Full speed ahead at INTERMODELLBAU

The 520-square-metre water basin in Hall 3 is one of the trade fair’s highlights.

Hobby captains, naval enthusiasts and ship model builders have every reason to look forward to it: INTERMODELLBAU kicks off in Dortmund on 16 April. Preparations for one of the most popular attractions – the 520-square-metre water basin – begin several days in advance in Hall 3. Throughout the event, it becomes the stage for a varied daily program from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: demonstrations and hands-on activities alternate every 30 minutes, captivating visitors of all ages.

Dortmund, 31 March 2026 – From fishing boats and paddle steamers to submarines, yachts and sailing boats: during INTERMODELLBAU, everything that can sail takes to the water in Hall 3 – in miniature, of course. There are two special highlights for children: at 12:15 p.m., remote-controlled boats compete in water football. In addition, young visitors can take the helm themselves every day at 11:35 a.m., navigating a remote-controlled model ship across the large basin – and earn their model ship captain’s certificate.

Dieter Matysik, long-time president of the world association of ship model builders and the German umbrella organisation “nauticus e.V.”, as well as a member of SMC Oberhausen, is already in the midst of preparations for INTERMODELLBAU 2026. Around the water basin, numerous passionate model builders present their highly detailed creations – many of them travelling from abroad.

For example, a model builder from Sweden will showcase an icebreaker and two archipelago steamers in miniature. The originals operate between the typical small skerry islands along Sweden’s coastline. A club from Scotland will bring models of British naval vessels from the 1940s and 1950s to Dortmund. An exhibitor from Budapest, Hungary, will present ships of the Hungarian Danube flotilla and demonstrate how highly precise details can be created using 3D printing.

According to Matysik, one of the special attractions at the water basin is also the European Offshore Scale Models association from the Netherlands. Back in 2023, the group christened the impressive two-metre-high offshore wind platform “Victoria Mathias” at INTERMODELLBAU. This year, its members will once again present numerous offshore models on the water.

Students from the Neandertal Technical Vocational School in Mettmann will once again bring their 1:100 scale Titanic and will also launch a model of the Hamburg steamship “Schaarhörn” at a scale of 1:15. The MBV Hofstade from Belgium will present a water diorama covering around 30 square metres, focusing this year on the legendary Liberty ships. Also new is a model builder who will bring several ships in bottles and models encased in glass.

Dieter Matysik has one final tip: Hall 5, home to cardboard model builders – his second passion – will also have a maritime theme this year. There, Rainer Petruck will present a detailed replica of the historic “Schifferbörse”, created in collaboration with the German Inland Waterways Museum in Duisburg.

Thinking outside the box
After admiring the maritime models and dioramas, visitors are encouraged to explore further. INTERMODELLBAU brings together all areas of model building in one place – including railway modelling. Here, the detailed display layouts are among the main visitor attractions. They not only provide inspiration but also offer the perfect opportunity to exchange ideas about the shared hobby and the latest modelling techniques.

Among the confirmed layouts are two German premieres. One is presented by the Reviermodule e.V. association. As the name suggests, its members specialise in detailed depictions of railway and industrial landscapes from the Ruhr region and the Bergisches Land in H0 scale. At INTERMODELLBAU 2026, the club will present a new industrial model for the first time: a highly detailed ammonia plant. As with most of the club’s projects, the buildings and pathways were primarily constructed from architectural cardboard. “INTERMODELLBAU is the ideal place for us to present this model for the first time, and we will also be offering model-building workshops here,” explains chairman Michael von Schoenebeck.

Also on display in Germany for the first time is the layout by the Model Railroaders of Denmark. The club presents an installation featuring a detailed desert landscape combined with a large locomotive depot and service area, along with many other highlights. The layout measures an impressive 17 by 4.5 metres and depicts typical American scenery, including an extensive mountain range, a highway section, a rail yard and more. A wide variety of US trains are in operation – from the steam era to modern diesel traction.

The German Association of Railway Friends (BDEF) has once again attracted many of its members to Dortmund this year. Among them is the Modelspoorwegclub Spijkspoor from the Netherlands, which will present the “Stolberger Spitzkehre” layout in 0 gauge. The model is based on a 3.5 km stretch of track from Stolberg station near Aachen to the zinc works on the Münsterbusch plateau. A switchback was required to overcome the change in elevation. Many scenes on the layout are animated and can partly be activated by visitors.

In addition, Sebastian Litters will present his H0 layout. This display features a single-track branch line designed as a point-to-point system, including the stations Rotwangen (Berg) (fiddle yard), Ostewaal halt, the Basalt Works siding and Lauterthal (Wald) (fiddle yard). The central element is the siding serving the Leimbach brothers’ basalt works, which includes a fully functional loading facility with eight storage positions. Alongside extensive freight operations at the basalt works, the layout allows for varied train operations along the line.