Hans "Chris" Michielssen's Page

AKA: hcmbanjo
Location: Orlando, FL
Club Memberships: NAR
Favorite Rockets: Estes Goblin
Personal Home Page: www.oddlrockets.com
Club Home Page: www.R-O-C-K.org
RocketReviews.com Pages:
Rocket Gallery
Flight Log
Flight Statistics

2022-06-29

Out Of Round Tubes? Part 2

Blog
The middle of the tubes are rounder now. But, the last inches on each end are still a bit ovaled. Lightly squeeze the ends round. Hold the tube end round and again hold over the slow boiling water for a few seconds - Until you can feel the tube softening. Lift away from the steam while still holding the tube end round. When the tube cools it should hold the new round ... [More]

2022-06-28

Out Of Round Tubes? Part 1

Blog
Why take the time to fix a tube? This was an older, OOP kit. The older brown tubes feel stronger, they might have a smaller percentage of recycled fibers. I don't know! I thought it would be worth a try. Maybe you can fix an older out-of-round tube and assemble the kit using the original parts. Oh Boy! We've all been there - You buy a kit through Ebay. It ... [More]

2022-06-27

Rob Caswell's Jetliner

Blog
I've shown Rob Caswell's work before! This is a great kitbash of the Estes Jetliner. It reminds me a little of the Shrox Lexxjet. "I still need to throw a final clear coat on, but otherwise my modified Jetliner is done. I really should think up a new name for it, since 90% of the Jetliner’s parts were replaced and/or rekajiggered. And yes, it’s highly inspired by the Honda HA-420. Decals are ... [More]

2022-06-26

Smooth Launch Lug Fillets?

Blog
Fin fillets are pretty easy. Deep launch lug glue fillets are another story. Here's how the first wood glue pass looks after it has dried. You can see the air bubbles at the root. A second fillet pass and the bubbles are getting smaller. After that fillet has dried - Lightly run the back of a knife blade over the fillet and you might feel some dips. Add another fillet. ... [More]

2022-06-25

Odd'l Rockets F-18 Hornet Development & Build, Finished

Blog
This back shot better shows the black inside rudder wall. The engine hook was moved to the center top to make engine install and removal easier. The underside showing the dual jet tubes and new 3D missiles. Visually there is a lot going on. The nose with all the decals applied. [More]

2022-06-24

Odd'l Rockets F-18 Hornet Development & Build, Part 10, Decals & Canopy Gluing

Blog
The cockpit decal is placed first. The front end is placed 3/16" back from the front edge of the body tube. Dry set the stripes to get an idea of the angle needed. The top ends can set over the black in the cockpit decal a bit. The underside will cross over the decal line on the other side. After the decals are almost dry - Use a single edge razor blade to cut through both decal ... [More]

2022-06-23

Odd'l Rockets F-18 Hornet Development & Build, Part 9, Paint, Missiles & Trim

Blog
The entire model gets spray painted a light gray. No masking - unless you want the inside surfaces of the rudder fins to be black. A work-around is shown below. This shows the evolution of the wing missiles. On the left is an original Centuri Fighter Fleet missile. There is a molding bubble in the nose. On the right is the new 3D printed small nose cone and fin can slipped into a 1/8" diameter ... [More]

2022-06-22

Odd'l Rockets F-18 Hornet Development & Build, Part 8, Canopy Fitting

Blog
Take it slow when working with vacuform pieces. This applies to the vacuform parts in the Estes Saturn V, Saturn 1B and the Odd'l Fighter Jet canopies. An extra 10 minutes of careful cutting and sanding will lead to a great fit and strong body tube bond. The border of the canopy has to be cut off before fitting to the tube. To better see the recessed edge, draw around the ... [More]

2022-06-21

Odd'l Rockets F-18 Hornet Development & Build, Part 7, Nose Cone Tries?

Blog
At first, I tried to make a nose cone where the tip dropped down like the real jet. The shoulder base was sanded at an angle. With the new shoulder it required the inset base to be tapered. Here's a normal nose cone fit. And below with the dropped tip. This nose cone idea was cut. It took too much work to make it fit well. I had to assume some builders wouldn't be happy with ... [More]

2022-06-20

Odd'l Rockets F-18 Hornet Development & Build, Part 6, Those First Missiles

Blog
The first batches of F-16 kits had launch lugs for "missiles" a little like the Quest AS-1 Fighter Escort design. The F-104 Starfighter has carved dowel wing tanks. The F-18 Hornet missiles started as dowels with a rough carved tip. Draw a pencil line for a taper base. Rough carve the tip. Smooth out the tip by spinning it against sandpaper on a block. And here's how the first test flight ... [More]

2022-05-07

New Way Mini Square In The Air

Flight
A labored boost with a A3-4t motor to 75 feet. Engine eject with a spinning, flipping recovery. - Estes A3-4t - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Estes Delta Wedge Clone

Flight
Lower altitude than expected. Stable, not a full parachute at ejection. - A8-3 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

FlisKits Space Raider

Flight
Very stable but another unopened chute. - Estes B6-4 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Odd'l Rockets High Roller

Flight
At ejection the elastic shock cord broke! The nose cone and chute floated away, the main body landed without a dent. - Estes C6-5 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Cherokee Goon (Scratch Design)

Flight
Full chute deploy with no damage on recovery. - Estes B6-4 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

2022-03-05

ASP Ram

Flight
Very stable. Chute taped closed to act more like a streamer. - Estes A8-3 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

New Way Boxie Birdie

Flight
Stable, labored boost. Loud pop at ejection. - Estes A10-3t - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Finless (Centuri Plan)

Flight
Unstable - retired. Have had both stable and unstable flights from this design. - Estes B6-2 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Excelsior Rocketry Honest Goon

Flight
With the winds, the chute was taped shut to act like a streamer or closed umbrella. - Estes B6-4 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

2022-01-08

Semroc Centurion

Flight
The chute was taped shut for a close recovery. In this wind, an open 18" parachute would have drifted into the trees. - Estes B6-4 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

2015-04-19

Rockets By Style / Kit-Bash/Modified

Photograph

Hans "Chris" Michielssen's Orange (Q Cobalt Kitbash)

2014-11-09

Rockets By Style / Kit-Bash/Modified

Photograph

MX-774 Kitbash on an Estes A8-3. Bunnell Blast, November 8, 2014

2012-09-22

Saturn Press Saturn V - Step 17

Build Entry
The outside curved lines of the Engine Fairing Shrouds were cut from the cardstock with scissors. The interior Fin Slots were cut with a knife and straight-edge. [More]

Saturn Press Saturn V - Step 16

Build Entry
The A Frames and Fins were pressed together. The C Frames are pressed into the A Frames and Fins. Be careful handling the Fin paint while assembling. Silver or metallic paints are easy to dull with fingerprints. After all were assembled dry (no glue) I applied white glue to all the joints with ... [More]