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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2026-01-22

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]

2026-01-20

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 15, Tunnels, Feed Lines & Ullage Motors

Blog
Here's the mid section of my Dr. Zooch Saturn V build. You can see the half dowel feed lines and ullage motors. The older Estes kit also includes most of these details. Three 1/12" diameter dowels are included. All are warped, one much worse than the others. The straighter dowels will be used for the longer 5" tunnels. The badly warped dowel will be cut up for the short ullage motors and ... [More]

2026-01-19

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 14, Planning Ahead, Peel & Stick Fins

Blog
The instructions say to attach the wraps before painting the model. The lower body requires masking which could lift the wraps when removing the tape. I'll paint the over body white, mask and paint the lower black stripes, then add the printed wraps. Peel and stick fins are cut out and placed on both sides of the clear fins. These self-adhesive fins have faded over the years. I scanned and ... [More]

2026-01-18

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 13, Filling The Upper Body

Blog
The balsa shoulder on the nose cone wasn't sharp. CWF was brushed on just over the shoulder lip. While the filler is still wet, push it into the body tube and turn. This raises a bead of filler around the shoulder lip. Remove the nose cone. After the filler dries, the sides are sanded with 400 grit on a block. When this nose cone was machined, it had a slight dip in the sides. On the left, ... [More]

2026-01-17

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 12, Fitting The Fairings

Blog
Try as I might, I couldn't get those glue tabs fully under the former sides. Usually, I can figure it out and get a decent fit by the fourth try. I ended up with a mediocre fit on the sides of all four fairings. While the glue is drying, Try to get a straight line down the sides of the fairings. The sides will want to round out. I used my sharpened dowel to press and form a straight line. ... [More]

2026-01-16

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 11, Fitting The Fairings

Blog
Steam forming the fairing seems to make them stiffer and stronger. This is a dry fit of the fairing and clear fin. I wanted to be sure the root edge and fairing angle were close. While holding the fairings in place, trace around the fairing edge with pencil. Scrape off the filler/primer for the glue tab inside the fairing. After steaming the fairings round, the glue tabs needed to be re-folded ... [More]

2026-01-13

I'm Camping - So no posts!

Blog
I'll be camping with Dakota the Blue Merle Sheltie from Tuesday through Thursday. I won't have internet! Posts will resume on Friday the 16th. [More]

2026-01-12

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 10, Forming The Fairings

Blog
Start the cone form by rolling the fairing in the heel of your hand. Roll the dowel in an arc putting a slight curve into the cardstock. You'll have to take it slow or creases could form in the fairing cardstock. Continue tightening the arc curve over steam, then roll over the sharpened dowel again. Put some water over medium heat. Let the cardstock absorb some of the water vapor. Pinch ... [More]

2026-01-11

Estes Semi-Scale Saturn V, Kit #K-39, Part 9, Forming The Fairings

Blog
The instructions say to form the fin fairings by rolling them around a sharpened pencil. I sharpened a larger 5/8" dowel. I would think the pencil would be too narrow. I tried to "roll" a first test fairing (I printed extras) around the sharpened dowel. This is going to require some extra step for a smooth cone shape - folding the glue tabs first. The glue tabs are narrow. Trying to crease ... [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]

2025-06-07

New Way Letter Go

Flight
An older Chinese Quest B6-4 had a noisy boost with an altitude guess at 325 feet. The 12" parachute was large enough for recovery on the newly mowed field. - Quest Chinese B6-4 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Odd'l Rockets Robot

Flight
Boost was stable with a B6-4 motor, but at ejection the head popped off! The rear ejection worked fine, and the main body found. But, the head was lost. No C6-5 second launch today. - B6-4 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

ASP MMX Hawk

Flight
I asked for extra eyes to follow the descent but with the shiny streamer it was easy to track. - 1/8A-1 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Centuri Alien Encounter Flying Saucer 3/4 Size

Flight
It performed as advertised, turning over at apogee and landing on the spring wire legs. Space X has nothing on this 1976s kit! Boost was labored but straight up with a C6-3 in the tail. - C6-3 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

2025-05-17

Quest Intertruder

Flight
Some reviews say the boost can be squirrelly. Mine was straight and true to an estimated 350'. For half of the descent, the chute was caught up on on wing. It released and opened a hundred feet up. I was expecting some damage but it touched down with the fin dowels and toothpicks intact. - E B6-4 ... [More]

Semroc MMX Blue Bird Zero

Flight
I got lucky with the burst feature and caught the launch . MMX launches are quick! You can easily see a size difference when loaded next to other models on the rack. Boost was a loft to 50'. Streamer recovery with no damage. - 1/8A-1 [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]