1/48 scale Aircraft Series No.57 plastic model kit of the WWII German Luftwaffe Heinkel He219A7 Uhu radar equipped twin engine nightfighter.
Tamiya's Uhu kit fully shows off the engineering skills that have earned them their reputation for the best kit quality in the world – not just accuracy and detail, but buildability as well. Kit detail and sharpness is at their usual superb level and no further commentary is necessary on that. Special features of this kit include a metal cockpit floor assembly that acts as nose ballast, choice of flaps up or down, internal detail on the dorsal 30mm cannon, an optional boarding ladder, and an easy-to-build nose radar assembly (a large, x-shaped piece goes inside the nose and is then covered by the nose cone. The outer antenna then attach to this).
Cockpit detail should satisfy most modelers, and includes rudder pedals as well as good detail for the rear-seater's radar and radio equipment (two figures are included, but it's the same guy twice). Decals are well-printed and include the instrument panels and swastika. Marking directions for two different aircraft are included, as is a 1/48 scale painting guide.
- Detailed engine nacelles with exhaust flame dampers and landing gear wells.
- Cockpit detail: control stick, instrument panel, radar set, and seats.
- Other detail: Schrage Musik installation, antennae array and boarding ladder.
This plastic kitset requires assembly, paints and glue to complete.
Wingspan: 15–1/4" (38.6cm)
Length: 13–3/4" (35.5cm)
Tamiya Product Number: 61057
Scale: 1:48
Suggested Paint Colors (not included):
AS-4 – Gray Violet (LUFTWAFFE)
AS-5 – Light Blue (LUFTWAFFE)
TS-48 – Gunship Grey
X-10 – Gun Metal
X-11 – Chrome Silver
X-12 – Gold Leaf
X-18 – Semi Gloss Black
X-5 – Green
X-7 – Red
XF-1 – Flat Black
XF-15 – Flat Flesh
XF-16 – Flat Aluminum
XF-2 – Flat White
XF-22 – RLM Grey
XF-24 – Dark Grey
XF-4 – Yellow Green
XF-50 – Field Blue
XF-56 – Metallic Grey
XF-7 – Flat Red
Potentially one of the most effective night-fighters for the Luftwaffe, the Heinkel He219 "Uhu' (eagle owl) was doomed by political misjudgments and maltreatment. Started as a private venture study of the firm, the He219 incorporated a number of advanced features such as pressurized crew compartment, cockpit positioned at the extreme nose for excellent visibility, land gear of tricycle configuration, etc. The He219 was also the world's first operational aircraft to be equipped with ejector seats.
Powered by two Daimler-Benz DB603 engines, this aircraft with a long and slender fuselage displayed its combat-worthiness against allied bombers in nocturnal operations during the final period of the conflict. Several versions were produced starting with the He219A-0 in 1942, and among them, the He219A-7 was the final and the most sophisticated version. It is equipped with larger, improved super charger intakes for its DB603G engines. Coupled with a FuG220 radar, two dorsal 30mm canons dubbed “Schrage Musik” plus two each 20 or 30mm canons in the wing-roots and the ventral tray enhanced A-7's capability as a high altitude night-fighter.
Although the total number of production was only 268 until the end of the war, the Heinkel He219 Uhu gained noteworthy results against allied airforces and was supposed to be the best among the Luftwaffe's reciprocating engined night-fighters.