Polish Aviation Museum

On the weekend of 26–27 October 2024, the Main Building of our Museum became a Mecca for model builders! This year’s competition entitled “Aviation World in Miniature” received 79 entries. In total, the Jury assessed 260 models in three age categories. The best won!

The main goal of the Competition was to promote knowledge about the history of aviation in the world, with particular emphasis on the history of Polish aviation and the contribution of Polish engineers to the development of this branch of transport.

An additional goal of the Competition was to promote knowledge about aviation model building among children, young people and adults.

All competition participants could visit the Museum’s exhibitions free of charge and see aircraft in 1:1 scale.

The competition final was combined with an exhibition and an open model fair (anyone interested could display their models for sale free of charge).

The exhibition and fair took place on:

Saturday 26.10.2024 from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday 27.10.2024 from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

People visiting the competition exhibition of aviation models in the Main Building of the Polish Aviation Museum.

The competition models could be admired on Saturday from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. On Sunday at 3:00 PM, the results were announced and prizes were awarded.

The Jury assessed the models on a “like / don’t like” basis, taking into account the following criteria:

factual accuracy
quality of model construction (care and cleanness of detail assembly and their
painting)
level of difficulty of the model
realism (painting effects, markings and possible signs of wear)
modeller’s own contribution

A small boy looking at aircraft models at the model exhibition in the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków

The winners were:

In the Youngsters age category:

ML1 – aviation models in scale up to 1:72

1. MiG-15 “wreck” model – made by Marcel Kochański

MiG-15 "wreck" model, which won 1st place in the ML1 category – made by Marcel Kochański

2. P-47 model – made by Hanna Nowak

3. Defiant model – made by Stanisław Pelc

ML2 – aviation models in scale from 1:71

1. “Pysio MiG” MiG-29 model – made by Patrycja Grzybowska

"Pysio MiG" MiG-29 model – winner of 1st place in the ML2 category – made by Patrycja Grzybowska

2. PZL P11c model – made by Nataniel Kopczacki

3. “Jedziemy do Gdyni” Lublin R XIII model – made by Nataniel Kopczacki

In the Juniors age category:

JL1 – aviation models in scale up to 1:72

1. P39N Aira Cobra model – made by Szymon Bednarz

P39N Aira Cobra model, which won 1st place in the JL1 category – made by Szymon Bednarz

2. F-16CJ model – made by Karol Bienias

F-16CJ model, which won 2nd place in the JL1 category – made by Karol Bienias

3. Avro Lancaster model – made by Jakub Gomułka

Avro Lancaster model, which won 3rd place in the JL1 category – made by Jakub Gomułka

JL2 – aviation models in scale from 1:71

1. F-14A model – made by Szymon Bednarz

2. Mitsubishi Zero model – made by Sebastian Łabudzki

In the Seniors age category:

SL1 – aviation models in scale up to 1:72

1. Tupolev G.1 model – made by Paweł Jarek

2. Gee Bee model – made by Sebastian Szczerbowski

3. Blohm und Voss BU-138c1 model – made by Zenon Zawadzki

SL2 – aviation models in scale from 1:71

1. Caudron G3 model – made by Mateusz Warzała

Caudron G3 model, which won 1st place in the SL2 category – made by Mateusz Warzała

2. SBD-3 Dauntless model – made by Patryk Jachym

3. Horten 229 model – made by Piotr Herman

In the KS category – cardboard aviation models (seniors):

1. PZL W-3 Sokół helicopter model – made by Tomasz Konior

PZL W-3 Sokół helicopter model, which won 1st place in the KS seniors category – made by Tomasz Konior

2. PZL P11c model – made by Andrzej Latyński

3. Mirage 2000 model – made by Marek Gągulski

Additionally, special awards were given:

Award of the Director of the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków

The award was won by Kamil Zoszak for the WZ.XI “Kogutek” model

WZ.XI Kogutek model, winner of the Museum Director's Award, made by Kamil Zoszak

KAY-FRANZ Cup

Funded by Kazimierz Rauchfleisch from Gliwice – commemorating a late fellow modeller, computer graphic artist and amateur historian of Polish interwar aviation – Krzysztof Frankowski, who was known in the modelling world for building models of the WS Wrona and Bydgoszczanka gliders and for recreating the paint schemes of the RWD-6 and Cierva C.30.

The cup was intended for the junior age category – for the best aviation model related to Polish aviation (aeroplane, glider, balloon, airship, etc.)

The cup was won by Wojciech Zawartek for the PZL P11c model.

PZL P-11c model, which received the KAY-FRANZ Cup

Fighter Pilot Statuettes and Kagero Cups

An award funded by Kagero Publishing – organiser of the “Flights of Eastern Poland” aviation rally commemorating the heroic actions of the Pursuit Brigade, which in September 1939 defended the Lublin region against Luftwaffe raids. Two statuettes were awarded to models referencing September 1939:

for the diorama “Among the Flowers” – to Nataniel Kopczacki
for the diorama “Off to Gdynia” – to Filip Błaszczyk

Kagero Cups were awarded to:

Piotr Grzywa for the Avro Lancaster model
Jan Elliot for the Karaś model

We warmly congratulate the winners and all those who decided to take part in our competition! The level was high and evenly matched, and the presented models attracted great interest from exhibition visitors.