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. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! 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! Aye aye! 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. This transition piece also holds t' sustainer in place with an internal centerin' ring. Aye aye! 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. 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. Well, blow me down! Kinda tough t' describe. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Basically take your time in t' construction and follow t' plans. Aye aye! Blimey! It works fairly well.

I had problems with ignitin' t' sustainer. Well, blow me down! T' booster uses four (4) A10-0T motors with a bit o' a gap betwixt them and t' sustainer. You have t' add a significant amount o' nose weight t' get t' CP/CG relationship recommended in t' plans. Avast! Ya scallywag! 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, 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, shiver me timbers, but couldn't get it t' light. Avast! Blimey! T' resultin' flights were nice, straight nose dives, but with soft ground both times, arrr, damage was limited t' t' stagin' coupler. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' third flight I used an Apogee stagin' ignitor with a B6-6 in t' sustainer. Begad! Blimey! This time it worked perfectly, ya bilge rat, at least for staging. Well, arrr, blow me down! Blimey! T' boost on this flight was very straight, arrr, followed by a hesitation and sustainer ignition, shiver me timbers, also for a straight flight. Ejection was just after apogee. Arrr! Blimey! Now t' problem. It seems that only 3 o' t' booster motors lit initially. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Blimey! At staging, t' exhaust from t' sustainer lit t' fourth motor from t' front end, shiver me timbers, causin' a nice fire exitin' forward. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! This destroyed t' coupler and a good length o' t' booster tubes before t' booster hit t' ground. Aye aye! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! I have t' chalk t' booster up as a total loss, ya bilge rat, even though t' sustainer recovered with no damage. Begad! Blimey! Still an impressive flight.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

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

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5