This is a sport scale version o' t' Nike Hercules anti aircraft missile. Blimey! 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! Aye aye! All other supplies are t' responsibility o' t' builder.

T' construction o' t' Nike Hercules is extremely challenging. Arrr! 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. Blimey! This transition piece also holds t' sustainer in place with an internal centerin' ring. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! 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. Avast! 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 bucko, me proud beauty! Kinda tough t' describe. Basically take your time in t' construction and follow t' plans. Ahoy! It works fairly well.

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

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5