TLP Nike Hercules Build

The Nike Hercules has always been a favorite of mine. Not only is the design very appealing, but it also represents a time that I experienced as a child during the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis living in South Florida.

After patiently waiting for a kit manufacturer to offer this advanced and detailed model, the Launch Pad finally came through and produced a complete kit.

I ordered through Sirius Rocketry Online. Their service was impeccable, as I received the order on the second day! I want to add that this build was started a while back, and I am now posting what has already been completed. And I am leaving out alot of small details due to time constraints on my part.

This kit is a skill level 5, a Master Modeler Series at that! Man they were not kidding. Why AM I building THIS? As you can see on the picture there are plenty of tubes, balsa, dowels, fiber centering rings and lots of cardboard stock templates and transitions. The instructions are detailed. They recommend that you read the entire process a first before construction. A wise recommendation, as this build is very detailed, and a lot of awkward cardboard transitions have to be incorporated into the build.

I started by joining two 1.6 main tubes and gluing 4x 1/8"balsa strips. Then after marking and cutting the four boosters, I glued them to the main tube. The wooden strips provided a perfect fit and some structural reinforcement. About ten inches from the top is a centering ring with two metal washers epoxied to the main tube. This not only adds to the stability of the model, but also contains the parachute close to the nose cone.

Main motor tube houses one 29 mm motor. An Aerotech G40-10 is recommended, but after all the extra weight in modifications, ie fiberglass and fill, I will launch it on an H-180 AT White Lightning! I installed four fiber plugs on the booster that adds reinforcement. They are black and not depicted well in the picture.

Hi Rey !
Your build looks awesome !
cant wait to see it !

Ok this is where the build turned tricky. And yes the instructions do warn you that you WILL have difficulties with this step! The four into one transition is tight and fragile! It involves scoring the template with a ball point pen to facilitate the folding of the cardboard stock transition. Then gluing together. Then slipping a 3 inch fiber centering ring, then the odd shaped transition which was a pain. I then painted the cardboard with thin CA for strength.

Thanks Sergio!

I wasn't too impressed with the rigidity of the card stock transition and shrouds, so I pumped them up with some expandable foam. I drilled a hole through the fiber ring for access.

I went ahead and made more card stock transitions. These will be subsequently glued in place and filled with foam.

Instead of using the screw eye included with the kit, I substituted with a threaded coupling epoxied into the balsa nose cone and a threaded eye bolt. This way I can regulate the amount of weight that needs to be up front depending on which motor I chose to fly with. Rockets with large fin areas towards the front usually require some weight up front to maintain a stable Center of Pressure to Center of Gravity ratio.

The shroud on the booster end was a nightmare. The instructions warn you about being gentle - and that it will be a tight fit. Bingo! I ripped the card stock trying to install it over the booster. I Had to recut and add a small section of cardboard, then wrap it around the boosters and gluing it instead of installing over it. I tacked in place. I will go back and paint it with CA later after the fins are in place.

The completed shroud assembly, when finished, should be flush with the center main tube. Well it was off by about 1/2" too long. I was able to remove the shroud pieces and trim 1/4" off of each section by the centering rings. This provided a perfect fit for the nose cone.

Here is the completed sustainer and booster sections with all the card stock shrouds and nose cone in place. They were filled with foam and painted with CA. Extensive body work with wood filler and high solids primer will be needed to smooth out irregularities, and there are many! I just realized that Master Builder I am NOT! I'm just not as patient as I used to be. Drats!

Great! Please proceed!
op:
Jeff

The filling and sanding begins! I used a combination of Elmer's wood filler and Bondo. Sand. Followed by primer and more fillers. Repeat and repeat.

I finally glued the sustainer fins as well as the small forward fins and antenna by the nose cone. Its actually starting to look like a Nike Herc!

I have begun the fiber glassing process. I used 2 oz glass with 30 minute Finishing Resin.

Though far from painting the Herc yet. I like the paint scheme below. This Nike was recently restored, and sits at Nike Missile Site HM 69 at Everglades National Park in South Florida.

Looks fantastic so far! The Nike Hercules is a sweet looking rocket!

Reytech said:

I have begun the fiber glassing process. I used 2 oz glass with 30 minute Finishing Resin.

View attachment 127843​

Click to expand...

NJRick said:

Looks fantastic so far! The Nike Hercules is a sweet looking rocket!

Click to expand...

Thanks Rick!

I remember when the Nike Hercules was only available as a planpak from The Launch Pad... I built one. This is a nice kit, too badd they did not stick with the cluster design. I guess simpler is better for these complex mid-power builds. Nice work, looking forward to a range report and more pics.

DRAGON64 said:

I remember when the Nike Hercules was only available as a planpak from The Launch Pad... I built one. This is a nice kit, too badd they did not stick with the cluster design. I guess simpler is better for these complex mid-power builds. Nice work, looking forward to a range report and more pics.

Click to expand...

Thanks. More pics are on the way!

The booster fins are fabricated out of cardboard stock and a balsa skeleton. The fins were fiberglassed with 2 oz glass, painted with CA and sanded, and injected with foam for extra rigidity. Unfortunately the foam expanded more than I anticipated and they took on a deformed shape. On to Plan B.

Too cool! I just finished my first TLP kit, the BOLO. I think it was a skill level .35, but the price was right, and it was a good way to see what I was dealing with from the standpoint of parts and instructions.

Fishhead said:

Too cool! I just finished my first TLP kit, the BOLO. I think it was a skill level .35, but the price was right, and it was a good way to see what I was dealing with from the standpoint of parts and instructions.

Click to expand...

Yeah. They have very cool military kits for sure. Thanks.

Reytech said:

Yeah. They have very cool military kits for sure. Thanks.

Click to expand...

That picture of the restored Nike-Herc is great! Are there more close up??
Great job. I was amazed injecting foam in the shrouds did not deform them.

I know I am a TLP fanboy. But they make so many nice subjects.

Jeff,

I had some minor deformation on the lower shroud with the foam. I painted all the shrouds with thin CA first though. I had to be careful not to over do it on the top ones, and luckily I used just the right amount. They are rock solid!

I have more pics of the restored Herc on my website: https://www.reytech.org/Nike Tour/Nike Missile Site HM 69.htm.

Thanks
Rey

Looking good!

I liked your idea of foam for the shroud. Does this foam dry very hard and is it adhesive?

I have attached the only known pic of my Launch Pad Nike Hercules built from the Plan Pak.



At NSL 99, I got to meet the owner of The Launch Pad (guy in red hat) and I snapped this image... I forget who the the guy on the left is, but he built one wicked Bull Pup variant for that launch...



The Nike Hercules... the 10th wonder-of-the-world, second only to the Saturn V, the 9th wonder-of-the-world.

Thanks Mason.