Slingshot (Transformers)
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Slingshot is an incessant braggart, even when he's done absolutely nothing to brag about. He likes to take credit for the exploits of others, a thoroughly annoying habit that never fails to elicit animosity from his fellow Aerialbots. Most of the other Autobots are also aware of Slingshot's rotten personality and would prefer he removed himself from their struggle against the Decepticons. But, much to the surprise of almost everyone, Autobot leader Optimus Prime turns a blind optical sensor to Slingshot's faults, and instead is very supportive of him. Optimus Prime realizes, and he may be the only one who does, that Slingshot acts this way to disguise his own lack of confidence; he's the slowest and has the least range of all the Aerialbots and feels inferior as a result. Despite everything else, Slingshot is a loyal and hardworking soldier, qualities that Optimus Prime believes merit his understanding and trust.
Slingshot is a vertical take-off-and-landing (VTOL) aircraft, an AV-8B Harrier II, which means he can shoot straight up off the ground like a rocket and needs only a launching pad, not a long runway, to take off from and land upon. Although the slowest of the Aerialbots (his maximum speed is Mach 1.6) he's the most maneuverable. He can virtually turn, in mid-air, on the proverbial dime. His range is 800 miles. He is also the best sharpshooter of the Aerialbots; his twin mortar cannons can hit a highway stop sign six miles away. In robot mode, he uses with extreme accuracy a neutron rifle, which shoots packets of neutrons at two hundred rounds per second. A short barrage can level a city block. He combines with his fellow Aerialbots to form the giant robot combiner, known as Superion.
Slingshot's unorthodox method of flying takes its toll on his equipment; he requires 50% more maintenance than his fellow Aerialbots. Their dislike for him often results in their leaving him behind in dangerous situations to fend for himself.
[edit] Marvel Comics
Beachcomber, Blaster, Cosmos, Perceptor, Powerglide, Seaspray and Warpath were part of an Autobot team on Cybertron in the Earth year 1986. They battled the Decepticons lead by Straxus over the Space Bridge and the Autobots were stranded on Earth (Transformers #18).
They were then captured by Circuit Breaker and her Rapid Anti-Robot Attack Team, taken to her lab and then disceted (Transformers #21-22).
Circuit Breaker then captured Autobots Air Raid, Fireflight, Silverbolt, Skids, Skydive and Slingshot. Using the parts from all the captured Autobots she created a giant Autobot with herself in control, striking a deal with them that if they would co-operate she would let them go. Circuit Breaker then used them to oppose the Decepticon Battlechargers Runabout and Runamuck who were attacking the Statue of Liberty. After defeating the Decepticons with Circuit Breaker the Autobots were released (Transformers #23).
When Starscream returns to Earth after absorbing the powers of the Underbase, Silverbolt and his Aerialbots were amongst those in New York first to attack... and also amongst the first to fall in battle.
