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. Begad! Apogee supplies t' plans for all t' balsa parts and t' paper transitions and shrouds. Ya scallywag! All other supplies are t' responsibility o' t' builder.

T' construction o' t' Nike Hercules is extremely challenging. Ya scallywag! Blimey! 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. Arrr! Aye aye! Blimey! 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, me bucko, but durin' t' initial build I had no luck. 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Blimey! Kinda tough t' describe. Ahoy! Aye aye! Blimey! Basically take your time in t' construction and follow t' plans. It works fairly well.

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

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

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
Nice, challengin' rocket t' build and fly. Aye aye! I had a lot o' fun with it. Avast! Begad! Stagin' a cluster t' a single motor is a challenge, me bucko, worth t' effort.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5