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

2026-02-13

Estes Time Warp Build, #7321, Part 1, Parts

Blog
A new mini-motor cluster rocket! I recently picked up a bunch 13mm motors. This model would be a good way to burn through some black powder. The Estes Time Warp has three BT-5s motor mount tubes (left side, in yellow) joined to a BT-55 (gray tube). A 55/50 adapter joins to a heavy walled BT-50 (unusual) and finally the gray nose cone. The parts of interest: Mentioned earlier, a heavy wall ... [More]

2026-02-10

No Posts? I'm Camping!

Blog
Sorry, no posts for the next three days. I'm going camping with Dakota the Blue Merle Sheltie. A new build will start on Friday, February 13. [More]

2026-02-09

New Hole Punch

Blog
I just got a new hole punch. The punches get dull after a few years of use and it's hard to find replacement parts that fit. This is heavier duty and replacement hole punch tubes are included! Also in the box: A wrench to tighten or change the cutting tubes and a 6" long metal ruler. To see it, CLICK HERE For $13.99 it's probably the best available. Centering Rings: I use hole ... [More]

2026-02-08

Comparing The Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V with the Dr. Zooch Saturn V, Part 2

Blog
The tail end - Those clear fins on the Estes Saturn have a tendency to pop off on a hard landing. The balsa fins on the Zooch Saturn V are much larger. No clear fins needed. The back end of the Estes Saturn V, empty fairings and those clear fins. The tail of the Dr. Zooch Saturn V. The fairing wraps are much stronger, glued onto conical wedges cut from a BT-20. The F-1 engines are formed ... [More]

2026-02-07

Comparing The Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V with the Dr. Zooch Saturn V, Part 1

Blog
In all these pictures - The Estes Semi-scale Saturn V is on the left, the Dr. Zooch Saturn V is on the right. The Estes model weighs 2 ozs. The Dr. Zooch Saturn weights 2.4 ozs., there is 1/2 oz. preinstalled n the nose section. Both are about the same height, The Estes Saturn has the clear fins that extend below the body. The Dr. Zooch Saturn has cardstock engine bells that extend below ... [More]

2026-02-06

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Finished

Blog
The low points: I screwed up the black mask on the long tunnels. The clear fins didn't fit the fairings. The #1 wrap was short! Lifting a mask tore a small area of a wrap. The high points: It's a challenge to build an older kit. I was happy with the finished look of all the tunnels. The nose cone came out well - the folded tower and skirt fit! Mentioned earlier - This was ... [More]

2026-02-05

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 31, Loose Ends & Edges

Blog
The original kit screw was small and tarnished with age. I switched out a new, larger one. The instructions have you glue the long launch lug 1/4" to the right of the lower white/black mask below. There is a problem - At 1/4" spacing, it puts the lug over the side of the fin fairing. Look close at the left side picture, you'll see two pencil lines. I glued the lug at the 3/16" ... [More]

2026-02-04

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 30, The Paper Fin Overlays

Blog
The original kit fin stickers had faded and weren't usable. I re-drew them in Corel Draw. These were printed on peel and stick paper. Simply cut out and stick on one side of the clear fins. Set them in place held on the tip of your knife. The root edge side of the stickers extended beyond the clear fin gap. I lucked out - the gray I picked printed up a close match to the silver paint. Another ... [More]

2026-02-03

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 29, The Clear Fins

Blog
I remember attaching clear plastic fins on the old Thor Agena B and Gemini Titan kits. They were never a strong hold, often popping off at the root edge on landing. The instructions call for clear dope to attach the fins. With the way this build is going, I'm not ordering any expensive "adhesive". Beacon Fabri-Tac has acetone and should be able to hold tight enough. A bead of Fabri-tac was ... [More]

2026-02-02

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 28, Oops! I Screwed Up!

Blog
I usually have good results using the Scotch tape masks. Not this time! The instructions said to "use a very fine brush" to paint the areas where the system tunnels are into the black areas. I decided to mask for the black areas. Scotch tape was used for the borders of the black areas. The rest of the larger white areas were covered with brown tape and copy paper. I got paint bleeds ... [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]

2025-11-08

Odd'l X-15 Goony

Flight
Textbook flight with an easy recovery. I only had four launches and wanted to get my new dog cooled off! All recovered, no damages. - B6-4 [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]