1/5 Scale Nike Hercules

[Duncan.Byers]

Hey Duncan - while it may be true that the sustainer is truly a Sears-Haack body, my experience building this Nike Hercules is that getting to true scale is about twice as expensive as Sport Scale. Unless you are 3D Printing the fuselage, I can't imagine the cost of that structure being cheaper than a three-body surface like what I did, Wedge Oldham did and @dbpierce did.
The lesson I learned is SCALE = EXPENSIVE. There are a number of other cons with SCALE too - like the chutes and drogues, but money runs out fast on something like this.
I wish you the very best.

I hope you didn't think it was criticism in any way. It was not. I was just curious as to 1) whether you had considered it and 2) thought you might know if there is a "right" answer to the shape of the sustainer.

I imagine it must be that cost does not scale linearly with size - I see exactly the same thing even with LPR - MPR. It's all the art of the possible, right? And I haven't (and honestly might not) ever built to the size and complexity that you HPR guys do. Again, fabulous work and I hope to see a great flight out of your Hercules when you get a launch window.

Best regards.

 

[sambatterman]

I hope you didn't think it was criticism in any way. It was not. I was just curious as to 1) whether you had considered it and 2) thought you might know if there is a "right" answer to the shape of the sustainer.

I imagine it must be that cost does not scale linearly with size - I see exactly the same thing even with LPR - MPR. It's all the art of the possible, right? And I haven't (and honestly might not) ever built to the size and complexity that you HPR guys do. Again, fabulous work and I hope to see a great flight out of your Hercules when you get a launch window.

Best regards.

Not upset at all. Thanks for your conversation. I had never heard of that fuselage name or concept.

 

[rocketaholic]

I'm glad you are doing this so I don't have to

http://nikehercules.com/

 

[dbpeirce]

And scale without guidance can be tricky to get stable!!! In the end I believe these things need to fly. Adjustments need to be made for safe stable flights. Otherwise, yes, you could just 3D print an exact replica, but it is gonna sit on your desk and never make it to the launch.
Im still working out the final details to do my very best to make sure mine flies and recovers safely. This one is tricky. I’m excited to see sambattermans fly, nervous to see mine fly, and super jacked up hearing that Wedge is working on a full scale project.

 

[Duncan.Byers]

As I mentioned (I think) I'm digging into a LPR version that I'm trying to make as close to scale as possible. Of course, as with anything we do, I might have to make adjustments that skew it out of exact scale but I'll post as I go through it. Thanks for the conversation; I appreciate it.

 

[sambatterman]

A quick update to everyone regarding the first flight of the Nike Hercules. In working with the MDRA (Maryland) Board of Directors, I will need to fly at the larger Higgs Farm launch site - this will probably occur in the late fall as crops are harvested. I'm still working on electronics and testing to make sure everything that can be tested on the ground is and I will continue to post about that here as well as posting finishing and final assembly.

In the meantime, I am starting another rocket: 1/2 Sport Scale Boeing ALCM AGM-86-A Cruise Missile. I've been wanting to do that model for over 20 years and it's time...

Thank you for your support and constructive comments.

 

[waltr]

Would like to see that fly. The build has been incredible.
Will not be down the MDRA until next year. Hope you get to fly then then also.

 

[vahpr]

Did this fly yet or will you at Red Glare?

 

[sambatterman]

Either Red Glare or NYPower

 

[vahpr]

Either Red Glare or NYPower

If you miss both of these, there's a nice big field at Potter, their June launch has been moved up 2 weeks this year, it's the weekend of 6/9. I hope I catch your flight at either MDRA or Potter, but hopefully you'll post pics and video here. Thanks for getting back, JerryO

 

[sambatterman]

Finally! Flying on August 12 at Mars -Geneseo, NY

Here's a picture of my son with the completed Nike Hercules - 1/5 sport scale. I will share pics and videos of the launch next weekend. Weather should be nice (but a bit humid). So excited to finally see it fly. Thanks to everyone who encouraged me along the way.

 

[Tim51]

Very cool! Best of luck with the flight. What's the motor?

 

[sambatterman]

Very cool! Best of luck with the flight. What's the motor?

L2200G - same as my ALCM flight back in May.

 

[pugachu]

Great Thread, now i want to build one of my own! Except i am thinking a 1/10 scale, i don't have the space for one like yours. I look forward to the liftoff shot!

 

[JohnnieWalker]

So epic, how did the launch go?

 

[sambatterman]

So epic, how did the launch go?

I have not launched it yet - there was bad weather at Mars in NY last August and my son was headed back to university the following week. Ran out of time last year to launch. Will need my son for support and help to launch so it will fly this year (hopefully) - most likely in the summer. Thanks for your question and support.