3w modellmotoren
3W Modellmotoren (3W Professional GmbH) is a German manufacturer founded in 1985 in Hanau that designs, develops, and sells 2-stroke gasoline model aircraft engines (1- to 6-cylinder, 28-684 cm³), ready-to-fly airframes, accessories, spare parts, and UAV propulsion motors to competition pilots, hobbyists, and drone operators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersHanau, Germany
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What 3w modellmotoren does
3W Modellmotoren, legally operating as 3W Professional GmbH, is a German manufacturer founded in 1985 in Hanau that designs, develops, and produces 2-stroke gasoline model aircraft engines. Its product range spans 1-cylinder to multi-cylinder configurations (including 4-cylinder boxer and 5/6-cylinder radial designs) with displacements from 28 cm³ to 684 cm³, offered across 22 cylinder capacities in 47 designs. Differentiated variants include the Competition Series (CS) with an 11:1 compression ratio and Twin Spark (TS) dual-ignition versions for engines of 55 cm³ and above. The company also sells ready-to-fly model aircraft (R-T-F) including Grupp LIFT, Grupp Carbon Cub SS, VAN's RV-4, and Aviat Husky airframes, plus a comprehensive accessory and spare-parts ecosystem (500+ SKUs) including propellers, mufflers, exhaust manifolds, tanks, Teflon tubes, NGK CM-6 spark plugs, smoke oil, and 2-stroke oils.
The business operates a multi-channel go-to-market combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce (3w-modellmotoren.de), phone and email ordering, an authorized reseller network that requires application and verification, and a separate direct sales channel (3wprofessionalline.com) targeting UAV and enterprise drone customers with a dedicated motor series. Pricing follows unit-based, pay-as-you-go models: engines vary by configuration; R-T-F aircraft range from €1,650 to €5,500; spare parts range from €0.50 to €840.29; consumables and accessories sit between €15 and €40. All prices are ex-works in EUR with a €20 minimum order value, excluding VAT and freight. Revenue is generated from one-time product sales (engines, aircraft, accessories, spare parts, consumables) and a smaller stream of in-house repair and maintenance services conducted by appointment.
The company is privately held by the Weinhold family, with Kai, Peter, and Ute Weinhold serving as Managing Directors of 3W Professional GmbH since 2020. It holds German and US patents for Heavy-Fuel Engine (HFE) technology enabling kerosene operation (2009-2010), Patent no. 4408908 for a 3-cylinder radial engine with integrated planetary reducing gear (1995), and Europe/US patents for a proprietary silencer system (2002). Primary customers are competition aerobatic pilots and recreational hobbyists — including prominent TOC pilots such as Quique Somenzini and Steve Stricker — with a secondary UAV/professional segment served via the Professional Line.
3w modellmotoren firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 3w modellmotoren
- Legal name
- 3W Professional GmbH
- Website
- https://3w-modellmotoren.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- 3W Modellmotoren (3W Professional GmbH) is a German manufacturer founded in 1985 in Hanau that designs, develops, and sells 2-stroke gasoline model aircraft engines (1- to 6-cylinder, 28-684 cm³), ready-to-fly airframes, accessories, spare parts, and UAV propulsion motors to competition pilots, hobbyists, and drone operators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
3w modellmotoren industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Model Aircraft Engine Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Aircraft Engine and Engine Parts Manufacturing (336412), Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413)
- SIC
- Aircraft Engines & Engine Parts (3724), Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Engine Control, Fuel & Ignition Systems (FADEC/Accessories) (IMABADAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Aerospace Fuel System Components (Tanks, Lines, Valves) (IMABANAJ)
Keywords
Where 3w modellmotoren is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hanau
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
3w modellmotoren business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Engine Sales: Sale of 2-stroke model aircraft gasoline engines ranging from 1-cylinder to 4-cylinder configurations, displacement from 28ccm to 684ccm. Sold in standard and Competition Series (CS) variants. Also available as Twin Spark (TS) versions for engines 55ccm and above.
- Spare Parts Sales: Sale of individual spare parts for all engine models including cylinders, crankshafts, crankcases, carburettor kits, ignition systems, piston kits, gaskets, and more. Over 465 spare parts listed in the online catalog.
- Consumables and Accessories: Sale of accessories including propellers, mufflers, exhaust manifolds, tanks, Teflon tubes, spark plugs (NGK CM-6), smoke oil, two-stroke oil (mineral and synthetic).
- Ready-to-Fly Model Aircraft: Sale of ready-to-fly (R-T-F) model aircraft including Grupp LIFT, Grupp Carbon Cub SS, VAN's RV-4, and Aviat Husky models with wing spans between 2m and 3.90m.
- Repair and Maintenance Services: Engine repair and maintenance services offered by the company's in-house service team. Repairs conducted by prior appointment. Service and repair form required.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Spark plug - NGK CM-6 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Smoke oil - 1 canister |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Two-stroke oil - mineral-based |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Two-stroke oil - synthetic |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | R-T-F Model Aircraft - various |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Spare parts - various |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels2 records
3w modellmotoren product offering
Product offeringCore offering
3W Modellmotoren develops, designs, and manufactures 2-stroke gasoline model aircraft engines in Germany, offering a portfolio of 1-cylinder, 2-cylinder, and 4-cylinder configurations with displacements ranging from 28ccm to 684ccm, available in standard, Competition Series (CS), and Twin Spark (TS) variants. The company also sells ready-to-fly (R-T-F) model aircraft, engine accessories (propellers, mufflers, exhaust manifolds, fuel tanks, Teflon tubes), consumables (spark plugs, smoke oil, 2-stroke oils), a comprehensive spare-parts catalog, and in-house repair/maintenance services, with a separate Professional Line brand serving UAV/drone propulsion customers.
Product overview
3W Modellmotoren (3W Professional GmbH) is a German manufacturer of 2-stroke gasoline model aircraft engines, offering a comprehensive product portfolio centered on air-cooled gasoline engines ranging from 1-cylinder (28ccm+) to 4-cylinder configurations (up to 684ccm). The core product line consists of engine families organized by cylinder count (1-Zylinder, 2-Zylinder, 4-Zylinder) with performance variants including Competition Series (CS) for enhanced power output and Twin Spark (TS) technology for improved reliability. The company also manufactures and sells ready-to-fly (R-T-F) model aircraft, engine accessories (propellers, mufflers, exhaust manifolds, fuel tanks, teflon tubes), consumables (smoke oil, 2-stroke oils, spark plugs), and spare parts. A separate Professional Line addresses UAV/industrial drone customers. All products are developed and manufactured in Germany at the Hanau facility.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 1-Cylinder 2-Stroke Gasoline Model Aircraft Engines (1-Zylinder Motoren)
- 2-Cylinder 2-Stroke Gasoline Model Aircraft Engines (2-Zylinder Motoren)
- 4-Cylinder 2-Stroke Gasoline Model Aircraft Engines (4-Zylinder Motoren)
- Ready-to-Fly (R-T-F) Model Aircraft
- Warbirds / Scale Model Aircraft
- Propellers for Model Aircraft Engines
- Mufflers / Silencers (Schalldämpfer) for Model Engines
- Exhaust Manifolds (Auslasskrümmer)
- Fuel Tanks (Tank) for Model Aircraft
- Teflon Fuel Tubes (Teflonrohre) and Couplers
- NGK CM-6 Spark Plug (Spark NGK CM-6)
- Smoke Oil for Air Show Displays
- Mineral-Based 2-Stroke Oil
- Synthetic 2-Stroke Oil
- Spare Parts Catalog (Ersatzteile)
- Engine Repair and Maintenance Service
- 3W Professional Line — UAV Engine Series
Quantifiable outcome
- Compression ratio increased to 11:1 in Competition Series engines
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use 3w modellmotoren
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
3w modellmotoren technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
3w modellmotoren partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
3w modellmotoren competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- DLE Engines: DLE is a Chinese manufacturer of 2-stroke gasoline engines for large RC aircraft and UAVs. DLE directly competes with 3W in the same product category, serving competition and hobby pilots with similar displacement ranges and use cases.
- Desert Aircraft (DA) Engines: DA is a US-based manufacturer of large gasoline model aircraft engines, including competition-aerobatics and scale engines. DA is a direct competitor to 3W in the high-displacement, performance-oriented model engine segment used by top TOC pilots.
- Valach Motors: Valach (Slovakia) manufactures large-displacement gasoline engines for RC model aircraft, including 4- and 5-cylinder configurations targeting competition and scale pilots. Direct competitor in the high-end large-engine segment where 3W also operates.
- Kolm Engines: Kolm Engines (Sweden) produces high-performance 2-stroke gasoline engines for large model aircraft, particularly for competition aerobatics. Closely comparable to 3W's Competition Series in performance and target customer.
- RCGF Engines: RCGF is a Chinese manufacturer of gasoline model aircraft engines offering single and twin-cylinder configurations across a similar displacement range to 3W's entry-level and mid-tier offerings. Direct competitor in hobby-grade gasoline engines.
- Saito Engines: Saito (Japan) produces both 2-stroke gasoline and 4-stroke model aircraft engines. Comparable to 3W in targeting scale and competition pilots with high-quality Japanese-engineered engines, though Saito emphasizes 4-stroke where 3W focuses on 2-stroke.
- MVVS (Miroslav Vaverka): MVVS is a Czech manufacturer of large-displacement gasoline engines for model aircraft, historically known for high-performance competition engines. Direct competitor to 3W in the European large-engine segment.
- YS Engines (Yamada): YS (Japan) is known for high-performance 4-stroke model engines used in competition aerobatics. While technology type differs (4-stroke vs 3W's 2-stroke), they compete for the same premium competition pilot customer.
Broad incumbents
- Hacker Motor: Hacker Motor is a German manufacturer of brushless electric motors for RC models and UAVs. Comparable as a German-engineered propulsion provider for the model aircraft market, though serving the electric segment rather than gasoline.
- Horizon Hobby: Horizon Hobby is a major US-based distributor and OEM (Spektrum, E-flite, etc.) of RC hobby products. Comparable as a large, established player in the broader model aviation hobby ecosystem where 3W sells engines, R-T-F aircraft, and accessories.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
3w modellmotoren social profiles
Digital presence3w modellmotoren financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
3w modellmotoren leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
3w modellmotoren funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
3w modellmotoren M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about 3w modellmotoren
What does 3w modellmotoren do?
3W Modellmotoren develops, designs, and manufactures 2-stroke gasoline model aircraft engines in Germany, offering a portfolio of 1-cylinder, 2-cylinder, and 4-cylinder configurations with displacements ranging from 28ccm to 684ccm, available in standard, Competition Series (CS), and Twin Spark (TS) variants. The company also sells ready-to-fly (R-T-F) model aircraft, engine accessories (propellers, mufflers, exhaust manifolds, fuel tanks, Teflon tubes), consumables (spark plugs, smoke oil, 2-stroke oils), a comprehensive spare-parts catalog, and in-house repair/maintenance services, with a separate Professional Line brand serving UAV/drone propulsion customers.
Is 3w modellmotoren a public or private company?
3w modellmotoren is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was 3w modellmotoren founded?
3w modellmotoren was founded in 1985.
Where is 3w modellmotoren based?
3w modellmotoren is headquartered in Hanau, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does 3w modellmotoren make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Engine Sales are the primary driver. The others are spare Parts Sales, consumables and Accessories, ready-to-Fly Model Aircraft and repair and Maintenance Services.
Who are 3w modellmotoren's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are DLE Engines, Desert Aircraft (DA) Engines, Valach Motors, Kolm Engines, RCGF Engines, Saito Engines, MVVS (Miroslav Vaverka) and YS Engines (Yamada). Broad incumbents are Hacker Motor and Horizon Hobby.
Does 3w modellmotoren have an API?
No public API is recorded for 3w modellmotoren.
What industry is 3w modellmotoren in?
3w modellmotoren's product category is Model Aircraft Engine Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABADAK, Engine Control, Fuel & Ignition Systems (FADEC/Accessories), with a secondary code of IMABANAJ, Aerospace Fuel System Components (Tanks, Lines, Valves). Its NAICS code is 336412 and its SIC code is 3724.