Since 10 to 12 April 2026, Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków will have a pleasure and honour of co-organising the MTSR Sowiniec Cup 2026 Space Model Competition – one of the most prestigious international space modelling events, included in the official FAI calendar.
On the second weekend of April, leading competitors from Poland and many countries around the world will gather at the airport in Pobiednik Wielki. They will compete in space modelling – a discipline in which engineering precision, knowledge of aerodynamics and a passion for aviation come together as one.
Competitors taking part in the MTSR Sowiniec Cup 2026 will compete in five FAI classes:
In addition, there will be an open ‘Show’ category, which falls outside the FAI regulations, in which competitors will be able to showcase their most creative and spectacular designs. The competition is held in accordance with FAI regulations and constitutes an important stage in the race for the Polish Cup and the World Cup in space modelling.
The calibre of the competition is reflected in the judging panel:
The FAI jury comprises judges from Poland and Slovakia: Miodrag Pelagic, Vladimír Švec and Mateusz Niebielski. The judging of scale models (S7 class) has been entrusted to three judges: Zoran Pelagic from Slovakia, and Krzysztof Przybytek and Mateusz Dyba from Poland.
For those who are interested the subject of space travel before or after the competition, we would like to remind you that the Polish Aviation Museum’s collection features a wealth of exhibits related to the conquest of space. In our exhibition in the Main Building, you can admire a full-scale model of the Perun suborbital rocket, built using innovative SIR technology – one of the most spectacular exhibits illustrating contemporary Polish achievements in the field of rocket technology. More information about the rocket find HERE.
In the Main Hangar, we also display memorabilia belonging to Gen. Mirosław Hermaszewski – the first Pole in space. These include his uniform, flight helmet, a set of ration packs and an on-board first-aid kit – items that accompanied him during his historic flight in 1978.
The MTSR Sowiniec Cup 2026 competition is therefore an excellent opportunity to combine the excitement of sporting competition with a visit to a place where Polish space history is within easy reach.
Friday, 10 April
Registration of competitors at the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków (39 Jana Pawła II Avenue), between 5.00 pm and 9.00 pm
Saturday, 11 April
The main day of the competition at Pobiednik Wielki Airport. The start is scheduled for 7.15 am. Between 8.00 am and 6.30 pm, competitors will be competing in the S4A, S6A and S8P classes.
Sunday, 12 April
The final day of the competition, during which the S9A, S7 and Show categories will take place, followed by the awards ceremony at 1.30 pm.
A detailed programme of the event is available HERE.
The MTSR Sowiniec CUP 2026 competition is not only a contest between the best rocket model builders and pilots; it is also an excellent opportunity to promote science, technology and a passion for space among children and young people. We are proud to be part of this event, and we invite you to come and see the competition for yourself – the sight of the models taking off is truly impressive!
