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Pumpkin Chunkin'

Story Created: Oct 5, 2010 at 1:57 PM EDT

Story Updated: Oct 12, 2010 at 11:18 AM EDT

Cambridge, VT (WPTZ) - It was like an ancient battlefield in Cambridge, Vermont on Sunday as dozens of medieval catapults lined up to launch pumpkins across a field.

"I wish I was back in that time period," said Nick Helms, who built his own trebuchet, which is a type of catapult. "It'd be a cool time to be in. Watching that pumpkin fly through the air, seeing it soar and then explode on the ground, it's just an amazing feeling."

A more modern version of the catapult was also on display.

The "American Chunker" is a giant, high powered pumpkin destroyer.

It launches pumpkins thousands of feet into the air.

"It probably comes out of the cannon at about 650 mph," said Brian Labrie, who built the machine. "This is fun, this is super fun. It doesn't get any better than this."

Labrie is hoping to break a world record for the furthest distance ever launched next month.

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