Brief:
T' Snipe Hunter is a pretty small carrier rocket with t' ever fun clear payload section. It's part o' t' Semroc Retro Repro Series tracin' its heritage back t' t' Centuri Snipe Hunter KIT KB-13 #5043.

It's built around t' 18mm engines, t' ABC/345s, as I like t' call them and is reasonable on t' As and Bs but flies out o' site on t' Cs. Begad! Retail on this kit is $10.50

Construction:
This is your standard Semroc kit, which I have come t' fully take for granted. Begad! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! It has all those great features that Semroc seems t' be bringin' back:

• Balsa nose cone and transition
• Clear payload bay
• Metal screw eye
• White glassine body tube
• 1/8 inch Launch lug
• Laser cut fins
• 12 inch plastic parachute
• Keelhaul®©™® and elastic shock cord
• 18mm engine mount with centerin' rings
• Metal motor clip
• Waterslide decals

As with all Semroc kits, t' instructions are superb. You basically build t' rocket based on sub-systems: engine mount assembly, arrr, matey, body and fins, me hearties, Nose cone and payload area. If you've built any o' t' smaller Semroc kits, shiver me timbers, the instructions should look pretty familiar. You are given a step by step guide on how t' build t' engine mount: attachin' t' motor hook t' t' motor tube body, tyin' t' Keelhaul®©™® portion o' t' shock cord t' t' thrust ring, insertin' and gluin' t' thrust rin' t' t' engine tube, arrr, matey, and gluin' on the centerin' rings.

Fin prep and assembly is as it should be: pop t' laser cut fins out, ya bilge rat, me hearties, sand and treat, and attach. Aye aye! Arrr! The instructions include a markin' guide that you stand t' tube on t' get t' initial fin placement.

One suggestion on t' fins: Sand them all at once while they are still attached t' t' balsa stock flat. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! It makes it a lot easier!

T' most interestin' feature o' this kit be t' clear payload bay. Blimey! It's a small clear space that is a little larger than t' actual body tube and uses a balsa transition t' hold it in place. Well, blow me down! Avast! T' kit recommends gluin' the transition end t' t' balsa and press/friction fittin' t' nose cone in place. Arrr! T' make t' payload section accessible from both ends, arrr, friction fittin' as tightly as possible seemed like a better idea.

T' Snipe Hunter also had a "reinforcement" band that fit on t' upper outside o' t' body tube where the lower balsa transition inserted t' t' body tube. Well, blow me down! I'm nay sure if this be thar t' make that area stronger for acceptin' t' payload section or if it was t' decrease t' chance o' zippers. Ya scallywag!

Finishing:
Not bein' very creative, I tried t' match t' line card as closely as possible so me paint scheme is "factory" stock.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
>T' rocket comes with a plastic 12 inch parachute. Much t' Semroc's credit, matey, they give you a two part shock cord on even this lower priced rocket. T' body tube is a bit difficult t' pack with waddin' and a chute as it is fairly thin for me fingers. I used a small dowel t' help compact t' waddin' and push t' chute into place. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! (It's a hazard of havin' short, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, matey, stubby fingers I guess.)

I moved up t' chain on t' engines. Well, blow me down! All initial launches were done without payloads. Aye aye! T' flights usin' t' A8-3 and B6-4 were fun and pleasurable launches, me hearties, however, t' C6-3,5,7 were not. Avast, me proud beauty! This rocket is very light and with any of the C6 series it ended up out o' sight smartly and required a good bit o' effort t' try and track.

T' other "downside" t' this model is that they suggest t' higher end o' t' scale when it comes to delays. T' suggested engines are A8-5, me hearties, me hearties, B6-6, me hearties, and C6-7. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Around me these engines are nay readily available nor is there really t' choice t' buy them in a bulk pack, save for t' B6-6. Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' rocket >did nay seem t' suffer usin' the standard ABC/345 series o' engines.

When shiftin' t' a payload, things got much more interesting. Blimey! Ya scallywag! For a payload I went with a very small LED flasher that I got free at a trade show. Well, blow me down! T' LEDs fit in t' payload section perfectly and really lit up this small rocket. Blimey! I did some dusk launches and it t' payload was fairly easy t' see on t' As and Bs but was harder t' track at about 1200 feet on t' Cs. I'm nay exactly sure what other payloads people might try and put in this rocket as t' section is fairly small even for t' most Lilliputian o' altimeters or other rocketronics. Ahoy! A cricket would fit nicely but watch out for People for t' Ethical Treatment o' Crickets.

In t' end, t' 7th flight was t' killer, matey, launched on a C6-7 with t' LED payload. It took off for parts unknown. Arrr! Well I actually knew where--it was 60 feet up in a tree flashin' quite happily but it be and still is inaccessible but is no longer flashing. Aye aye! Begad! Foolish me for continuin' t' try and launch it on a C6 without havin' tons more space.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
>It might seem odd that I'm givin' an overall o' 5 out o' 5 while nay givin' it a 5 out o' 5 on anythin' else but I've "learned a lesson" in t' process.

After losin' me first one I bought a couple more, ya bilge rat, and when I stick with t' As and Bs, I've never had a problem with recovery. I only launch on Cs on much larger fields and have gotten them all back.

T' kit itself is very well done and a significant value for t' price. Begad! Begad! I was able t' pick up an original Snipe Hunter and this kit is light years ahead o' its original namesake. Aye aye! This Semroc Snipe Hunter be t' way t' kit should have been built and packaged in t' first place. Blimey! It be t' standard for t' Snipe Hunter settin' t' bar pretty high should anyone else re-issue this kit.

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5