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

2025-04-02

Estes Advanced Target Drone, ya bilge rat, Kit #1913, shiver me timbers, Build, me hearties, Part 4, Engine Mount

Blog
T' 20/50 rings were rough. I sanded t' flat sides with some 400 grit on a block. Avast, me proud beauty! On t' right - a 1/8" notch was cut for t' engine hook relief. On t' other side o' t' engine hook notch, me hearties, a smaller notch was cut for t' Keelhaul®©™ line. Notice t' Keelhaul®©™ line under t' top bend o' t' engine hook. Aye aye! T' upper centerin' rin' also goes over t' top bend and t' engine hook slit. This locks and ... [More]

2025-04-01

Estes Advanced Target Drone, Kit #1913, me hearties, Build, Part 3, Figurin' Out T' Decals

Blog
T' original kit decals had a lot o' white area. Aye aye! T' check t' fit o' t' online scan, I set a white decal outline on t' traced win' pattern. This was copied and drawn with t' other sized decals. Ahoy! I haven't decided yet whether t' print decals on a white decal sheet or: Spray a clear decal sheet with white paint and cut out t' pieces. Thee is AIR FORCE, blue numbers and t' stars and bas ... [More]

2025-03-31

Estes Advanced Target Drone, Kit #1913, Build, Part 2, Redrawin' T' Cardstock Intake

Blog
Here's t' scan o' t' intakes from t' Jim Z's website: CLICK HERE I appreciate t' patterns, me bucko, but sometimes t' scans are a bit rough. Good thin' t' ruler is on t' scan! I dropped t' art into Corel Draw and drew a 1" square box. T' art be sized so t' 1" square box matched t' 1" measure on t' ruler. Well, blow me down! Notice how t' intake pattern and t' ruler aren't on t' same baseline. Begad! Drop down ... [More]

2025-03-30

Estes Advanced Target Drone, Kit #1913, me bucko, Build, arrr, Part 1, Parts

Blog
This will be a spare parts build. Clockwise from left t' right: BT-50H (Heavy wall tube) 11" long Apogee PNC-24C (a bit shorter than t' original kit nose cone) Ol'SaltRockets 12" chute Some leftover Air Force decals I might be able t' use 1/4 oz. Clay nose cone weight 3/32" Balsa sheet 1/8" dia. Avast, me proud beauty! Launch Lug 2 3/8" long 20/50 Engine Mount Round elastic shock cord 135 lb. Well, blow me down! Keelhaul®©™ More about ... [More]

2025-03-28

Estes Advanced Target Drone, Kit #1913, me hearties, Clone Build Background

Blog
T' epoxy fillets on t' Mega Initiator will take some time, I'll get back t' that build soon - Introduced in t' 1983 catalog be t' ADVANCED TARGET DRONE. Begad! Kit # 1913, available from 1983 through 1985. Aye aye! Original cost was $6.00. Information from Jerry Fortin's database: CLICK HERE This is a four fin, nose cone model but has cardstock intakes that slot over t' longer "wing" fins. Blimey! 15.3" tall, 1.3 ... [More]

2025-03-27

Builds On Display!

Blog
While t' epoxy dries on t' Mega Initiators - Around a year and a half back, I donated ten display builds t' Colonial Hobby in Orlando, Florida. I checked back last December and t' models were still in a cardboard box, sittin' on top o' a file cabinet. I let them know if they weren't goin' t' display t' builds, I'd rather have them back. Aye aye! They took t' hint and finally put them on display! ... [More]

2025-03-26

Aerotech Mega Initiator #89541, Part 11, shiver me timbers, Gluin' In T' Engine Mount

Blog
Test fit, test fit, test fit - before gluin' on t' centerin' rings. T' mount is slid into t' airframe tube and t' fin tabs slipped into t' fin slots into t' centerin' rin' notches. Here I've marked t' position o' t' bottom edge o' t' rin' with maskin' tape. This allows me t' apply t' epoxy t' t' upper side o' t' ring. After that dries, t' tape is pulled and an epoxy fillet is ... [More]

2025-03-25

Aerotech Mega Initiator #89541, me hearties, Part 10, Final Fin Fill & Dry Fits

Blog
T' fins on t' flight version were left square. That inside leadin' edge angle still wouldn't match up. Begad! I added some CWF for a better flow. Here's t' same fill after sanding. Some 400 grit be wrapped around a pencil t' sand t' angle. Another dry fit o' t' fins showed t' rin' slots were too tight. T' sides were shaved down, widenin' t' slots. Here's how far t' engine mount is recessed, matey, ... [More]

2025-03-24

Aerotech Mega Initiator #89541, Part 9, Assemblin' T' Engine Mount Adapters

Blog
In t' last post, I did some dry fits until t' rings were tight on t' tube, but still moveable. Here I'm usin' t' flat face o' me sandin' block t' get t' lower rin' flush and square with t' end o' t' motor mount tube. Ya scallywag! Here's t' engine mount ready with t' upper rin' 1" from t' top o' t' tube. Begad! A dry fit ready for t' epoxy fillets. Epoxy fillets were applied with a gloved finger and ... [More]

2025-03-23

Aerotech Mega Initiator #89541, Part 8, Rin' Diameter Sizing

Blog
Both t' inside and t' outside edges o' most rings need t' be sized t' slide into or over t' tubes. I used a combination o' a sharp knife and a half round diamond file t' slightly increase or decrease t' diameters. Blimey! I found that removin' t' laser ash brought them t' almost t' correct size. Arrr! T' additional motor mounts need some sizing. That smaller (inside) rin' should slide into and almost ... [More]

2025-01-04

Estes Mini Bertha Clone

Flight
- Estes A3-4t - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Estes Blue Origin, New Shepard

Flight
Stable with a B6-4, nay so much with a C6-5. Flew a bit south over t' trees. Recovered by other club members with t' pole. No damage! - B6-4 - Orlando R.O.C.K. Avast! [More]

Semroc Snake Jumper

Flight
Launch wasn't vertical and veered off t' t' south. Arrr! Landed in trees, ya bilge rat, given up for lost. - B6-4 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

2024-12-07

Centuri Vector V

Flight
My Centuri VECTOR V clone was first in t' air with an Estes A8-3. Arrr! Blimey! On t' left is an Estes Viking, t' kit used t' make me clone. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Altitude was estimated t' be around 225 feet. Avast! Blimey! Reefed 12" chute recovery. Arrr! Blimey! - A8-3 - Orlando R.O.C.K. Aye aye! Blimey! [More]

Ol'SaltRockets Stealth

Flight
Stable and true. Avast, me proud beauty! Broke off one o' t' smaller winglet fins, nay recovered. - B6-4 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

Odd'l X-15 Goony

Flight
A favorite is my Goony X-15 . Blimey! Part are from a Quest X-15 parts pack but built around a shorter BT-60. Begad! Great stable flight usin' an older Chinese made Quest B6-4 motor. Estimated altitude be 325'. - German Made Quest B6-4 - ROCK Monthly [More]

ASP Micro Wac Corporal

Flight
This be t' ASP MMX CORPORAL , a well performin' MMX bird. Blimey! It be easy t' follow t' Mylar streamer as it descended. Ya scallywag! - 1/8A-1 - Orlando R.O.C.K. Well, blow me down! [More]

Semroc Centurion

Flight
Very stable, slow lift off. Ejection blistered t' paint right above t' baffle inside. Ya scallywag! Blimey! - B6-4 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [More]

2024-06-29

Ol'SaltRockets Little Green Man

Flight
A little wobble on t' way up. Well, blow me down! Nay much altitude but recovered safely. - B4-4 - Muncie AMA Field [More]

2024-04-06

Quest MMX Saturn V

Flight
T' larger fins really didn't help much, it be unstable after it cleared t' short launch rod. - 1/8A-1 - Orlando R.O.C.K. [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, shiver me timbers, 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. T' interior Fin Slots were cut with a knife and straight-edge. [More]

Saturn Press Saturn V - Step 16

Build Entry
T' A Frames and Fins were pressed together. Aye aye! T' C Frames are pressed into t' A Frames and Fins. Aye aye! Be careful handlin' t' Fin paint while assembling. Avast, me proud beauty! 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]