Despite their size, these remote-controlled aircraft are certainly not toys. In fact, most of the individuals who fly them are adults, some of whom are retired. However, kids can still enjoy the hobby, and the youngest Sky Knight is 11-year-old Alex Eib, of Bourbon, who attends the meetings with his dad.
While the Bremen Sky Knights may be serious hobbyists, their main objective is to simply relax and have fun while flying their airplanes.
Last Sunday, July 12 marked the third annual Corn and Sausage Fly-In, held at the Bob Unsicker farm on Fir Road south of Bremen. It wasn’t just the Sky Knights who were represented, however. Clubs from Winamac, Logansport, South Bend, Mishawaka, Elkhart and other towns were out on the field, flying their remote-control airplanes. Area vendors were also present.
There was no competition that day, just model plane enthusiasts having fun and enjoying one another’s company. Some of the planes were built from scratch, while others were what model plane hobbyists call ARF, or “Almost Ready to Fly.”
David Bice, of Bremen, has been with the Sky Knights for five or six years and is currently in his third year as president. His favorite planes, he said, are aerobatic planes, which can perform a long list of stunts, including but not limited to rolls, flips, various maneuvers and more.
“Airplanes will do things you wouldn’t even imagine they’d do,” he said.
Landowner Bob Unsicker is also an avid model plane flyer, and his interest goes back to childhood.
“The thing I enjoy the most is being around the people here,” he said.
Aside from model airplanes, however, Unsicker has also flown full-size airplanes and obtained his license in the 1950s.
Sky Knights secretary-treasurer Larry Hirstein, of Nappanee had five of his planes at the show Sunday. He and fellow member Dale Heuberger started the club in the 1960s. Initially they flew what he calls control line planes, which means they were on a string. However, as time wore on they decided to try remote-controlled models, and have been hooked ever since.
While the Sky Knights enjoy flying their model airplanes, it is not without its share of risks, mainly to the planes. For example, Hirstien recalled a time when he and Unsicker had a head-on collision over a field. Another time, he was flying an ARF model when one of the wings came off and the whole plane crashed to the ground and was irreparably damaged. Yet another time, a model that he had built from scratch crashed and a wing broke in half. This Hirstein was able to fix in about three hours and had it in the air again in no time.
Chuck Hamilton, of Bremen, a member of the Sky Raiders of South Bend, commented on the risk factor, or lack thereof, involved in model airplane flying.
"At the end of the day, if we're racing motorcycles and we crash, it's a ride in an ambulance," he said. "Here, we sit back and think what we can build next."
The Sky Knights meet the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m.
In the summertime, they meet at Unsicker’s field and fly their planes and just have fun.
In the wintertime, they meet at the Bremen Public Library.
They welcome new members and anyone who wants to learn more about building and flying model airplanes. In fact, there is almost always someone out flying their models at Unsicker’s field, and if the chain is down across the driveway, they said, visitors are welcome to come and watch. Hirstein makes it out several times a week, and sometimes more than once in a day.
Anyone can join as long as they have a serious interest. There is no strict age limit, so kids and teens can join as well.
Those who would like to know more about the Bremen Sky Knights can call Hirstein at 574-773-7554 or 574-596-0438 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .