Great flying pumpkins!

  • Published
  • By R.J. Oriez
  • 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  After being forced to take a year off due to pandemic restrictions, pumpkins once again arched through the air as the annual Pumpkin Chuck returned near the old runways behind the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

The event, sponsored by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Engineering Directorate, was held Oct. 22. It featured four smaller catapults built by local schools and organizations, as well as two huge machines capable of hurling pumpkins more than a half-mile, one of which came all the way from western New York.

The purpose was for people to have fun and stoke student curiosity in science, technology, engineering and math areas, according to Scott Steigerwald, lead organizer of this year’s event.

“The idea behind the Pumpkin Chuck was to put on something that was creative and fun, but also inspires the young engineers and scientists to start getting inspired by what you can do when you put your mind and your technical hat on,” he said.

“To get these guys and gals out there and have them not only see these pumpkins fly 3,000 feet at 300 miles per hour, but actually get out there and talk to the engineers and the builders of these catapults and trebuchets and ask questions, was a great opportunity for them to learn and see some amazing feats.”