This is a sport scale version o' t' Nike Hercules anti aircraft missile. Avast! Well, arrr, blow me down! 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! Avast! Apogee supplies t' plans for all t' balsa parts and t' paper transitions and shrouds. Arrr! All other supplies are t' responsibility o' t' builder.

T' construction o' t' Nike Hercules is extremely challenging. Ya scallywag! 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. Aye aye! 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, ya bilge rat, arrr, but durin' t' initial build I had no luck. Arrr! After a crash I be able t' rebuild it by addin' a thin plywood rin' t' t' paper collar before I attached it t' t' cluster tubes. Kinda tough t' describe. Begad! Basically take your time in t' construction and follow t' plans. Aye aye! 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. Ahoy! Arrr! You have t' add a significant amount o' nose weight t' get t' CP/CG relationship recommended in t' plans. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! I used clay and a couple small pieces o' lead. Avast! T' motors are all friction fitted.

Finishing:
Finishin' be simply usin' Elmer's Fill & Finish on t' balsa, 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. Begad! T' resultin' flights were nice, arrr, straight nose dives, but with soft ground both times, damage was limited t' t' stagin' coupler. Ahoy! Begad! T' third flight I used an Apogee stagin' ignitor with a B6-6 in t' sustainer. Ahoy! Ahoy! This time it worked perfectly, at least for staging. Well, blow me down! Begad! T' boost on this flight be very straight, me bucko, followed by a hesitation and sustainer ignition, also for a straight flight. Blimey! Ahoy! Ejection was just after apogee. Aye aye! Now t' problem. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! It seems that only 3 o' t' booster motors lit initially. Avast, me proud beauty! At staging, arrr, t' exhaust from t' sustainer lit t' fourth motor from t' front end, me hearties, causin' a nice fire exitin' forward. Begad! Well, blow me down! 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! Still an impressive flight.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5