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
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2020-04-07

Estes MRN Orbital Transport Laboratory Build, Part 1, Parts

Blog
Here's almost all of the parts - Interesting that the fins are cut from BFS-40 balsa stock, or 1/8" thick balsa. The dowel is 1/8" diameter. The Engine Hook (pictured above) won't be used because of the card stock nozzle. The the LL-2B launch lug seems long at 2 3/8". The first picture (above) was taken before I got the BMC-60AB Gemini Titan nose cone from BMS. This rocket has a short 5" body ... [More]

2020-04-06

Estes Lunar Scout #7290 Build, Finished

Blog
This was a fun build and something outside the norm. It would be a great first flight of the day model. I thought it was smart to integrate the launch rod holes into the center rings. I wonder if the landing pads slow down the featherweight descent? [More]

Estes MRN Orbital Transport Laboratory Build, Background

Blog
The Orbital Transport Laboratory was the June 1971 Design of the Month winner. Designed by Ted Nomura, and featured as Plan #73 in the Model Rocket News - Volume 11, Number 2. Ted Nomura still lives in Las Vegas and is a professional artist. He has drawn many comic book covers. From JimZs, here are the instructions: CLICK HERE This design was a game changer. It was probably the first design to ... [More]

2020-04-05

Estes Lunar Scout #7290 Build, Part 10, Decals

Blog
GOTCHA: There are no extras so set a small decal first. After you set the first decal, make a judgement call about beefing them up. These decals were very thin, the final clear coat could have been thicker. I'd recommend giving the decal sheet a coat of Micro Liquid Decal Film or a shot of clear acrylic before attempting a transfer onto the model. These three decals should be cut close to the ... [More]

2020-04-04

Launch! Schoolyard Soccer Field, April 3, 2020

Blog
Yesterday I went out for a "Lone Wolf" launch. I arrived at the soccer filed about 7:30 a.m. This might be my last launch before the "Stay At Home" orders go into effect. I thought the Orlando stay at home order was starting on Friday night. When I got back home I found out it started last night! Nobody questioned what I was doing, nobody was at the field. I have certainly been staying at home ... [More]

2020-04-03

Estes Lunar Scout #7290 Build, Part 9, Lining It Up & Radar Dish

Blog
The original face card picture shows the upper red rib of the fin through the gold triangle piece. This isn't necessary as the decal will cover up the red line. If I knew at the time, I would have filled this slot and the indentation wouldn't have shown through the decal. The radar dish and short launch lug antenna are glued onto the widest "I" piece with the tab at the bottom. Previously, I ... [More]

Odd'l Rockets G-16 Goony

Flight
A ventral fin cracked along the root edge, an easy fix. - Estes B6-4 - Schoolyard Soccer field [More]

Estes Gyroc Clone

Flight
There was a slow turn during boost. Ejection, vanes flipped and it spun fast enough to slow the descent. - Estes A8-3 - Schoolyard Soccer field [More]

Quest Viper

Flight
Recovery by a tie-dyed kite tail streamer. Body tube starting to show some creases. - Quest A6-4 - Schoolyard Soccer field [More]

Estes Super Alpha

Flight
Recovery under a spill-holed Odd'l parachute. - Estes B6-4 - Schoolyard Soccer field [More]

Excelsior Rocketry Honest Goon

Flight
This is a perfect small field or demo flyer. It's bulky and a bit heavy so it won't get too high. - Estes B6-4 - Schoolyard Soccer field [More]

2020-04-02

Estes Lunar Scout #7290 Build, Part 8, Details, Details, Details

Blog
Set the ring on the full size template in the instructions. Mark the leg/fin locations. The correct marking is important for the decal placement coming up. Lightly mark with a pencil. The top of the leg glue points were scraped. The inside of the triangle (Part G) pieces were scraped for better gluing. Use white glue to glue the pieces on. Yellow glue will leave yellow staining on the finished ... [More]

2020-04-01

Estes Lunar Scout #7290 Build, Part 7, Assembly

Blog
I was building two kits, here's two of the large rings stuck down for spraying with gloss white. This is the motor mount tube with the coupler/engine block glued in. Both parts had the final colors sprayed separately, then the gold tube was glued halfway in, up to the marked 3/8" line. Any paint in the support ring center holes was removed. Wrap a piece of 400 grit around a dowel or pen barrel ... [More]

2020-03-31

Estes Lunar Scout #7290 Build, Part 6, Gold Parts

Blog
Here's the gold parts on a piece of cardboard. They have already been spray painted gloss white. The pieces are held down to masking tap with the sticky side up. The landing pads needed some sanding after the first coat of gold. On the red legs, the raised center cross was sanded to remove the paint for a better glue bond. Here's a finished leg all red and gold parts glued together. [More]

2020-03-30

Estes Lunar Scout #7290 Build, Part 5, Fill, Primer & Paint

Blog
The engine mount tube seam was filled with CWF and sanded smooth. The red engine block seam was also filled. TIP: Don't glue the red coupler in yet, it'll be painted gold later. No gluing it in now will save you from masking it off. The red coupler was slipped in dry to get a shot of gray filler/primer. This picture shows the tubes after sanding the filler/primer leaving some in the seams and ... [More]

2020-03-15

Estes Curvlinear

Flight
Two launches - I thought I had loaded a B6-4, it seemed too low for a B. - A8-3 - L.A.S.E.R. Groveland, FL [More]

Estes Teros Upscale

Flight
This field was large enough to open up a bit. - E9-4 - L.A.S.E.R. Groveland, FL [More]

Quest Tomahawk SLCM

Flight
The intake scoop at the bottom always leads to some coning (wiggling) during boost. No damage on recovery. - B6-4 - L.A.S.E.R. Groveland, FL [More]

Franken Goblin (Scratch Design)

Flight
I've launched it a BP C6-5s before but today it got a composite upgrade. Check out the black smoke! Fast and high with a colorful kite tail streamer recovery. - C12-6 - L.A.S.E.R. Groveland, 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]