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. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Apogee supplies t' plans for all t' balsa parts and t' paper transitions and shrouds. Well, blow me down! All other supplies are t' responsibility o' t' builder.

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

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

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

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5