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:
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2026-11-08

E EAC Viper Upscale

Flight
EAC VIPER upscale housed in a BT-55 tube. The B6-4 was just about right with an altitude of 375'. - B6-4 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

2026-01-30

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 25, Fairing Wraps

Blog
Each #7 fairing should be marked for positions and individually trimmed. Center and press the fairing piece between the fins, noting how the outside edges but up against the fin fairings. Even though I tried to get straight sides on the fairing, the conical shape flared out a bit. The sides of the #7 pieces had to be cut in a slight arc to fit the sides. On the right shows how many narrow ... [More]

2026-01-29

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 24, Body Wraps

Blog
The backs of the body wraps got a shot of adhesive spray while lightly held down on masking tape. Here's both sides of the upper body with the wraps in place. Turned around - The upper #1 wrap was short and didn't match up. The adapter wrap needed a cardstock "shim" around the bottom for a better fit. This is the back side of the wrap ready for a shot of adhesive spray. I made a small patch out ... [More]

2026-01-28

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 23, Silver Fairing Paint

Blog
I used Scotch tape masks. Scotch tape isn't very flexible - so the only way to get the curved line is to set down a piece of tape, then draw an arc with a wide point Sharpie. Wipe off the excess ink with a paper towel. Cut a smooth arc thru the middle of the ink line. Here I'm lifting the masking strip off my cutting glass. On the left, the Scotch tape mask is in place for the silver spray. On ... [More]

2026-01-27

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 22, Fixing The Black Paint

Blog
I visually centered the mask line between the fairings. But - two of the black edge ended up to the right of center. I used an old trick - On the left, a fine point Sharpie was sued to draw a new border line. On the right, the white area was filled in with a wider point Sharpie. Perfect? No. But, it beats re-masking and spraying again. Here's how the #7 wrap will ... [More]

2026-01-26

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 21, Painting The Lower Body

Blog
The instructions imply that the model is painted after the wraps are glued on. The masking tape could easily tear and lift the paper wraps! I decided to paint the lower black rectangle roll patterns before gluing on the paper wraps. On the left, the white areas are masked off for the black spray. On the right, the lower fairing is masked for the silver to be added later. The upper ... [More]

2026-01-25

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 20, Fitting The Wraps

Blog
As usual, I scanned the wrap sheet to have some backups. The #1 wrap doesn't meet up around the short BT-52 tube! I did pre-paint the tube. I know that does add to the outside diameter and could effect the fit. But, wrap #4 does fit and the ends meet around the BT-60 main tube. This tube was also seam filled and painted white. The #2 wrap didn't match up when wrapped around the balsa ... [More]

2026-01-24

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 19, The Structural Skirt

Blog
I had scanned and printed extras on 110 lb. stock. Good thing I did! The structural skirt is small and difficult to cut out and form. It took three tries to get a decent piece. The first try was cut out with scissors, that inside arc cut was too small. The next two skirts were cut using a new blade knife. The larger outside arc was cut with scissors. Any high points were rounded off with 400 ... [More]

2026-01-23

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 18, The "Tower"

Blog
I'd recommend embossing fold lines before cutting out the tower. I used the tip of a non serrated butter knife and straightedge to "line" the folds. Form the tower into a box shape. Make the folds sharp. It takes very little glue to adhere the glue tab. Hold the joint firm with tweezers as the glue dries. The tower is slide down over the escape motor body. Next up - the structural skirt. [More]

2026-01-22

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 17, The Escape Motor

Blog
The escape motor is a 1/8" diameter launch lug. The extended tip is cut at the mid point, marked here with pencil. The cut is made with a razor saw. Slide and glue the launch lug over the lower half. The tip is glued in the upper end. Note I previously filled and painted the nose cone white. I figured it would be easier than filling the grain afterwards. Here's the assembly - The nose cone ... [More]

2026-01-21

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 16, Tunnels, Feed Lines & Ullage Motors

Blog
After shaping one end, The shorter ullage motor pieces were cut to length using a single edge razor blade. The Ullage motors are tapered on the front only. The backs are left square. The longer feed line fairings are tapered on both ends. Eight ullage motors and eight feed line fairings! The pieces are small - Store them until needed in a zip lock bag. Also cut two 5" lengths for the ... [More]

2025-12-20

Centuri Alien Encounter Flying Saucer 3/4 Size

Flight
Just as advertised, at apogee it turned over and "floated" down landing on the wire legs. - C5-3 - ROAR, Christmas, FL [More]

New Way Firecat 4

Flight
On dislodged fin at touch down - B6-4 - ROAR, Christmas, FL [More]

FlisKits M.A.C.M.E. Shrew MMX

Flight
It is stable - to about 40 feet. The short MMX ejection fired before apogee. The narrow streamer slowed descent. - 1/8A-1 - ROAR, Christmas, FL [More]

Quest Striker AGM

Flight
I reefed the chute for a faster descent which led to two fins broken off. The lower 2/3 of the fins didn't adhere well to the plastic tail cone. The smaller fairing fins were still securely glued to the body tube. - C6-5 [More]

2025-11-22

Estes LTV Scout

Flight
Boost was labored but true. Altitude was probably about 400'. I set the build up with two chutes instead of the single one in the kit. Both ejected and opened. At landing, two of the small fins popped off and were found nearby. - C6-5 - ROAR, Christmas, FL [More]

Centuri Skylab Clone

Flight
The model was rigged for horizontal recovery but the chute lines got tangled at ejection. One solar panel fin and one side booster broke off on landing. Looks like an easy, clean repair. - C5-3 - ROAR, Christmas, FL [More]

Semroc Excalibur

Flight
First launch of the Semroc/Centuri EXCALIBUR with a B6-4. Arrow straight (obviously due to the six fibre fins) to an estimated 400'. No damage when picked up. - E B6-4 - ROAR, Christmas, FL [More]

Fliskits Saturn V MMX

Flight
Unstable! Probably got to 8 feet in that loop. Ejection on the ground and closest to the pad. - 1/8A-1 - ROAR, Christmas, FL [More]

Excelsior Rocketry Honest Goon

Flight
It's a bulky, heavy bird but always comes through. With the C6-5 altitude was around 425'. Full chute and no damage. - C6-5 - ROAR, Christmas, FL [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]