This is a sport scale version o' t' Nike Hercules anti aircraft missile. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! 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. Begad! Apogee supplies t' plans for all t' balsa parts and t' paper transitions and shrouds. Aye aye! 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. Begad! This transition piece also holds t' sustainer in place with an internal centerin' ring. Avast! I tried t' figure out a way t' use somethin' stronger than cardstock for this internal ring, but durin' t' initial build I had no luck. 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. Aye aye! Kinda tough t' describe. Basically take your time in t' construction and follow t' plans. It works fairly well.

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

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

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5