This is a sport scale version o' t' Nike Hercules anti aircraft missile. Extremely challengin' t' build.  T' plans are available from Apogee Components.

Construction:

Booster is a cluster o' four (4) 13mm tubes stagin' through a transition piece t' a single 18mm sustainer. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! Apogee supplies t' plans for all t' balsa parts and t' paper transitions and shrouds. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! All other supplies are t' responsibility o' t' builder.

T' construction o' t' Nike Hercules is extremely challenging. Avast, me proud beauty! T' most difficult parts were maintainin' alignment o' t' extremely long fins on t' sustainer and t' construction o' t' paper transition from t' booster's square cluster t' t' sustainer's 18mm tube. Avast, me proud beauty! This transition piece also holds t' sustainer in place with an internal centerin' ring. I tried t' figure out a way t' use somethin' stronger than cardstock for this internal ring, but durin' t' initial build I had no luck. Begad! After a crash I was able t' rebuild it by addin' a thin plywood rin' t' t' paper collar before I attached it t' t' cluster tubes. Ahoy! Begad! Kinda tough t' describe. Basically take your time in t' construction and follow t' plans. Blimey! It works fairly well.

I had problems with ignitin' t' sustainer. Blimey! T' booster uses four (4) A10-0T motors with a bit o' a gap betwixt them and t' sustainer. Begad! You have t' add a significant amount o' nose weight t' get t' CP/CG relationship recommended in t' plans. Avast, me proud beauty! I used clay and a couple small pieces o' lead. T' motors are all friction fitted.

Finishing:
Finishin' was simply usin' Elmer's Fill & Finish on t' balsa, arrr, shiver me timbers, followed by a coat o' white Krylon paint.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
T' first two flights I used a B4-6 for t' sustainer, but couldn't get it t' light. Blimey! Blimey! T' resultin' flights were nice, me bucko, straight nose dives, but with soft ground both times, damage was limited t' t' stagin' coupler. Ahoy! Blimey! T' third flight I used an Apogee stagin' ignitor with a B6-6 in t' sustainer. Begad! Blimey! This time it worked perfectly, ya bilge rat, at least for staging. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' boost on this flight was very straight, ya bilge rat, followed by a hesitation and sustainer ignition, ya bilge rat, matey, also for a straight flight. Ejection was just after apogee. Now t' problem. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! It seems that only 3 o' t' booster motors lit initially. Avast! Blimey! At staging, me hearties, shiver me timbers, t' exhaust from t' sustainer lit t' fourth motor from t' front end, causin' a nice fire exitin' forward. Begad! Blimey! Ahoy! Blimey! This destroyed t' coupler and a good length o' t' booster tubes before t' booster hit t' ground. Begad! Blimey! I have t' chalk t' booster up as a total loss, even though t' sustainer recovered with no damage. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey! Still an impressive flight.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
Nice, challengin' rocket t' build and fly. Well, blow me down! I had a lot o' fun with it. Stagin' a cluster t' a single motor is a challenge, shiver me timbers, worth t' effort.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5