This is a sport scale version o' t' Nike Hercules anti aircraft missile. Aye aye! 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. Well, blow me down! 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. Well, blow me down! 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! This transition piece also holds t' sustainer in place with an internal centerin' ring. Arrr! I tried t' figure out a way t' use somethin' stronger than cardstock for this internal ring, arrr, but durin' t' initial build I had no luck. Begad! 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, blow me down! Kinda tough t' describe. Basically take your time in t' construction and follow t' plans. Ya scallywag! 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. Aye aye! Aye aye! 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. Ya scallywag! Arrr! T' motors are all friction fitted.

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5