Press release from 21.10.2025: Now the show begins!
FASZINATION MODELLBAU Friedrichshafen with Echtdampf-Hallentreffen & LEGO fan exhibition from 31 October to 2 November 2025
It’s just a few days away: FASZINATION MODELLBAU Friedrichshafen will be opening its doors from 31 October to 2 November 2025 – accompanied by the traditional Echtdampf-Hallentreffen and the popular LEGO fan exhibition. Three eventful days at the Lake Constance border triangle are just around the corner, with captivating shows, exclusive new products and lots of interactive activities.
Air show at Lake Constance Airport
Only in Friedrichshafen: model aircraft demonstrations on the grounds of an international commercial airport! Against the breathtaking mountain backdrop of Lake Constance Airport, the best pilots of the year will demonstrate their skills. World champions, European champions and national champions will show how far the limits of what is possible can be pushed today.
Confirmations have already been received from speed world champion Kai Koppenberg, 3D jet European champion Luca Baumann and Robin Trumpp with his new F-14 XXL Tomcat on an incredible scale of 1:5.5 and with fully functional swivel wings. Pure Top Gun feeling! We are also expecting crowd favourite and superstar Gernot Bruckmann together with Patrick Georg on two Lo 100s in double tow and synchronised aerobatics. Walter Bednarz from Chaservo will be presenting his huge Piper J-3 Cub, which requires certification and has a take-off weight of 66 kg. There will also be manufacturer displays with new products for the 2026 season, and the DMFV youth groups will be back with spectacular demonstrations.
Aircraft action in the hall
While the champions of the year fly their spectacular displays outside, a fascinating counterpoint is created in the West Foyer with FMT indoor action: a special kind of air show is taking shape on the 30×30 metre indoor airfield. Here, feather-light indoor models weighing only one to two grams share the limited airspace with powerful Depron self-built models and impeller jets – a fascinating contrast of extremes.
Tractors, trucks and tanks in RC format
From tractors and imposing cranes to powerful tracked vehicles and precisely controlled construction machinery – the gigantic truck model display in Hall A4 leaves nothing to be desired: We marvel at the manoeuvring skills of the true-to-life RC trucks with their multi-axle heavy-duty trailers at the model truck festival with courses on a scale of 1:8, 1:14.5 and 1:16.
Excavators shovel away the earth and bulldozers level it on the construction machinery course on a scale of 1:12, while heavy tanks, engineering equipment and transporters make their way through the military model course next door with true-to-life effects, sound and smoke. IG Militärmodelltechnik presents 110 years of vehicle technology – from the Mark 4 tank from 1917 to modern vehicles on a scale of 1:16.
Model manufacturer ScaleART is setting new standards this year with an impressive Unimog action area and the world premiere of the new MB-Trac 1800 Intercooler in Hall A4, Stand 4220. ScaleART will be demonstrating the legendary manoeuvrability of this all-rounder every day with live demonstrations in a specially prepared construction waste skip. The show will be complemented by a comprehensive special Unimog exhibition featuring the complete model range – from agricultural variants and the two-way Unimog to attachments and the famous Unimog ramp. The MB-Trac 1800 Intercooler, presented for the first time, is limited to only 190 units worldwide and will be exhibited alongside an original MB-Trac. Visitors will be able to experience first-hand the precision with which ScaleART has transferred the details from the original to the model.
Glittering winter landscape and night-time live shows
The “Freunde der Modellpistenraupen” are transforming an 80 m² show stage in the centre of Hall A4 into a glittering winter landscape with around 3,000 litres of artificial snow. A special highlight is a large, original snowmobile, which offers visitors an authentic experience they can touch and sit on. Visitors should definitely make a note of the live shows, which take place six times a day! The absolute highlight remains the spectacular night driving on Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. – a true experience that makes FASZINATION MODELLBAU Friedrichshafen the undisputed hotspot of the scene. The hall lighting is largely reduced, allowing the extensive lighting systems of the miniature vehicles to really come into their own.
Model railway highlights with all the big names in the industry
From impressive garden railways to large G gauge and the popular H0 and N gauges to delicate Z gauge – FASZINATION MODELLBAU Friedrichshafen 2025 presents the entire spectrum of the hobby in Halls A1 and A2 with 28 impressive model railway layouts. International exhibitors from Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Austria, France and Italy will transform the exhibition halls into a fascinating miniature world.
We are delighted to welcome all the major manufacturers in the industry, including Märklin, ROCO/Fleischmann, BRAWA, PIKO, Bemo, Tillig, Faller, Herpa and Viessmann. Special highlights await us at the anniversary exhibitions celebrating “100 years of the BR 01 express train locomotive” and “75 years of the DB new steam locomotive”. Nostalgics will get their money’s worth with the over 100-year-old US tinplate trains. And Hagen von Ortloff, the inventor and creator of the popular television series “Eisenbahn-Romantik” (Railway Romance), is coming back too! From Friday to Sunday, he will be signing autographs at his stand (Hall A1, Stand 1046) every day from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.
The BDEF Junior College Europe introduces children and young people to model railways at seven stations through free self-construction and play. Under guidance, they create small dioramas that they can take home with them free of charge. Attractive prizes are awarded daily to the best participants. Special children’s play areas and interactive stations will also cater for the younger visitors, while fairground enthusiasts can marvel at Thorsten Rodriguez Fernandez’s spectacular H0 fairground layout with 40 working rides and 25,000 figures worth €200,000.
Adrenaline and relaxation on the water
The impressive 400 m² water basin in Hall A5 invites visitors to relax and dream. Here, visitors can experience majestic container ships and detailed working vessels gliding leisurely past them. But there is also thrilling action in store: from exciting sailing boat regattas and fast-paced jet ski races to realistic sea rescue exercises.
A very special highlight remains the popular duck pushing, in which teams use their Ramborator push boats to try to manoeuvre the ducks into the opponent’s goal. The Neckarpiraten’s “shipyard for kids” invites visitors to build their own model ships: in 10-15 minutes, small masterpieces are created that can be tested immediately in the 4×3 metre mini water basin. Young ship model builders can once again obtain the coveted helmsman’s licence – a certificate that fills them with justified pride. After thorough instruction in steering and manoeuvring, it is awarded in a ceremony.
Scavenger hunt and hands-on activities
Equally popular with young visitors is the VTH scavenger hunt with numerous attractive prizes: tricky puzzles must be solved at the exhibitors’ stands in the exhibition halls. Those interested can obtain the questionnaire at the exhibition entrance and at the VTH stand. Prize draws will take place on Friday and Saturday at 4 p.m. and on Sunday at 3 p.m.
The whole world of plastic and cardboard model making
PMC-Bodensee, together with friendly clubs and individual exhibitors from the border triangle, invites you to a spectacular scene meeting in Hall A5. An absolute highlight is the special exhibition “70 Years of Plastic Model Making” by Norbert Ruhland from the Stuttgart Model Making Interest Group. The show “Dioramas – The World in Miniature” displays masterfully designed miniature worlds, both realistic and imaginative scenes. Live workshops demonstrate the secrets of diorama and landscape construction.
The special exhibition “Mercedes-Benz” celebrates several important anniversaries: 140 years of the Benz riding car, the 125th anniversary of Gottlieb Daimler’s death and 125 years of the Mercedes brand name. A real AMG Mercedes from the AMG Performance Centre in Lindau Weißensberg is a special attraction. For aviation fans, renowned sci-fi model builder Alex Kosyra will be presenting his spectacular illuminated spaceships in the exhibition “Aviation on a scale of 1:144”. IG Kartonmodellbau is offering free craft activities for children and young people aged nine and above. Under expert guidance, simple cardboard models will be created, and experienced model builders will be on hand to offer tips on all aspects of cardboard model building.
LEGO fan exhibition and Echtdampf-Hallentreffen
The legendary cult bricks take over the entire Hall A7 with world-famous buildings, entire city districts, lively streets and detailed scenes. It is a fascinating, colourful world created with extraordinary precision and boundless attention to detail – exclusively from LEGO bricks. ‘s numerous creative hands-on stations, visitors can become builders themselves.
Elegant locomotives and locomobiles move in miniature format across the world’s largest 5-inch and 7¼-inch track system through Halls B2 and B3 of the Friedrichshafen Exhibition Centre. The impressive rail network forms the pulsating heart of the Echtdampf-Hallentreffen with over 200 participants: more than 4,000 metres of track, together with a shunting yard, transfer table, points, turntable and loading terminal, create authentic and smooth train operations.
The walk-in track system offers visitors endless variety: lorries are loaded, containers unloaded, silos emptied and, above all, steam trains travel for miles to their heart’s content. Real steampunk magic is created when it hisses, steams, honks and whistles. For a small fee, the public can also ride on the steam trains and enjoy unforgettable rides on the field railways and narrow-gauge locomotives.
Pure action with RC cars, copters and airships
In Hall B1 at the German Open RC Car Masters, top drivers of 1:8 and 1:10 scale RC cars compete in thrilling duels for the podium places. Even between the spectacular races, there is pure action: shows with brand-new models and extraordinary highlights such as 1:5 large models, dragsters, RC motorcycles, sidecar bikes and impressive monster trucks ensure continuous excitement.
Things get completely crazy in Hall A6: even from a distance, you can hear the characteristic high-frequency whirring of the race copter as they race around the pylons at breathtaking speed in the FPV Drone Championship Final. Those looking for relaxation after this rush of speed will find it in the East Foyer, where remote-controlled airships glide majestically through the course of the Open International Competition F7B.
No problem at all: getting there and parking
The Faszination Modellbau exhibition grounds are located in the immediate vicinity of Friedrichshafen Airport and are easily accessible by all means of transport. Detailed information is available at:
https://www.faszination-modellbau.de/anreise-hallenplan/
Order tickets online now
To avoid waiting times on site, we recommend purchasing tickets online:
https://ticketshop.schall-messen.de/shop/tickets-fuer-die-faszination-modellbau-2025/
Address
Messe Friedrichshafen GmbH
Neue Messe 1
88046 Friedrichshafen
Opening hours (31 October to 2 November 2025)
Friday–Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Thank you for your reports and announcements.
Further information, royalty-free images and logos:
https://www.faszination-modellbau.de/presse
https://www.echtdampf-hallentreffen.de
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