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. T' B6-4 was just about right with an altitude o' 375'. - B6-4 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

2026-02-02

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

Blog
I usually have good results usin' t' Scotch tape masks. Nay this time! T' instructions said t' "use a very fine brush" t' paint t' areas where t' system tunnels are into t' black areas. Ahoy! I decided t' mask for t' black areas. Well, blow me down! Scotch tape was used for t' borders o' t' black areas. T' rest o' t' larger white areas were covered with brown tape and copy paper. I got paint bleeds ... [More]

2026-02-01

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, arrr, Part 27, Tunnels, Fairings & Ullage Motors

Blog
Paint was scraped off where t' glue would contact t' body. Tape held t' tunnel in place while t' glue dried. Begad! Use white glue which dries clear. Yellow glue would dry yellow. Aye aye! T' short ullage motors can be glued directly onto t' cardstock wrap. Ya scallywag! T' maskin' tape strip is a lower alignment line guide. Aye aye! T' longer feed line fairings need t' cut out recesses like t' longest system tunnels. ... [More]

2026-01-31

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 26, ya bilge rat, T' Long Tunnels

Blog
T' instructions show tunnel recesses cut into t' wraps. Begad! Notice t' top and bottom o' t' cut outs - they are square, arrr, t' dowel tunnel ends are tapered. I'll cut t' section ends t' same shape as t' dowel ends. Begad! T' 5" long tunnels were taped t' t' body and carefully cut around t' dowels. T' tape was placed betwixt t' wraps. Here is a closeup. I used a new, sharp blade tracin' around t' ... [More]

2026-01-30

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, matey, Kit #K-39, Part 25, Fairin' Wraps

Blog
Each #7 fairin' should be marked for positions and individually trimmed. Arrr! Center and press t' fairin' piece betwixt t' fins, notin' how t' outside edges but up against t' fin fairings. Even though I tried t' get straight sides on t' fairing, matey, t' conical shape flared out a bit. T' sides o' t' #7 pieces had t' be cut in a slight arc t' fit t' sides. On t' right shows how many narrow ... [More]

2026-01-29

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

Blog
T' backs o' t' body wraps got a shot o' adhesive spray while lightly held down on maskin' tape. Well, blow me down! Here's both sides o' t' upper body with t' wraps in place. Blimey! Turned around - T' upper #1 wrap was short and didn't match up. Avast! T' adapter wrap needed a cardstock "shim" around t' bottom for a better fit. Ya scallywag! This be t' back side o' t' wrap ready for a shot o' adhesive spray. Begad! I made a small patch out ... [More]

2026-01-28

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 23, matey, Silver Fairin' Paint

Blog
I used Scotch tape masks. Scotch tape isn't very flexible - so t' only way t' get t' curved line is t' set down a piece o' tape, me hearties, then draw an arc with a wide point Sharpie. Wipe off t' excess ink with a paper towel. Arrr! Cut a smooth arc thru t' middle o' t' ink line. Here I'm liftin' t' maskin' strip off me cuttin' glass. Ya scallywag! On t' left, t' Scotch tape mask is in place for t' silver spray. On ... [More]

2026-01-27

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, me hearties, Part 22, Fixin' T' Black Paint

Blog
I visually centered t' mask line betwixt t' fairings. But - two o' t' black edge ended up t' t' right o' center. I used an old trick - On t' left, me bucko, a fine point Sharpie was sued t' draw a new border line. Ya scallywag! On t' right, me bucko, t' white area was filled in with a wider point Sharpie. Perfect? No. Begad! But, arrr, it beats re-maskin' and sprayin' again. Here's how t' #7 wrap will ... [More]

2026-01-26

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, arrr, Part 21, Paintin' T' Lower Body

Blog
T' instructions imply that t' model is painted after t' wraps are glued on. T' maskin' tape could easily tear and lift t' paper wraps! I decided t' paint t' lower black rectangle roll patterns before gluin' on t' paper wraps. On t' left, arrr, t' white areas are masked off for t' black spray. On t' right, t' lower fairin' is masked for t' silver t' be added later. T' upper ... [More]

2026-01-25

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, matey, Kit #K-39, Part 20, Fittin' T' Wraps

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

2026-01-24

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 19, T' Structural Skirt

Blog
I had scanned and printed extras on 110 lb. stock. Good thin' I did! T' structural skirt is small and difficult t' cut out and form. It took three tries t' get a decent piece. Arrr! T' first try was cut out with scissors, that inside arc cut was too small. Begad! T' next two skirts were cut usin' a new blade knife. Aye aye! T' larger outside arc was cut with scissors. Any high points were rounded off with 400 ... [More]

2025-12-20

Centuri Alien Encounter Flyin' Saucer 3/4 Size

Flight
Just as advertised, arrr, at apogee it turned over and "floated" down landin' on t' wire legs. - C5-3 - ROAR, Christmas, arrr, 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. Well, blow me down! Shrew MMX

Flight
It is stable - t' about 40 feet. Aye aye! T' short MMX ejection fired before apogee. Arrr! T' narrow streamer slowed descent. - 1/8A-1 - ROAR, Christmas, FL [More]

Quest Striker AGM

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

2025-11-22

Estes LTV Scout

Flight
Boost was labored but true. Altitude was probably about 400'. I set t' build up with two chutes instead o' t' single one in t' kit. Aye aye! Both ejected and opened. Ahoy! At landing, ya bilge rat, two o' t' small fins popped off and were found nearby. Begad! - C6-5 - ROAR, Christmas, FL [More]

Centuri Skylab Clone

Flight
T' model be rigged for horizontal recovery but t' chute lines got tangled at ejection. One solar panel fin and one side booster broke off on landing. Arrr! Looks like an easy, me hearties, clean repair. Blimey! - C5-3 - ROAR, Christmas, FL [More]

Semroc Excalibur

Flight
First launch o' t' Semroc/Centuri EXCALIBUR with a B6-4. Begad! Arrow straight (obviously due t' t' six fibre fins) t' an estimated 400'. Blimey! No damage when picked up. Aye aye! - E B6-4 - ROAR, Christmas, FL [More]

Fliskits Saturn V MMX

Flight
Unstable! Probably got t' 8 feet in that loop. Ejection on t' ground and closest t' t' pad. - 1/8A-1 - ROAR, arrr, Christmas, FL [More]

Excelsior Rocketry Honest Goon

Flight
It's a bulky, heavy bird but always comes through. Ahoy! With t' C6-5 altitude be around 425'. Full chute and no damage. Avast! - C6-5 - ROAR, matey, 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. Begad! Bunnell Blast, November 8, 2014

2012-09-22

Saturn Press Saturn V - Step 17

Build Entry
T' outside curved lines o' t' Engine Fairin' Shrouds were cut from t' cardstock with scissors. Aye aye! Blimey! T' interior Fin Slots were cut with a cutlass and straight-edge. [More]

Saturn Press Saturn V - Step 16

Build Entry
T' A Frames and Fins were pressed together. Ya scallywag! T' C Frames are pressed into t' A Frames and Fins. Begad! Be careful handlin' t' Fin paint while assembling. Silver or metallic paints are easy t' dull with fingerprints. After all were assembled dry (no glue) I applied white glue t' all t' joints with ... [More]