Flight

First flight for t' sniper came at a TORC regional five years ago.  For some reason I wasn't able t' find a D12-7 locally.  My local Hobby Lobby had two pegs full o' D12-0 motors, but no D12-7s, which seemed t' be like findin' jelly, but no peanut butter. Avast!  My second option be t' pick up a pack from me on-field vendor, shiver me timbers, me hearties, but he was also out.  I had a C11-7 and an E9-8 in me motor stash, me hearties, but neither had t' kind o' history that made me comfortable usin' them.  T' C11-7 came from t' same pack as t' one that destroyed me Maxi Mini Max t' first time back in February, me hearties, 2015. Begad!  T' E9-8 was from a pack that included t' motor that thoroughly killed me FSI Dart clone in 2013.  I went with t' C11-7 with no confidence whatsoever.  Turns out me lack o' confidence was well founded.  T' Sniper left t' pad lookin' great, much like t' Mega Mini Max had.  I actually got great lift off and climb out pics o' t' Sniper, ya bilge rat, and had started t' lower t' camera when t' C11-7 blew.  T' nose cone blew off and t' 1/4" elastic snapped like a string.  T' body tube fell t' t' ground while t' nose cone and chute recovered with t' wind t' t' right. Ya scallywag!  T' end o' t' body tube be discolored by t' blast, but that would wipe off. Blimey!  T' tri-fold had t' be replaced, arrr, but it would be ready t' next time I got t' chance t' fly on a field large enough.  

Hobby Lobby never did restock t' D12-7, arrr, ya bilge rat, so I'd eventually settled on a D12-5 for t' next flight.  This flight was in t' WSR beanfield in December, 2017.  It be a windy day, ya bilge rat, and I went with a smaller 12" chute for t' flight t' cut down on drift.  This time it actually completed t' flight, me hearties, ya bilge rat, arrr, windcockin' fairly severely t' t' right as it left t' pad, arrr, matey, which cut down on overall altitude.  Ejection came just as t' Sniper tipped over and t' rocket immediately began driftin' back across t' flightline before endin' up fairly deep in t' beans.  It be recovered without damage and t' next flight should be in t' cornfield with an Estes E12, arrr, which I'm lookin' forward t' greatly.