It’s playfully referred to as Punkin Chunkin, and it’s an annual competition that sees an odd collection of contraptions and their passionate inventors convening in the Delaware farmlands to see who can toss a pumpkin the farthest. Machine names like Pumpkin Slayer and Roman Revenge are as interesting and quirky as their designs, but the technical expertise and physics involved in launching a pumpkin thousands of feet is
serious business.
Discovery Channel covers the competition each Fall, and I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to provide them with 3D models of the various contraptions over the last few years. These models get animated as line drawings to help explain how the machines work. Be sure to tune in on Thanksgiving to watch!