The article discusses the most important facts from the history of the development of miniature aircraft engines and carries out their comparative analysis. Already in the 1930s, the structural system characteristic of model engines was established, which has hardly changed to this day. The following sections compare the various types of engines: two-stroke and four-stroke engines, spark-ignition engines, glow plug engines, engines with a push-pull cylinder arrangement, radial and in-line engines. The comparisons of the parameters and operational indicators of such engines presented in the tables allowed for the assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of individual engines, making several observations and drawing some more general conclusions.