Retired Pumpkins Launched Out to Pasture
Bazookas, cannons, catapults, even trebuchets... choose your weapon
By JONATHAN LLOYD
Updated 4:25 PM PST, Wed, Nov 4, 2009
Option No. 1 when it comes to post-Halloween pumpkins should always involve explosives.
If explosives are unavailable, some type of catapult system or high-powered pumpkin cannon will do.
Let the Jack-o-Lantern launching begin Wednesday in Upland.
It's all in the name of higher and farther learning. About 150 Upland High School students are participating in a science project that pits dozens of contraptions against each other in the Super Bowl of gourd launching.
First launch was scheduled for 9:30 a.m.
The Upland launch comes on the heels of an event in Fullerton. That science-experiment-gone-gourd provided a few things to consider.
First, if college engineering students built the launcher, it's probably capable of causing damage. Second, point the launcher away from crowds, buildings and -- in this case -- the scoreboard at Cal State Fullerton's football field. Third, never underestimate your pumpkin cannon.
The scoreboard was damaged when it was blasted by the engineering students' stem-guided missile. Witnesses said the orange projectile flew 120 yards -- yes, a football field and then some.
The cannon was aimed at plywood targets. Those targets were only 50 yards away.
"The scoreboard is fine... it works... it was a small hole," an official told The Orange County Register.
First Published: Nov 4, 2009 10:45 AM PST
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