Comparison

Model Aircraft Magazine vs RCM&E

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Model Aircraft Magazine

This app delivers in-depth articles on model aircraft building, including kit reviews, historical pieces, and expert photography. It caters to scale modelers with detailed information and visuals, offering a unique resource for enthusiasts.

Highlights
  • Kit builds and conversions
  • Historical and reference articles
  • Expert photography
  • In-depth research
  • Scale modeling focus
  • Authoritative authors
Features
Read full description

Model Aircraft Magazine is first and foremost a modellers magazine, mixing kit builds and conversions with historical and reference pieces, but with the focus always on information and images that will be of use to those building in scale. Regular authors include military historian Anthony Tucker-Jones, Jack Herris, whose WWI articles couple in-depth research with a seemingly inexhaustible archive of historical photographs, aviation photo journalist Steve Palmer, and Robin Polderman, whose position on a Dutch F-16 squadron allow him global opportunities to exercise his considerable skills as a photographer. Modelling features have a wide pool of talent to draw on, accumulated over sixteen years with Scale Aviation Modeller International, and as Editor of both titles Gary Hatcher is able to collate and direct material as appropriate, and see that it is showcased in the best possible way. One regular article features the work of Trevor Pask, author of the best of the recent titles on building Airfix kits, and a modeller whose enthusiasm and commitment to each project he undertakes might be said to personify the hobby as many of us regard it. Anything goes on Trevor’s workbench, and unlike so many of us, he always finds a way to finish a kit. Currently no other magazine in the marketplace caters for the very real audience that Model Aircraft is designed to appeal to, and with other titles having changed their direction away from the historical/reference field, leaving a noticeable void, it offers a unique and essential read to the enthusiast. ---------------------------------------------- This is a free app download. Within the app users can purchase the current issue and back issues. Subscriptions are also available within the application. A subscription will start from the latest regular issue at the time of purchase. -The subscription will renew automatically unless cancelled more than 24 hours before the end of the current period. You will be charged for renewal within 24 hours of the end of the current period, for the same duration and at the current subscription rate for the product. -You may turn off the auto-renewal of subscriptions through your Account Settings, however you are not able to cancel the current subscription during its active period. -Payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase and any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when a subscription to that publication is purchased. -If a subscription offers a free trial, at the end of the trial period, you will be charged the full price of the subscription. You may cancel a subscription during its free trial period via the subscription settings on your iTunes account. This must be done 24 hours before the end of the subscription period to avoid being charged. Users can register for/ login to a pocketmags account in-app. This will protect their issues in the case of a lost device and allow browsing of purchases on multiple platforms. Existing pocketmags users can retrieve their purchases by logging into their account. We recommend loading the app for the first time in a wi-fi area so that all issue data is retrieved. If your app will not load past the splash page after a first install or an update, please delete and reinstall the app from the App Store Help and frequently asked questions can be accessed in-app and on pocketmags. If you have any problems at all please do not hesitate to contact us: help@pocketmags.com -------------------- You can find our privacy policy here: http://www.pocketmags.com/privacy.aspx You can find our terms and conditions here: http://www.pocketmags.com/terms.aspx

About

RCM&E

This app delivers the latest in radio control flying, featuring in-depth reviews, build articles, and expert columns. Access current and past issues of the leading UK model flying magazine, with free plans included in print editions.

Highlights
  • In-depth reviews of R/C models and electronics
  • Informative features and opinionated columns
  • Free plans with accompanying build articles
  • Access to current and back issues
  • User accounts for purchase protection
  • Multiple subscription options
Features
Read full description

Catering for all aspects of R/C flying, Radio Control Models and Electronics first appeared in May 1960 and is the biggest and best selling monthly model flying magazine in the United Kingdom with a large overseas readership. RCM&E has brought benchmark levels of writing and photography to the hobby and each issue has extensive reviews, informative features and opinionated columns from a number of well-known contributors. With every Print issue you'll find a high-quality free plan along with an accompanying build article. RCM&E publishes 13 great issues a year. ---------------------------------------------- This is a free app download. Within the app users can purchase the current issue and back issues. Subscriptions are also available within the application. A subscription will start from the latest regular issue at the time of purchase. -The subscription will renew automatically unless cancelled more than 24 hours before the end of the current period. You will be charged for renewal within 24 hours of the end of the current period, for the same duration and at the current subscription rate for the product. -You may turn off the auto-renewal of subscriptions through your Account Settings, however you are not able to cancel the current subscription during its active period. -Payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase and any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when a subscription to that publication is purchased. -If a subscription offers a free trial, at the end of the trial period, you will be charged the full price of the subscription. You may cancel a subscription during its free trial period via the subscription settings on your iTunes account. This must be done 24 hours before the end of the subscription period to avoid being charged. Users can register for/ login to a pocketmags account in-app. This will protect their issues in the case of a lost device and allow browsing of purchases on multiple platforms. Existing pocketmags users can retrieve their purchases by logging into their account. We recommend loading the app for the first time in a wi-fi area so that all issue data is retrieved. If your app will not load past the splash page after a first install or an update, please delete and reinstall the app from the App Store Help and frequently asked questions can be accessed in-app and on pocketmags. If you have any problems at all please do not hesitate to contact us: help@pocketmags.com -------------------- You can find our privacy policy here: http://www.pocketmags.com/privacy.aspx You can find our terms and conditions here: http://www.pocketmags.com/terms.aspx

Screenshots

Model Aircraft Magazine1 screens
RCM&E4 screens

Verdict

The call

Model Aircraft Magazine and RCM&E are too close to call on the numbers: across 10 compared parameters — price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Model Aircraft Magazine sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and RCM&E sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per 3 months. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Model Aircraft Magazine holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 25 and 14 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of Model Aircraft Magazine's written reviews are positive against 56% of RCM&E's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Model Aircraft Magazine ships an update every 7 months, RCM&E every 8 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Model Aircraft Magazine versus RCM&E: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterModel Aircraft MagazineRCM&E
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (25 ratings) — better4.6 (14 ratings)
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews56.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings25 — better14
Update frequencyEvery 7 months — betterEvery 8 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.211.2
Further details — not scored
Size34 MB25 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMA Publications LimitedMortons Media Group Ltd

Customer experience

Model Aircraft Magazine

All ratings25 ratings
Positive96.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative4.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%

RCM&E

All ratings14 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.1%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive56.3%
Neutral12.5%
Negative31.3%

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Model Aircraft Magazine

Subscriptions3
  • Model Aircraft auto-renewable subscription$2.991 Month
  • Model Aircraft auto-renewable subscription$22.996 Months
  • Model Aircraft auto-renewable subscription1 Month trial$39.991 Year
One-time7
  • MA Vol 15 Iss 3... (id:416966)$3.99
  • MA Vol 15 Iss 5... (id:416970)$3.99
  • MA Vol 15 Iss 7... (id:416974)$3.99
Show 4 more
  • MA Vol 15 Iss 9... (id:416978)$3.99
  • MA Vol 15 Iss 1... (id:416980)$3.99
  • MA Vol 15 Iss 1... (id:416982)$3.99
  • MA Vol 15 Iss 1... (id:416984)$3.99
10 purchases

RCM&E

Subscriptions3
  • RCM&E Auto-Renewable Subscription1 Month trial$12.993 Months
  • RCM&E Auto-Renewable Subscription1 Month trial$26.996 Months
  • RCM&E Auto-Renewable Subscription1 Month trial$36.991 Year
One-time7
  • April 2013 (id:738909)$4.99
  • March 2013 (id:736741)$4.99
  • Autumn Special ... (id:739560)$4.99
Show 4 more
  • Model Flying Wo... (id:749308)$4.99
  • Oct-16 (id:792353)$5.99
  • Nov-16 (id:792357)$5.99
  • Dec-16 (id:792359)$5.99

Questions

Is Model Aircraft Magazine free?
Model Aircraft Magazine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is RCM&E free?
RCM&E is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Model Aircraft Magazine or RCM&E?
Model Aircraft Magazine is rated higher. Model Aircraft Magazine averages 4.8 out of 5 from 25 ratings, while RCM&E averages 4.6 from 14 ratings.
Do Model Aircraft Magazine or RCM&E have ads?
Neither Model Aircraft Magazine nor RCM&E shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Model Aircraft Magazine or RCM&E?
Model Aircraft Magazine ships an update every 7 months, and RCM&E every 8 months. Most recently, Model Aircraft Magazine was updated on November 6, 2026 and RCM&E on November 6, 2026.

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