The 9th Annual Ed Maloney Scale Model Contest is coming to the Planes of Fame Air Museum!
This annual event celebrates the legacy of Ed Maloney, the Museum’s founder and lifelong model builder, while giving today’s modelers an opportunity to showcase their skill, creativity, and passion for aviation and military modeling.
The contest is open to:
Visitors to the Museum will serve as the judges!
Voting will take place on the morning of the contest (Saturday, November 7, 2026), beginning at 9:00 a.m. and continuing through 11:00 a.m. Each Museum visitor will receive voting stickers upon entry and can cast their votes by placing a sticker beside their favorite models.
This year’s contest features six divisions, organized by age, experience, and model type. All scales and subject matter are welcome for aircraft and armor entries.
Each entrant may submit up to three models, but every model must have been built by the entrant.
1. Junior Modelers — Aircraft Division I
Ages 11 and under
2. Junior Modelers — Aircraft Division II
Ages 12–17
3. Adult Modelers — Aircraft Division I
Beginners to intermediate modelers
4. Adult Modelers — Aircraft Division II
Modelers with six or more years of experience
5. Armor Division
Armor and military vehicles — open to all ages
6. Diorama Display — Aircraft and/or Armor
Open to all ages. This is our newest division. Entries may not exceed 12 inches wide by 12 inches long.
Ribbons will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each division.
There is also a special honor: the modelers receiving the most votes in the two adult divisions and the two junior divisions will have their names permanently added to the Ed Maloney Contest Trophy.
If the Armor Division or Diorama Display winner receives the most votes overall, that modeler will be counted as either a Junior or Adult winner based on age.
Modelers must bring their entries to the Museum on the day of the contest and take them home afterward. The Museum will not accept early entries.
The Museum may ask winning modelers to allow their entries to remain on display through January 31, 2027.
Complete contest rules are available on the Registration Form.
Pre-register today! Complete and submit your Registration Form (below) and start preparing your models for the 9th Annual Ed Maloney Scale Model Contest.
Come show us what you can build—and help us celebrate the legacy of a man who believed in the power of models to inspire a lifelong love of aviation.
BECOME A MEMBER
