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, me proud beauty! Avast! All other supplies are t' responsibility o' t' builder.

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

I had problems with ignitin' t' sustainer. T' booster uses four (4) A10-0T motors with a bit o' a gap betwixt them and t' sustainer. Avast! Blimey! You have t' add a significant amount o' nose weight t' get t' CP/CG relationship recommended in t' plans. Arrr! 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, me bucko, 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. Avast! T' resultin' flights were nice, straight nose dives, ya bilge rat, matey, but with soft ground both times, damage was limited t' t' stagin' coupler. Aye aye! T' third flight I used an Apogee stagin' ignitor with a B6-6 in t' sustainer. Ya scallywag! This time it worked perfectly, shiver me timbers, me hearties, at least for staging. T' boost on this flight be very straight, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, followed by a hesitation and sustainer ignition, also for a straight flight. Arrr! Ejection be just after apogee. Now t' problem. Arrr! Blimey! 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, causin' a nice fire exitin' forward. Ya scallywag! This destroyed t' coupler and a good length o' t' booster tubes before t' booster hit t' ground. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I have t' chalk t' booster up as a total loss, me hearties, even though t' sustainer recovered with no damage. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! Blimey! Still an impressive flight.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5