conspicuous. In fact, it wouldn't be exaggerating to say it's a little too conspicuous.

In other words, it's...
An enemy? No! It means that it will be easily caught by a reconnaissance fighter doing scouting for your lady wife (significant other, etc.), or detected within a defense radar net.

I urge you, please maintain constant vigilance, and begin advance preparations immediately in case your secret is discovered.

Eh? Like me, your hobby is officially wife-approved? I see, I see. That's wonderful.
For blessed hobbyists such as yourself, it's fine to ignore this blog entry. Instead, please just enjoy the included photos.

What's concerning are the great many of you for whom this is not the case.

What?!? No way, your lady wife doesn't approve, yet you're actually reading this blog with her?!
If that should actually be the case, stop immediately, before you reach the point of no return!

Look, it's for situations like these that charms to ward off evil have been used since time immemorial here in Japan.
This is truly a time to knock on wood.

Furthermore, within the realm of my experience, it is careless words and deeds like the ones mentioned below that cause your SWS Uhu purchase mission to fail right then and there, and invite the destruction of not only your precious hobby, but also possibly of you yourself.
Therefore, you must be all the more careful in both word and deed, and rest assured, now is the time when you need to exercise discipline in your daily life and your behavior!!

After all, to the victor go the spoils. That is how the saying goes!

In the end, the three important points below are directed at Japanese old men who are living in Japan.
For those of you who live outside of Japan, you can adapt them to the reality and actual living circumstances of your own country, or just listen casually for your own information.

Also, for all of my dear beloved friends who already bear battle scars, I advise that you proactively execute a reverse strategy in order to redeem yourself.
However, in that case, should some harm be visited upon your body, or some kind of terrible catastrophe occur, I will not bear any responsibility, so please understand that before you take any action.


Now, here are three things to keep in mind when purchasing the SWS Uhu.

#1: When speaking to your wife, or other people in your life who hold strict opinions regarding your hobbies, do not pander excessively, or be forced or unnatural in your conversation.
Do not do this. This can often be fatal. I myself have died multiple times due to this over the past 50 years.
For now, do your best to simply live your daily life as you normally do.
Should you be careless and be unusually kind in your words or behavior when you normally are not, those around you will begin to wonder why that is....?
And as a result, everything will be exposed, so take this time to take Point #1 to heart, and behave accordingly.
Of course, you need to be careful in your everyday casual conversation, as well. It is wise to avoid topics involving your hobbies as much as you can. The walls have ears, and the doors have eyes.
Be careful, be very careful!!
Keep your cool, to the point of slight chill. You have nothing but this moment. Nothing.
Should you thoughtlessly begin to imagine obtaining the SWS Uhu, the resulting spontaneous, complacent smile can be very dangerous indeed.
#2: Sudden, meaningless presents to appease your guilt are temporarily banned.
You absolutely cannot underestimate the enemy's powerful cryptanalytic systems and crisis management abilities.
In particular, it will be far safer for you to keep aware that conspicuous acts such as meaningless presents, etc., will quickly be detected
Indeed, things that you normally do not do are things that you should absolutely not do at all. That is an inviolable rule.
The most risky thing is for you to suddenly and carelessly display a generous heart and give uncharacteristic presents.
All deeds which would prompt a suspicious, "Hm? Why are you giving this to me right now? What's the occasion?" should be prohibited for the time being. Absolutely prohibited.
As the time-honored phrase goes, "Proper planning and preparation prevents piss-poor performance."
"It's not fair if it's only me being happy about buying the SWS Uhu." Thinking that way will end up most unfair to yourself.
After all, the SWS Uhu will become your best source of motivation!
In your heart, don't hold any apologies. None.
#3: The times when you've been drinking alcohol are actually the most dangerous times!
Don't underestimate the power of alcohol. Particularly when you're happily sitting at the dinner table with your family.
When the alcohol is making the rounds and everyone's been drinking a little, the biggest danger zone is when there's a pause in the conversation.
No matter what, should you receive a query like this:
"You've been rather cheery lately, dear, haven't you? Did a new model get released or something?"
When your opponent smilingly asks such a question, you must proceed to execute diversionary tactics capture their attention elsewhere, or all will truly be lost.
To divert them, you must skillfully execute a decoy strategy as a smokescreen.
Such as, "Actually, lately I've been thinking of quitting the models."
A statement like that will inevitably bring the following reply.
"What? You're going to quit? But that's such a waste! You have so many models that you haven't even built yet."
And that's where you give the finishing blow!
"Yeah~ I've been thinking it's about time I try something different......" Make sure you sound like you're really going to try a new hobby from scratch.......
"Eh?! Something else...?!"
Using this method, even now I am able to confidently keep collecting models as my primary hobby.
What do you think? I hope that this will be useful to you.
Eh? You've already been using this old-fashioned method for ages, you say?
My goodness, I should have known. After all, if you hadn't, there wouldn't really be any need for you to go to the effort of ready this blog.
Even so, this point is crucial.
The phrase, "You must lose a fly to catch a trout," was made for exactly this situation.
In any case, at this moment, you have, from the bottom of my heart, my best wishes for your victory – indeed, for your poker face!
Go, go, geezers – do your best!!

* Uhu Cockpit Area Parts
This group of parts keeps the number of parts at the minimum while still showing considerable detail once assembled.
The right and left side panels, the front instrument panel, etc. – at the same time, all of these small parts also express the feeling of pressure embodied in the most powerful night fighter.

In this blog entry, I will be continuing with the DB603 engine assembly from my last entry, and would also like to begin assembling the Uhu's distinctive cockpit and its peripherals.

The are 40 parts in the essential section known as the cockpit, which may not be very many, but even so, once they're all assembled, you can see in the photo that the configuration of components shows itself to be rather complex. The trick to it is to build very cautiously, taking care with the angle of attachment for every part.

Also, if you will be using the pilot and radar operator figures, the control stick and the hoods that the radar operator looks through will be in the way, so you will need to delay attaching these parts.

Furthermore, in this blog entry, the paint work has been omitted, but the radar antennas on the nose have been attached -- when you get to this section, please assemble it in your usual manner.

Leaving that aside, in order for our local Japanese fans to be able to enjoy the Uhu as soon as possible, in a few days we will allow purchase of a sample "assembly manual" at production cost.
For those who wish to purchase, please send your request now to the address below (Japanese domestic orders only).

Although it may only be a sample, the SWS Uhu assembly manual contains commentary on nearly all aspects of the He 219, and is very much worth seeing!!
In reality, I feel that even those who won't be purchasing the kit will definitely want to purchase the manual, once they see it.


Download the manual for SWS No.06 He 219 A-0 Uhu and see exactly for yourself!
Manual_He219A0Uhu_01.zip (18.8MB)
Manual_He219A0Uhu_02.zip (14.6MB)
Manual_He219A0Uhu_03.zip (15.6MB)
Manual_He219A0Uhu_04.zip (13.6MB)

* The Uhu Pilot's Workplace
Please have a look at the workmanship of this advanced cockpit, stretched across the palm of my hand.
For this example, I will not be using a pilot figure, so I assembled the seat option that has seat belts.

* Right Side Perspective
Be careful of the many levers and switches embedded in the side console panels.
To tell the truth, in order to produce a more detailed SWS kit, we purchased an authentic instrument panel from the actual aircraft from a European collector.
We attempted to perfectly recreate the instrument panel while looking sidelong at the actual thing.

* From the Left Side
You can see the flight surface control rods, the torque tubes, etc.
Combined with pipes for the electrical wiring system on the right side, it's clear to see that the design of Uhu's fuselage layout was very advanced.

* Upper Right View of the Skeleton Model
The strong form holding two powerful DB603 engines evokes Dr. Heinkel's intent.
In the central fuselage are the fuel tanks and the Schräge Musik cannons, and the loading equipment for the ventral cannons can be seen in each of the main wings.
Although it's very dignified, the design also has a rather casual feel to it.

* Front Right View of the Skeleton Model
Please direct your attention to the how the pipes for the electrical system run along the nose have been beautifully molded. The compressed air bottles, radar wiring, etc., have also been recreated in great detail.
Of course, in order to assume the proper tricycle configuration, the base kit comes with sturdy die cast weights and landing gear struts already included, so no need to worry on that front.

* Left Rear Perspective of the Cockpit
The flight surface control rods extend in straight lines all the way to the rear of the fuselage, so that you can easily envision how the will of the pilot, and how he wants the plane to move in the air, are precisely transmitted.
In order to maintain the recreation of the triangular configuration, a weight is inserted within the fuel tank on the right side of the photo. Please also take note of the step used by the crew when embarking and disembarking. The DB603 engines appear radiant, don't they?

* Upper Left Front View
The gunsight which peeks through the armor plate, the Lichtenstein radar antennas, and the high functionality of the extremely compact yet densely packed Uhu cockpit -- the genius of Dr. Heinkel shines throughout the design.
Revel in the reality of this exciting Uhu model, brought to you as only the SWS can!! 

* Lower Left View
To all of you who will actually be assembling this SWS kit, you will be able to discover and see such detail on this Uhu such as you've never seen before
Using this kit, I'm sure that you will be able to assemble and finish an even more magnficent finished model than ever before. I assure you, this is a kit that is worth the challenge.

* Upper Left Rear Perspective of the Entire Aircraft
The two strong engines, solidly built into the powerfully outspread main wings, as well as the primary armament, the MG 151 and MK 108 autocannons mounted in the ventral weapons pack and in the main wings, evoke the bottomless terror of the "Uhu, the Midnight Hunter."

At last, the time has finally come when you will be able to obtain a genuine scale model of the supreme He 219 Uhu as your newest kit.

Please look forward to it, and wait just a little bit longer.

Now, in my next blog entry, I will be giving you an advance look at the 20 different kinds of Extra Parts that we have produced so that you will be able to enjoy your He 219 kit (finally on sale soon!) even further, to your heart's content.

That being the case, although they may be Extra Parts, when it comes to the 1/32 Uhu, they're some of the best parts! Please look forward to them!!


Although it may be spring, the chilly weather continues here.
I urge everyone to take the utmost of care with your health, and as for your own D-Day when you can successfully acquire the SWS Uhu kit, even though it may not be an actual secret mission, you have my most heartfelt prayers that you can pleasantly and happily endure the days until then.

Well then, until next time!! Good luck!!

 

Hideyuki Shigeta
President, Zoukei-Mura

 

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