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

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

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

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

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5