This is a sport scale version o' t' Nike Hercules anti aircraft missile. Arrr! 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. Well, blow me down! Avast! All other supplies are t' responsibility o' t' builder.

T' construction o' t' Nike Hercules is extremely challenging. Avast! 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. Begad! This transition piece also holds t' sustainer in place with an internal centerin' ring. Ya scallywag! Begad! I tried t' figure out a way t' use somethin' stronger than cardstock for this internal ring, ya bilge rat, but durin' t' initial build I had no luck. Ahoy! Blimey! 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. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Kinda tough t' describe. Aye aye! Blimey! Basically take your time in t' construction and follow t' plans. Blimey! It works fairly well.

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

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

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5