1st TOC, Tournament of Champions 1974
In 1974, Bill Bennett, president of the Circus Circus Group in Las Vegas, launched the very first competition between the best F3A pilots of the time. The world’s best pilots were invited by the hotel. For the first time ever, prize money was offered. The […]

14. January 2026 Editor
Wolfgang Kosche`s KOGI
Today, I would like to introduce you to the aerobatic model of the 1972 German F3A Aerobatic Champion Wolfgang Kosche. The model was called ‘KOGI’. KOGI stands for ‘Kosche-Gilik’, the abbreviations of Wolfgang Kosche and Erich Gilik.

10. January 2026 Editor
Nachruf F3A Pilot Sergio Perugini
Andrea Perugini, son of former Italian F3A pilot Sergiu Perugini, contacted me a few days ago and sadly informed me that his father had passed away on 16 November 2025 at the ripe old age of 91.

30. December 2025 Editor
Mephisto
Harald Neckar, multiple Bavarian and German champion in model aerobatics in the 1970s, qualified for the first time in 1973 to participate in the Model Aerobatics World Championship in Gorizia, Italy.

29. December 2025 Editor
Franz Mayr’ s Pico 5
Franz Mayr from Augsburg was a top German F3A pilot in the 1980s. He designed and built his own F3A aerobatic aircraft back in 1973. He called it PICO.

10. December 2025 Editor

Tag: Tournament of Champions

1st TOC, Tournament of Champions 1974

14. January 202622. January 2026 Editor No comments

In 1974, Bill Bennett, president of the Circus Circus Group in Las Vegas, launched the very first competition between the best F3A pilots of the time. The world’s best pilots were invited by the hotel. For the first time ever, prize money was offered. The event was named the Tournament of Champions, or TOC for short.

Franz Mayr’ s Pico 5

10. December 202511. December 2025 Editor No comments

Franz Mayr from Augsburg was a top German F3A pilot in the 1980s. He designed and built his own F3A aerobatic aircraft back in 1973. He called it PICO.

Kaos construction report

11. March 202511. March 2025 Editor No comments

Years ago, our flying colleague Toni Bäuerle discovered the KAOS from the American Joe Bridi. No sooner said than done, it was easy to get the blueprint.

9th TOC, Tournament of Champions 1988

15. January 202512. January 2026 Editor No comments

DATELINE, LAS VEGAS, Nevada, November 10-13, 1988: The ninth edition of the International Tournament of Champions took place under the benevolent aegis of Circus Circus Enterprises at RC Model Airfield in the North Las Vegas Regional Park.

T.O.C. 1994

1. January 202511. January 2025 Editor No comments

The world’s best Aerobatic pilots compete for the largest purse! Norm Staub, an employee of the American model magazine Model Airplane News, was on site and wrote the report that appeared in the April 1995 issue. We are kindly allowed to use this old report, the MAN editor, Debora Cleghorn, has allowed us to use the article.

8th TOC, Tournament of Champions 1984

14. December 202412. January 2026 Editor No comments

The year is 1984. Bill Bennet had called again. For the eighth time, the Tournament of Champions was held in Las Vegas, USA. All the big-name pilots rushed there. Of course, everyone had brought a new competition-ready aircraft with them.

F3AX Neckartalcup 1982

8. January 20248. January 2024 Editor No comments

42 years ago, I organized the 2nd F3AX Neckartalcap with my team at the time. Most of the well-known German pilots were there, either to fly with us or just as onlookers. Everyone who was anybody was there. The entire German F3A national team was there, even Wolfgang Matt was there for a flying visit.

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