1/5 Scale Nike Hercules

[beeblebrox]

The only photo to survive of my Nike Hercules. Bottom tubes 2.64" LOC tubes, upper tube 3.9" LOC tube, Nose custom turned balsa cone from Korey Kline - ACE Rockets. Flown at LDRS 1 with 4 F80's and 1 G62... A lesson in futility, NEVER EVER again use a mercury switch for staging... Upper stage flew below horizontal and started a field fire... With the modern altimeters and flight computers this could have worked...



The different paint patterns make for cool choices for models!

 

[sambatterman]

Interstage coupler first sanding and second filling.

 

[sambatterman]

After second fill and sanding on transition/interstage coupler. Almost there - one more cycle of fill and sanding should do it.

 

[dpower]

Looking good! It’s a bit heavier than my 4x24mm build.

 

[sambatterman]

I know it looks heavy - it's right on "schedule" weight-wise as to what I sim-ed on OpenRocket. Thanks for watching this thread and contributing.

 

[sambatterman]

Like any rocket builder, you want to see how big it’s going to be even if it’s only half way done…

 

[sambatterman]

Dry fit for the fin can. Check out the cool camera shroud from Additive Aerospace. This is rearward facing and there will be another forward facing on the sustainer.

 

[sambatterman]

Okay. Almost done with the booster. Third filling and sanding on the interstage adapter. I’ve also filled the underside lip of the adapter. Still needs sanding but getting close. The fincan should also be done by next weekend. Work on the sustainer begins soon.

 

[sambatterman]

Comparison in size of booster to sustainer(raw materials).

 

[flaperon]

Stunning! Liked and subscribed

 

[vahpr]

Cool build! I have a 1/3rd scale mostly done in cad, but as you guys know, this is a challenging model on several levels so I'm still undecided on some of the details. Easy prep at the field and modular construction are musts so this rocket has me doing some head scratching

Look forward to the flight and report!

 

[Mark aka FATMAN]

Like any rocket builder, you want to see how big it’s going to be even if it’s only half way done…
View attachment 505421

Awesome !!!

 

[Hobie1dog]

hoping to see a video one day of it.

 

[lowga]

The Nike Hercules is one of my favorite rocket, and your project is impressive. Well reasoned...cannot wait to see it fly.

 

[sambatterman]

Okay, it’s been a few weeks. I’ve been busy filling and sanding the fin can on the booster and it’s real close to a final sheet of fiberglass from fin root to fin root.


additionally, I’ve started working on the sustainer. It’s a 48” long 6” blue tube that’s fiberglassed. There are alignment rings that help the fins adhere to the body tube. The fins themselves are 48” long and the top portions adhere to the nose cone.

if you’re wondering, yes, there’s another tube that fits over this assembly with transitions that taper towards the aft to the booster and a section that tapers towards the nose cone. As I said earlier the booster has its structure interior and the sustainer is the opposite engineering problem.

 

[sambatterman]

Making good progress. The fin can is filled and sanded. Now just a few sheets of fiberglass to complete. I used a rubber strip to complete the lip of the transition shroud. I was worried about how it would finish and sand, but it turned out great and it sands and feathers perfectly. I used Super-fill to fill in imperfections. That’s the light blue color you see.


The sustainer now has the four main fins adhered to the body tube. They are mitered to alignment rings that surround the avionics bay located in the center of the tube. I’ll be putting fiberglass at the root of each fin this week.


Next up: upper transition ribs to the nose cone and working on the elevons behind the main fins. This has been a ton of work, but it’s starting to look like a Nike Hercules.

 

[sambatterman]

The forward to the nose cone strakes are in on the sustainer. They will be filled and shaped with foam and an outside skin will be fitted on top.

 

[JackC]

Looks like it's progressing nicely. How much do you think it will weigh when she's finished?

 

[sambatterman]

Between 70 and 90 pounds

 

[sambatterman]

With the forward strakes (ribs) in place for the transition towards the nosecone, I foamed the area and began to carve away the excess foam.

Here's the step-by-step process...and for the record, the small gaps won't matter, because this is used to fill the space before a blue tube skin is fitted on top for the final surface. Foam is perfect for this as it's fast, light weight, easy to work with and very forgiving.

 

[sambatterman]

First of four elevons glued up. There will be baseline support and a faux pivot point about 2” from the elevon tip.

The booster is mostly done with filling and sanding. Looking for a nice warm day to prime. Nice weather in PA is challenging right now.

 

[sambatterman]

I finished a 1/6 scale version this winter and hope to get it in the air this spring. Good luck with your build. Keep up the post.
Here is a photo of mine. 4 38mm cluster and a single 54mm in the sustainer. The electronics and recovery will be tricky but I believe I have it figured out.
View attachment 504409

What paint color, mfg did you use for the booster tubes?

 

[dbpeirce]

What paint color, mfg did you use for the booster tubes?

Krylon Ultra-Flat Olive.

 

[georgegassaway]

Nice projects, by everyone who is making one.

Here is a way to address the problem of the upper stage engine burning the top of the booster at staging. Use the equivalent of an ejection charge, to blow the two apart.

Then have the upper stage's electronics fire the ignitor for the upper stage about 1/2 second later.

Critical to put some sort of protective cup over the aft end of the motor to protect the ignitor and wiring during that "separation" charge firing. This also presumes the upper stage with an altimeter to fire ejection, rather than relying on the motor ejection charge, in case the upper motor does not ignite.

 

[sambatterman]

The finishing steps on the booster are continuing. Last sheets of fiberglass are applied fin root to fin root and there's still a little bit of filling and sanding left. I find it useful to examine the entire thing and mark with a sharpy places that might need attention.



Looking the other way...you can see the avionics bay that will house redundant MissileWorks altimeters to fire the tether pyro to cut the main chute open for the booster after it drops away from the sustainer under a drogue. I'm starting to gear up for the avionics bay in the sustainer. The ruby coupler you see in the above photo is the beginnings of that and it will be accessible through hatches on the side of the sustainer.



Speaking of the sustainer, lots of progress this week...elevons are glued up and the lower strakes for tapering from the main body to the booster shroud are in place. Still need to finish the faux pivots on the end of the elevons and build up the ribs across the middle of the sustainer. You can see the beginnings of the avionics bay access hatches in this picture (dry fitting). There will be three access hatches for dealing with 4 altimeters and 4 BP charge wells (2 front and 2 backward). There will be a hard point for main chute recovery facing forward with another tether. Yes, recovery for this is quite complicated.



Here's an elevon with the faux pivot point. Probably should have 3d printed it...

 

[dbpeirce]

Looking good!

 

[rfjustin]

Wow, great build! Thanks for the heavy pics!

 

[sambatterman]

Looking good!

When are you expecting to fly your 1/6 scale?

 

[dbpeirce]

When are you expecting to fly your 1/6 scale?

If my motors ever show up I’m shooting for June NXRS launch with OROC in June.

 

[sambatterman]

Okay - here comes the supporting ribs on the center section of the sustainer. These are 1/4" thick, 1" wide x 24" long. There will be a lot of stress laterally on the sustainer at apogee, so I don't want the thing to bend or stress out. Foam is next and that will complete the inner substructure of the sustainer.



Here's a view of the center section and its intersection with the strakes at the aft end of the sustainer. After foam, there will be a blue tube skin that fits over these strakes, ribs and foam and one last fillet against these large fins.



I couldn't help myself...had to see what the booster and sustainer look like together. Nose cone and canards are coming next week.