AMERICAN CHUNKER INC

Team's "Offensive Coordinator" Gets Recognized

2012-01-14T17:03:00.004-05:00

The crew of the American Chunker would like to formerly recognize the team's "Offensive Coordinator" Pete Colantonio for his efforts in successfully designing and implementing both his internal and external ballistics simulators this past season into the teams strategy. Pete has been instrumental in the current success of team American Chunker. Pete designed and developed a one of a kind program that proved to be accurate within 4 ft on game day. We can't go into detail on the programs specifics but let's just say when Charlie the Pit Boss asked for an approximate distance so he could place his spotters, Pete was accurate within 4ft 2 days in a row! Just ask Charlie, he couldn't believe it. So we humbly give credit where credit is due! Pete's tireless calculations paid off and will continue to in 2012! Thanks Pete - This Bud's for you!

Team American Chunker is proud to announce Matt Gross will be working with the crew in 2012

2012-01-03T10:31:00.005-05:00

Matt Gross

Born 1979 , Nashua NH

Studied building construction thru both high school and college. Graduated college in 1999 with an associates degree in Building Construction Technology.

At age 15 started working for the local lumberyard/ homecenter in Sunapee NH. Now at 32, Matt is a certified building material specialist as well as the current store Manager.

In 2000, Matt joined the local volunteer Fire dept, volunteering in his spare time. Thru many years and trainings, Matt is currently a NH certified level 2 firefighter, president of the fire association and Serving as Captain on Engine Co.1.

Matt has a wide array of interests that include, woodworking, welding/fabrication, automotive, snowmobiling, camping, road trips, and Punkin Chunkin.

Matt is an asset to this club, he is helpful beyond words and pays careful attention to detail. We are blessed to have him working with us in 2012. Welcome aboard Matt.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER

2011-12-31T09:26:00.004-05:00

Well, now that 2011 is in the books and the Holidays are behind us we can finally look forward to the 2012 Punkin Chunkin season. 2011 taught Team American Chunker some valuable lessons - While fewer mistakes were made this past year than in 2010, execution was still not perfect. With some hard work and continued determination Team American Chunker stands a very good chance of capturing that coveted first place spot!

Look for some new team Bio's to be posted soon as the crew has grown a bit larger once again! There are a couple of major announcements that will also be made soon too. Stay tuned......

Happy New year!

A 4325 FOOT SHOT LANDS TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER IN THE EXCLUSIVE 4000 FT CLUB

2011-12-21T15:21:00.005-05:00

ON THE 3RD DAY OF THE 2011 COMPETITION A MONSTER BOMB OF 4325 FT (THE 5TH LONGEST SHOT IN EVENT HISTORY) LANDED TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER IN PUNKIN CHUNKINS MOST ELITE GROUP - THE 4000 FOOT CLUB!

LOOK FOR THE NEWLY CUSTOMIZED DESIGN ON THE TEAM UNIFORMS AND CANNON IN 2012.

RED, WHITE AND BLUE - RIGHT DOWN TO THE CUSTOM GRAPHICS!

THE NUMBERS ARE IN FOR THE 2011 CHUNK

2011-11-08T20:30:00.004-05:00

TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER JUST MISSED FIRST PLACE BY 48 INCHES. THE CREW GOT CAUGHT IN ANOTHER ALL OUT SLUG FEST THIS PAST WEEKEND. YOUNG GLORY III AND SECOND AMENDMENT TOO PUT UP A FIERCE BATTLE.
SECOND AMENDMENT TOO EDGED OUT AMERICAN CHUNKER BY INCHES - LITERALLY VICTORY WAS IN ARMS REACH. THE TEAM AND GUN PERFORMED FLAWLESSLY - WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF LUCK ON SUNDAY. HAT'S OFF TO RAY OF SECOND AMENDMENT TOO- JOB WELL DONE AND HE DESERVED TO WIN AND WE ARE TRULY HAPPY FOR HIM AND HIS CREW! WE HAD THE FIFTH LONGEST SHOT IN PUNKIN CHUNKIN HISTORY AT 4325 FT. NEXT YEAR WE WILL HAVE THE LONGEST SHOT THE CHUNK HAS EVER SEEN - GUARANTEED! WE'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK JOHN HUBER AND THE ENTIRE WCPCA STAFF FOR ALL THEY DO FOR ALL OF US - WITHOUT THEM WE DON'T EXIST. MOST IMPORTANTLY WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK ALL OF OUR FANS TO KEEP DAN FAIR IN PRAYER FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND WE WISH HIM AND HIS FAMILY WELL. DAN WAS INJURED ON THE JOB WHILE SPOTTING A PUMPKIN SUNDAY. BEST WISHES TO YOU DAN - THANKS FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE WCPCA.

SOME QUICK 2011 STATS: TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER'S LONGEST SHOT WAS ON SUNDAY AT 4325 FT - TEAM AC HAD THE LONGEST AVERAGE OF THE 3 SHOTS BY 137 FEET AND THE LONGEST CUMULATIVE DISTANCE BY 410 FT. IN FACT TEAM AC WAS THE ONLY TEAM IN THE TOP 3 EACH DAY! PRETTY IMPRESSIVE!

TO OUR FANS: WE WILL BE BACK NEXT YEAR STRONGER THAN EVER THANKS FOR SUPPORTING US YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT - THE EMAILS HAVE BEEN OVERWHELMING - THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR LOYALTY!! SEE YOU SOON.

AMERICAN CHUNKER GOES THE DISTANCE IN MAINE

2011-10-09T21:22:00.005-04:00

This past Saturday Team American Chunker traded shots with veteran team Big Ten Inch in Nobleboro Maine at the annual "Splash Down" event. Team American Chunker was able to defeat the 3 time world champs after a hard fought battle of the bay. The weather conditions were perfect.

We would like to extend a big thanks to the Damariscotta Pumpkin Festival, the event coordinators (especially Charlie Hughes), Tom with GPS measuring service ,Paul Kelsey for supplying the air, and Team Big Ten Inch.

We are also looking forward to our next event in Delaware where we will continue to have stiff competition. We will be right between two great veteran teams with Young Glory III (current world record holder) on one side and Chunkin Under The Influence on the other.

Pete Colantonio develops an internal and external ballistics program. American Chunker leads the way again in advanced technology!

2011-10-01T16:35:00.010-04:00

Welcome the The architect of Team American Chunkers Ballistics program. A Punkin Chunkin first! This guy has the skills to pay the bills (and that ain't no hype)!

Pete Colantonio joined the team this summer and is responsible for analyzing and optimizing the internal ballistics of the cannon and the external projectile ballistics to maximize range.

He graduated from Northeastern University, BSME '99, MSME '03; yes another Northeastern Alumni on the team.

From 1999 to 2007 Pete held various roles at Textron Defense Systems from Sr. Mechanical Engineer to Six Sigma Black Belt to Manager, developing air and ground delivered munitions for the Air Force, Army and Marines, including munitions launched out of 155mm artillery (similar to the chunker). Some of these munitions were utilized in Iraq and Afghanistan post 9/11 to protect American forces from harms way.

During 2006 he was also an instructor at Northeastern University teaching evening undergraduate engineering students the design process and mentoring multi-discipline senior team projects.

From 2007 to 2010, Pete was Lead Product Engineer and Product Engineering Manager at Nuvera Fuel Cells developing PEM fuel cell stacks & hybrid systems and hydrogen reforming, compression, storage and dispensing systems that operate up to 5000 psi.

During 2010, Pete was Principal Mechanical Engineer at Casepick Systems analyzing robotic chassis, drive line components and steel super structures the size of a football field and 40 feet tall for 3000 lb material handling robots utilized in the material handling industry.

Starting in 2011, Pete has been Sr. Mechanical Engineer at FLIR Systems - Government Systems developing gimbaled EO/IR/Laser systems for law enforcement and military applications.

Besides working on the Chunker, he enjoys building custom electric bicycles, snowboarding, fishing, hiking, billiards, table tennis, volleyball, working on cars, and home improvement.

Pete and his wife live in Wakefield, MA and have one daughter.

TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER WELCOMES JOHN WOOD TO THE 2011 CREW

2011-09-26T11:05:00.003-04:00

TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME JOHN WOOD TO THE 2011 SQUAD - JOHN HAS AND WILL BE INSTRUMENTAL (LITERALLY) TO THE TEAM THIS SEASON! WELCOME ABOARD JOHN.

John Wood served eighteen years as chief executive officer of public companies. He successfully managed international businesses involving complex emerging technologies. John has a strong operations background with demonstrated skill in internal as well as acquired growth. He has served as inside and independent director on several boards.

From 2003 through 2006 John was CEO of Analogic Corp. (NASDAQ:ALOG), a $400 million maker of medical imaging and airport security products. He attracted new management talent and led the diversification of the security business from one product to a broad-based offering. He supervised the sale and windup of non-core businesses.

Previously John was senior vice president of Thermo Electron Corp. (NYSE:TMO), now Thermo Fisher Scientific, and ran a number of diverse businesses. From 1984 to 1998 John was CEO of Thermedics Inc., a publicly-held subsidiary. The company did pioneering work in heart assist devices and explosives detection equipment. Under John’s guidance Thermedics grew to a broad-based company in medical devices, security equipment, analytical and process instruments. During his tenure he gained wide experience in acquisition search, deal negotiation and closure, plus post-deal integration.

He has been responsible for several turnarounds – in one case a troubled company with eighteen operations in ten countries. Cash flow increased from zero to $23 million in one year. This company was sold for a fifty percent premium over estimated value.

John is a veteran public speaker and writer. He served as company spokesman with high-profile print, television and radio exposure during investigations of PanAm 103 and TWA 800. He has twice testified before U. S. Congress regarding improved airport security.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Louisiana Tech University. He was named the University’s outstanding engineering alumnus in 1996. John earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a specialty in radar and optics.

John joined the ESCO Corp. board in 2001. He joined the American Superconductor Corp. (NASDAQ:AMSC) board in 2006 and is non-executive chairman. He joined the FLIR Systems (NASDAQ:FLIR) board in 2009. John participates in continuing board member education and has attended numerous accredited courses.

John is rated as an airline transport pilot and certified flight instructor with 6,000 flight hours. He is experienced in 100 aircraft types from helicopters to jets. He is a registered professional engineer and holds a secret security clearance. John and his wife live in Concord, MA and have two grown daughters and two grandchildren.

TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER VISITS THE NEW ENGLAND BASSET HOUND RESCUE'S ANNUAL WOOFSTOCK EVENT

2011-09-14T14:47:00.003-04:00

TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER STOPPED BY THE ANNUAL WOOFSTOCK EVENT LAST SATURDAY AND PRESENTED A SMALL DONATION HOPEFULLY TO BE FOLLOWED BY A BIGGER ONE IN NOVEMBER.

IT WAS A GREAT DAY WITH A GREAT TURNOUT. WHAT AN AMAZING GROUP OF PEOPLE THIS ORGANIZATION IS MADE UP OF.

IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO SUPPORT THIS EVER GROWING CHARITY.

THANKS AGAIN HEATHER AND ALL THE AWESOME STAFF.

WOOFSTOCK SAT SEPT 10, 2011

2011-08-30T14:43:00.002-04:00

TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER WILL TRAVEL TO WOOFSTOCK 2011 IN STURBRIDGE, MA TO PRESENT A CHECK TO THE NEW ENGLAND BASSET HOUND RESCUE. THIS ORGANIZATION IS ONCE AGAIN OUR CHARITY OF CHOICE FOR 2011. SUCH A GREAT GROUP FOLKS THIS IS. JOIN US SATURDAY SEPT 10 AS WE SUPPORT THE LARGEST ASSEMBLY OF BASSET HOUNDS EVER GATHERED! LOT'S OF BIG EARS ON HAND.

AMERICAN CHUNKER PREPARES FOR ROUND II OF TESTING THIS WEEKEND!

2011-08-18T14:26:00.003-04:00

AFTER A LONG MONTH OF PLANNING AND BI-WEEKLY MEETINGS, TESTING OF THE BRIDGEVILLE PROJECT PART 2 WILL TAKE PLACE THIS WEEKEND. THE TESTING FROM THIS POINT FORWARD WILL BE KEPT TOP SECRET AND HELD AS HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL.

THE DATA RECOVERED FROM THIS WEEKENDS TESTING SHOULD HELP THE TEAM FURTHER UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF WHAT MAKES A PUMPKIN FLY.

FROM MUSKETS TO CANNONS, A TRULY SPECIAL WEEKEND IS ON TAP FOR THE CREW THAT WEARS RED, WHITE, AND BLUE!

NO SMOKE AND MIRRORS HERE FOLKS - JUST SPEED! "GO HARD OR GO HOME"

PUNKIN CHUNKIN 2011 IS SHAPING UP TO BE THE MOST COMPETITIVE YEAR YET, AS ALL THE BIG GUNS WILL LINE UP TOGETHER. THE MEN WILL BE SEPARATED FROM THE BOYS.

FIRE IN THE HOLE!

AMERICA'S TEAM GOES SOLAR IN 2011

2011-08-13T17:32:00.004-04:00

TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER IS THE FIRST TEAM IN THE HISTORY OF PUNKIN CHUNKIN TO EMPLOY THE FUNCTIONING USE OF SOLAR POWER. IN A YEAR MARKED BY TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS TEAM AC HAS ADDED A "GREEN" POWER-SOURCE TO THE LIST OF NEW AND CUTTING EDGE IDEAS.

THE SOLAR JUICE GENERATED WILL PROVIDE POWER TO OPERATE THE CANNONS ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS.

JUST ANOTHER "FIRST" ON A LONG LIST OF COOL UPGRADES AND IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE 2011 TEAM TO BEAT. HEY UNCLE SAM .......PERHAPS A TAX CREDIT IS DUE?? WE'RE JUST DOING OUR PART TO LEAVE LESS OF A CARBON FOOTPRINT!

FALL 2011 AMERICAN CHUNKER EVENT SCHEDULE

2011-08-02T10:45:00.007-04:00

The 2011 event schedule is finally here. This years team will travel to many different venues again this fall.

Here are the events:

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 10 - NEW ENGLAND BASSET HOUND RESCUE - WOOF STOCK - STURBRIDGE MA.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 8 - DAMARISCOTTA PUMPKIN FEST AND REGATTA - HEAD TO HEAD WITH TEAM BIG TEN INCH AIR CANNON - SHOOTING OVER THE GREAT SALT BAY http://damariscottapumpkinfest.com/

SUNDAY OCTOBER 9 - MILFORD NH PUMPKIN FEST - TARGET PRACTICE http://www.milfordpumpkinfestival.org/

SATURDAY OCTOBER 22 - ANDOVER NH - TARGET PRACTICE (Located on Rte 4 Andover NH - Gross Farm)

ALL WEEKEND NOVEMBER 4,5,6 - BRIDGEVILLE, DE - THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS http://www.punkinchunkin.com/

Mark your calender - see you there!!!!

THE BRIDGEVILLE PROJECT YIELDS PROMISING DATA!!

2011-07-20T16:26:00.004-04:00

CAN YOU SAY DATA OVERLOAD! TONS OF VALUABLE DATA HAS BEEN RECOVERED FROM THE BRIDGEVILLE PROJECT. A SPECIAL THANKS TO PETE COLANTONIO FOR HIS HARD WORK ON THE BALLISTICS PROGRAM HE HAS RECENTLY DEVELOPED! THAT LITERALLY BLOWS AWAY ANY TYPE OF DATA / REAL TIME PROGRAM THAT HAS EVER BEEN INTRODUCED IN THIS SPORTS' HISTORY! THE TEAM LAUNCHED OVER 65+ SHOTS ON ONE OF THE HOTTEST DAYS OF THE SUMMER SO FAR AND THE RESULTS ARE IN, AT JUST 450 FT ABOVE SEA LEVEL THE LONGEST SHOT OF THE DAY SOARED WELL OVER 4400 FT. NOT BAD FOR THE TEAMS FIRST OUTING. STAY TUNED FOR INITIAL VELOCITY TESTING THE END OF AUGUST.

Introducing Mike Manfreda

2011-07-13T19:31:00.006-04:00

Team American Chunker is proud to introduce Mike Manfreda. Mike is a former Assistant District Attorney for the City of Boston. Mike currently has his own practice located in Beacon Hill. Mike has proven to be a well versed team member in everything from legal council to geometry and mathematics. Mike also brings a very calm demeanor to the hard charging team. Mike is considered to be the teams grounding rod -Welcome aboard Mike - great to be working with you!

THE BRIDGEVILLE PROJECT - SATURDAY JULY 16th

2011-07-06T17:08:00.002-04:00

YOU'VE HEARD OF THE MANHATTAN PROJECT BACK DURING WWII RIGHT....? WELL NOW TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER BRINGS YOU THE BRIDGEVILLE PROJECT. NOT QUITE AS NUCLEAR IN DAMAGE BUT JUST AS POWERFUL IN TERMS OF MEASURING SUCCESS. STAND BY...... TO STAND BY - THERE ARE JUST 10 DAYS TO THE UNVEIL OF PUNKIN CHUNKIN'S MOST COMPLEX AND INNOVATIVE CUMULATIVE TESTING AND TRIALS PROJECT. THE TEAM HAS RECRUITED MASSIVE COMPRESSORS, AIRCRAFT AND EVEN A FEW LOCAL POLITICAL FIGURES. PUNKIN CHUNKIN WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AFTER SATURDAY THE 16th OF JULY! STAY TUNED FOR THE PUMPKIN SHATTERING RESULTS.........

Ralph, Wayne, and the rest of the Chunkin Under da Influence crew stop by to visit Team American Chunker in NH

2011-06-19T16:35:00.008-04:00

Veteran Chunkers, Ralph and Wayne from Chunkin Under Da Influence stopped by to visit team American Chunker at Heritage Harley Davidson for Bike week 2011. Ralph and Wayne are long time chunkers and outstanding people. They represent the best of what Punkin Chunkin is all about! Good to see you guys!

MAY 9, 2011 - THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION

2011-05-06T17:19:00.004-04:00

THE AMERICAN CHUNKER CREW HAS ONCE AGAIN WORKED INCREDIBLY HARD ALL WINTER LONG ON RECREATING BOTH THEIR CANNON AND STRATEGY. 27 MAJOR UPGRADES AND AMENDMENTS HAVE BEEN ADDED OR INTEGRATED SO FAR AND THERE ARE STILL MANY MORE TO COME.

MISSING FIRST PLACE AS ROOKIES BY JUST OVER 200 FT ON ONE OF THE WINDIEST DAY'S IN EVENT HISTORY DIDN'T SIT WELL WITH ANY OF THE CREW MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY THE TEAM'S CAPTAIN.

THE TEAM IS FOCUSED EXCLUSIVELY ON REDEMPTION THIS YEAR. THROUGH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, VICTORY IS NOW FINALLY WITHIN REACH. A RIGOROUS AND EXCITING TESTING SCHEDULE IS SET TO BE UNLEASHED STARTING MAY 15TH.

QUOTE: "KNOW THIS....OTHER TEAMS MAY TEMPORARILY OUT SHOOT US, BUT THEY WILL NEVER OUT WORK US - IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THAT TROPHY IS OURS!" BRIAN LABRIE - CAPTAIN

DOUG SOMMER DEVELOPS A UNIQUE TESTING PROGRAM FOR AMERICAN CHUNKER

2011-05-04T16:27:00.008-04:00

Here's the details folks: Meet Douglas Sommer, Age 39

Education:
BSME-Mechanical Engineering – University of Massachusetts Lowell – Class of 1995

MSME – Manufacturing Engineering - University of Massachusetts Lowell – Class of 1996

Interests:
Kayaks, ATV’s, lasers, and Punkin Chunkin

Employment;
Currently working at Benchmark Electronics – Nashua NH (10+ Years) as a manufacturing Engineer – Supporting all phases of electronics manufacturing. Doug has over 17 years experience in electronics manufacturing

Doug's role for Team American Chunker is actually two-fold. Primary duties will include developing a testing method that quickly eliminates wasteful strategy's and crazy, unreliable game time tactics. Doug's goal is to implement a testing method that will ultimately help Team American Chunker fast forward 20 years into the future. A secondary role will consist of supporting Tom Sommer with general electronics integration. Doug is also an extremely valuable member of the 2011 squad!

Great to have you working with us Doug!

MIKE HUGHES.....AVIATOR, AEROSPACE ENGINEER, MULTI-PATENT HOLDER, NAVY VETERAN, AND....A GREAT GUY!

2011-05-03T16:39:00.011-04:00

Now boarding ........Flight 5280 departing from Bridgeville headed for Victory. Your Flight Captain will be Mike Hughes and oh yeah he doesn't use a windshield, just check out the picture taken of him over upstate New York a few years back in a DC-9. Mike grew up in the Greater Boston area. Graduated Reading High School, class of ’69. Served in the US Navy stationed in the Philippines during Vietnam supporting the Naval Fleet. He had many jobs as a mechanic prior to achieving his Bachelor of Science degree for mechanical engineering from Northeastern University (yes for those keeping score we have 3 crew members that graduated from Northeastern). He learned to fly in ’78. He has worked in Aerospace for over 25 years. Mike currently owns an engineering consulting business and operates a prototype machine shop. Mike also has 2 patent awards with 2 pending. Mike has recently retired as an airline pilot and for awhile flew commercially for two major airlines.

Mike is an true blue American Aviator at heart! From serving his country during the Vietnam conflict to now serving Team American Chunker with overhead surveillance in his Bird-dog airplane. Mike is an extremely valuable player with Team American Chunker. We are proud to work with him on this project. Mike is also always thinking of new concepts and practical ways to integrate them. He has a ton of "front line" experience that he is always willing to share.

Mike - welcome aboard! Thanks for all your great insight and mecanical inspiration.

2010 Punkin Chunkin Commercial

2011-04-27T17:16:00.000-04:00

ARMY, NAVY, COAST GUARD AND YES NOW WE CAN SAY WE HAVE A MARINE!

2011-04-25T14:33:00.007-04:00

Yes we have a Marine. Say hello to Adrien Labrie Jr. Adrien proudly served our country in the Marine Corps back in the day and now he is proudly serving Team American Chunker. Adrien is a project manager for the reclaimed lumber division at none other than Bingham Lumber. He is also our resident videographer and photographer. Adrien is also in charge of perhaps the most important job for Team American Chunker ........"Punkin Procurement". Welcome aboard JR - we all look forward to working to with you again this year. Semper Fi.

THERE'S A NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN............MEET RET. NASHUA POLICE CHIEF DON GROSS

2011-04-25T13:27:00.004-04:00

Well I suppose someone has to keep the peace. So who better to do it than Nashua's very own Don Gross! Team American Chunker is happy to announce Retired Nashua NH Police Chief Don Gross as their new Sergeant At Arms and head transport officer. Don is an avid Chunker with the skills to pay the bills. A former officer of the law by trade, Don served NH's second largest city for over 30 years as an extremely well respected public figure. Don brings welding, mechanical and most importantly political skills to the table. Don has been a great friend and family member for many years, and his support and clam demeanor will be welcomed this season. Climb aboard Don - it's great to stand shoulder to shoulder with you once again!

FLIR Principal Engineer Tom Sommer will officially be on the front lines this year for team American Chunker

2011-04-23T15:41:00.007-04:00

Team American Chunker would like to welcome Tom Sommer a highly experienced electronic engineer with an extensive system development background. Familiar with all phases of development including concept, architecture, design, implementation, debug, and Agency approval. He is seasoned in all analog, digital, power, firmware, thermal, and mechanical aspects of product development. Tom is accustomed to a fast paced, deadline driven, minimal resource environments. Tom specializes in creative, multi-disciplinary problem solving and he is a holder of two United States patents. Tom's Outside Interests include: World War 2 Re-enacting, Civil War Re-enacting, Flying, Cooking, Gardening, and Punkin Chunkin.

Tom holds degrees from:

CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY Pittsburgh, PA
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering

NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY Boston, MA
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering

This Fall Tom will be an enormous part of the testing and strategic planning portion of American Chunker 2.0. Welcome aboard Tom! Thanks for your passion and all you do for us!

Muddy Of Boot - Precise of Mind

2011-04-18T17:52:00.005-04:00

Charlie Levine will be working with team American Chunker this year. Charlie is a multi-talented gentleman who's contributions will be welcomed for sure. Charlie holds a Civil Engineering degree from Northeastern University - Boston Ma., and has served his country proudly in the Coast Guard. Charlie's biggest role will be helping the team look for large parcels of land to practice on this year. A quite fellow Charlie is, however he is dedicated and determined to seeing this team succeed in 2011. Welcome aboard Charlie we all look forward to working with you this year.

2011 BIOGRAPHYS TO BE POSTED SOON........

2011-04-16T13:10:00.005-04:00

THE MUCH ANTICIPATED 2011 TEAM BIO'S WILL BE POSTED SOON. THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW NEW CREW MEMBERS ADDED TO TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER FOR THE 2011 SEASON. STAY TUNED AS WE WILL POST THEIR BIO'S.

THANK YOU D.R. GUILBEAULT AIR COMPRESSOR COMPANY AND MILTON CATERPILLAR

2011-04-08T06:17:00.003-04:00

THIS WEEKEND WILL REPRESENT 2 MAJOR MILESTONES IN THE NORTHEAST, THE FIRST MILESTONE REPRESENTED: WE FINALLY HAVE WARM DRY WEATHER IN NH AND SECOND MILESTONE: TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER WILL BE TESTING THE NEW UPGRADES AND ELECTRONICS ADDED OVER THE LONG WINTER. NOW, THERE IS DEFINITELY ONE PERSON THAT WE NEED TO THANK FOR HIS GENEROSITY, AND WILLINGNESS TO SHARE HIS KNOWLEDGE, THAT GUY IS DON GUILBEAULT. THANK YOU DON FOR HELPING US OUT THIS WEEKEND WITH THE MONSTER COMPRESSOR FROM CATERPILLAR. THIS COULD BE THE TEAMS NEXT PURCHASE! THIS COMPRESSOR WILL ENABLE US TO GET 30-40 SHOTS OFF IN RECORD TIME THIS WEEKEND. THE DATA RECORDED THIS WEEKEND WILL BE THE CORNERSTONE FOR THE 2011 SEASON OF VICTORY. THANKS AGAIN DON!

HERTIAGE HARLEY PARTNERS WITH TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER FOR BIKE WEEK 2011

2011-03-25T12:16:00.011-04:00

You thought bike week was crazy before, just wait until this year! As you may or may not know some of the builders of the American Chunker are also avid Harley owners too. This Motorcycle weekend will be the biggest ever at Heritage Harley Davidson located in Concord NH. Don't miss the only heavy weight, competition air cannon this summer exclusively at Heritage Harley Davidson. Go Hard or Go Home!!

BRIDGEVILLE 2011.....GO HARD OR GOME HOME - VICTORY THROUGH TECHNOLOGY!

2011-03-24T08:33:00.007-04:00

America’s Newest Pumpkin Cannon Goes High Tech "; American Chunker seeks victory through technology
Punkin Chunkin’s newest world class heavy weight pumpkin cannon has decided to enlist the services of two of the top military engineers in the country. Team American Chunker plans to infuse their state of the art air cannon with the most science and technology Delaware has ever seen at the world famous, annual "Punkin Chunkin" event. Team Captain Brian Labrie and crew are locked and loaded with victory lined up in the crosshairs. Team American Chunker formally welcomes Mike Huges and Tom Sommer to the crew.

An all American exclusive; coming this Fall- American Chunker Inc.

Nashua, NH – Web Chronicle 2011-03-24

Very soon the 2011 harvest season will once again be upon us, and very soon it will be that special time of year once again. Time for some PUNKIN CHUNKIN! Every year since the mid-1980’s the nation’s most innovate and creative folks have converged on Bridgeville Delaware for the State’s annual Punkin Chunkin Festival. Punkin Chunkin is a 3 day event where 110 teams compete to see who can launch a pumpkin the farthest.

Last year rookie air cannon team American Chunker placed fourth and missed the giant first place trophy by 220 ft. “Not too bad for a rookie team shooting late in the day with a direct 25 mph headwind” said the teams Captain Brian Labrie. The winds definitely increased as the day moved on and it appeared that he best chances for long distance shots were before 11 am on any given day. Even with all that said, Team American Chunker was still able to walk away with the best overall average on all 3 shots and the longest combined distance when all 3 shots were totaled.

This talented crew knows pumpkins and they know how to make them sail. The huge air cannon has a barrel that is well over one hundred feet long and has an air tank (ASME pressure vessel) that hold hundreds of gallons of compressed air. The group has plans on traveling up and down the eastern seaboard (mostly throughout New England and the Northeast) this fall exhibiting the newly upgraded state of the art air cannon. The new machine has multiple features never seen on any competition air cannon claims Brian Labrie the Team’s Captain, Labrie says "This cannon is built for speed and comfort - it's definitely the Cadillac of all pumpkin cannons".

With the addition of both Mike Huges and Tom Sommer (both Principal Engineers at FLIR Systems, Inc) Team American Chunker believes that they now have what it will take to compete seriously at a championship level. “We have basically retrofitted the entire machine form tip to tail, adding technology at every turn” Labrie said. “We found that after only one year of competing, that most of the air cannons on the firing line were somewhat evenly matched, and basically if we wanted to create some distance between our cannon and the other guns we would need to make the technological leap forward. – so we did” Labrie went on to further state.

Unfortunately, the technological upgrades are classified and won’t be revealed to the public anytime soon. However, it is evident that there is now a complex computer system in place and two brilliant engineers assisting at the helm. “This is a huge step in an upward direction for this young team, our goal for 2011 was to eliminate years of trial and error theories and “Game Day” methods that just don’t work” Labrie said.

Team American Chunker will once again continue to support their charity of choice “The New England Basset Hound Rescue Group”. If they do in fact win the Championship in Delaware this Fall, any and all funds would be donated to this group. "This organization is compiled of an absolutely amazing group of people dedicated to helping Basset Hounds in need" Labrie said. "Team American Chunker hopes to be able to bring home victory to New England and a good chunk of “change” for our floppy eared friends". Labrie further stated, Like the introduction of a new cell phone, this New England based Chunker team seems to be all the rage again this year.

Team American Chunker has also partnered with the Smuttynose Brewery Company as their main sponsor & are cautiously optimistic about victory this fall! The teams website, actually a frequently visited blog site - http://www.americanchunker.com is where hundreds interesting photos and articles can be found. Also noteworthy Team American Chunker might just be also be in your living room this Thanksgiving night at 8 pm courtesy of cable television – so stay tuned.

AMERICAN CHUNKER INC VERSION 2.0 - LOOKS TO FLY UNDER THE RADAR IN 2011

2011-01-01T06:37:00.012-05:00

American Chunker version 2.0 is looking to fly under the proverbial radar this year. The details of the unique modifications will be kept top secret and well under wraps until just mere hours before the event takes place this November in Delaware.

After a rather less than acceptable rookie showing at this past years chunk in Delaware (a divisional 4th place finish), the crew has decided to ratchet up the stakes this year with an "all in" bet! This season more science and technology than ever before seen in the sport of "Punkin Chunkin" will be factored into the equation. Last year there was one learning curve after another it seemed. This season there will be no such excuses rendered. After all, as we all know, second place is reserved exclusively for the first loser! Now the infusion of both "Brain & Brawn" will be introduced together this year. If this newly implemented technology does in fact work the way we believe it will work, it may just be the rock solid foundation for a new found dynasty for many years to come!

Team American Chunker would like to once again thank all of our loyal fans and sponsors! We would also like to welcome our new team members to the club. Each member of this years 2011 squad brings a specially a honed talent to the team and for this we are grateful! There is no question that it takes a very special type of person to show up day in and day out for a non-paying charitable venture (litteraly).

As the 2011 Championship Chunk approaches more detailed updates may be posted. Please keep in mind, just because we are not sharing every new detail with the world this year, doesn't mean we are not hard at work. In fact, I can assure you it's quite the opposite. I can also tell you, that this years crew is more dedicated than ever to having fun and being super successful at the "2011 Chunk" this coming November.

Redemption is on the horizon, a reckoning is coming!

SMUTTYNOSE'S DAN HENRY SHOWS HIS SUPPORT

2010-12-24T10:26:00.003-05:00

OUR HATS ARE OFF TO BOTH SMUTTYNOSE BREWING AND DAN HENRY FOR THEIR TREMENDOUS SHOW OF UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT THIS PAST SEASON. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO AN EVEN MORE SUCCESSFUL 2011 SHOWING.

2010 SCIENCE CHANNELS "ROAD TO PUNKIN CHUNKIN CLIP"

2010-12-24T10:19:00.002-05:00

ALTHOUGH TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER IS CURRENTLY MAKING SOME MUCH ANTICAPATED CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE 2011 SEASON LET'S NOT FORGET THE LONG ROAD WE TRAVELED TO GET WHERE WE ARE TODAY!

FIND US ON FACEBOOK THIS SEASON

2010-12-23T19:31:00.006-05:00

"COMING SOON" NOW YOU CAN FOLLOW THE TEAM ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE AS THEY PREPARE FOR BATTLE AGAIN THIS NOVEMBER IN DELAWARE. YOU'LL ALSO FIND SOME INTERESTING DAY TO DAY CHATTER AS WELL AS THE 2011 SCHEDULE AND A HOST OF OTHER RANDOM MAGICAL INFORMATION ON THE NEWLY RENOVATED PAGE. http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Chunker-Inc/371610396355

THANK YOU DELAWARE AND THE WCPCA!

2010-11-14T14:13:00.003-05:00

WELL, IT'S BEEN EXACTLY ONE WEEK SINCE THE 2010 CHAMPIONSHIP CHUNK AND THE AMERICAN CHUNKER TEAM IS TAKING SOME MUCH DESERVED TIME OFF. THIS POST WILL REPRESENT THE FINAL POST FOR THE 2010 SEASON. THAT BEING SAID, I'VE SAVED THE BEST POST FOR LAST.

ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE GREAT FOLKS IN DELAWARE AND ALL THOSE WHO RAN AND SUPPORTED THE 2010 CHUNK.

PUTTING ASIDE ALL THE COMICAL "JAW JACKING & TRASH TALKIN" THAT GOES ON (WHICH IS ALWAYS GOOD STUFF)! AS A NEW TEAM WE FOUND THE FOLKS IN DELAWARE TO BE EXTREMELY GENEROUS AND HELPFUL IN EVERY WAY! A SPECIAL THANKS TO WAYNE AND RICHIE OUR PIT NEIGHBORS FOR HELPING OUR FRESHMAN CREW LEARN THE ROPES. ALSO A SPECIAL THANKS TO JOHN HUBER AND RICK GARLOFF FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN OVERSEEING THE ENTIRE EVENT AND MAKING IT A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE. I CAN'T FORGET JORDAN AND THE BADGING CREW FOR HELPING US GET ALL OF OUR BADGES AHEAD OF TIME.

LET'S SEE...LET'S SEE...WHO ELSE AM I FORGETTING??......AH YES....TEAM BIG TEN INCH - OUR NEW FOUND DIVISION RIVALS. A SPECIAL THANKS TO RALPH AND ALEX FOR GOING HEAD TO HEAD WITH US IN DAMARISCOTTA, MAINE A FEW WEEKS BACK. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE AGAIN IN 2011 AND DON'T FORGET TO BRING THE TROPHY.....I MAY WANT TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT IT!

TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER WOULD LIKE TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO DAWN THOMPSON AND THE HORMONE BLASTER TEAM FOR THEIR FIRST PLACE FINISH! I MUST ALSO EXTEND BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO TEAM CHUCKY, MY FAVORITE TRASH TALKIN BUDDIES, ON THEIR TWO (2) FIRST PLACE VICTORIES!

THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR BEING GRACIOUS HOSTS AND BEING PATIENT WITH OUR NEW TEAM. HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING AND A SAFE AND PLEASANT OFF-SEASON AND WE'LL SEE YOU IN NOVEMBER!

SIGNING OFF -

TEAM CAPTAIN
AMERICAN CHUNKER INC
BRIAN LABRIE

THE 2010 FINAL RESULTS ARE IN AS OF LATE LAST NIGHT!

2010-11-10T07:13:00.005-05:00

AFTER A FEW DAYS OF WAITING FOR THE FINAL RESULTS, LATE LAST NIGHT THE UNOFFICIAL TALLY WAS POSTED. UNLIKE OTHER COMPETITIONS THIS WAS BASED ON THE BEST OF THREE SHOTS. WHILE WE MISSED FIRST PLACE BY ONLY 193 FT TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER DID IN FACT HAVE THE BEST OVERALL AVERAGE AND TOTAL ACCUMULATED DISTANCE FOR ALL THREE SHOTS! MAKE NO MISTAKE THIS CANNON IS FOR REAL - 1 SMALL ERROR ON FRIDAY COST US THE CHAMPIONSHIP AND LANDED US IN 4TH PLACE OUT OF 27 CANNON TEAMS. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR COMING IN 4TH PLACE, WE NOW KNOW HOW THINGS WORK AT THIS EVENT AND HAVE ALREADY MADE THE ADJUSTMENTS.

WITH THAT ALL BEING SAID THE TEAM WILL TAKE A FEW WEEKS OFF TO SPEND TIME WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND THEN SOON AFTER THE 2011 TEAM WILL BE SELECTED AND THEY WILL RECONVENE TO AMEND THE ALREADY AWESOME CANNON. WAIT TILL YOU SEE WHAT TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER HAS IN STORE FOR 2011! I'LL GIVE YOU A HINT - "IT'S CALLED A HEADWIND BUSTER"! STAY TUNED.

AMERICAN CHUNKER BROUGHT TO YOU BY BINGHAM LUMBER COMPANY

2010-11-02T13:22:00.009-04:00

IT'S NOW ONLY HOURS BEFORE TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER HEADS SOUTH TO DELAWARE FOR THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CHUNK. I AM JUST FINALIZING A FEW DETAILS BEFORE WE SHOVE OFF SHORTLY AND ALTHOUGH AS ALWAYS, I SEEM PRESSED FOR TIME, I FELT IT NECESSARY TO TAKE A SECOND AND OFFER MY THANKS ONCE AGAIN TO TOM BINGHAM, HIS WIFE REBEKAH AND THE ENTIRE BINGHAM LUMBER COMPANY. THE GENEROSITY THAT THESE FOLKS HAVE SHOWN OVER THE LAST YEAR WITH THE UNLIMITED USE OF THEIR STATE OF THE ART FACILITY HAS BEEN UNBELIEVABLE! THIS 12 MONTH BUILD WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE USE OF THIS TYPE OF FIRST CLASS SHOP. SO, REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER HAPPENS AT THE CHUNK IN DELAWARE THIS YEAR, MY HAT IS OFF TO MY BEST FRIEND TOM, HIS FAMILY AND HIS COMPANY FOR THEIR UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF MY CRAZY REQUESTS! THANKS AGAIN MAN! - BH

ANDOVER NH - OCTOBER 23, 2010

2010-10-24T20:10:00.001-04:00

DOWN RANGE AND ON TARGET IN ANDOVER NH!

2010-10-24T13:32:00.010-04:00

SATURDAY AFTERNOON IN ANDOVER NH. WHAT MORE COULD THE LOCAL FOLKS ASK FOR? THERE WAS PUMPKIN PIE AND THERE WAS PUMPKIN PIE! AT 10:01 AM TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER UNLEASHED A BARRAGE OF MAYHEM ON 16,000 POUNDS OF RAIL ROAD TIMBERS. SHOOTING UP CARS AND VANS IS ALWAYS COOL, BUT PHYSICALLY PUSHING AROUND THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF LUMBER IS EXCEPTIONALLY FUN. THE CREW BLASTED APART SOME OLD FASHIONED RAIL ROAD TIES SATURDAY AT ANDOVERS FIRST PUMPKIN FESTIVAL. THE WEATHER WAS GREAT AND THE TURNOUT WAS BETTER THAN EXPECTED. I MUST ADMIT, PUSHING THE HEAVY WET LUMBER AROUND KIND OF MADE ME FEEL LIKE A BULLY. HOPE WE DIDN'T BREAK ANY LAWS. A SPECIAL THANKS FOR THE OUTSTANDING PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN BY AN AMERICAN CHUNKER ENTHUSIST.
NEXT STOP.........DELAWARE!

MYTHBUSTERS TO HOST 2010 PUNKIN CHUNKIN

2010-10-16T05:37:00.004-04:00

According to the WCPCA President John Huber and another reliable source at Discovery the Mythbusters will be the 2010 Punkin Chunkin hosts! What a great match for the event. You can expect to see Jamie and Adam all weekend in Delaware - who knows you may even get to meet them. They will certainly boost the events fan base by a substantial margin. We can't wait to work with these guys, what an outstanding selection for this years hosts, the WCPCA has gone all out for the 25th anniversery!

TWO HEAVY WEIGHT PUNKIN CHUNKERS SLUG IT OUT!

2010-10-09T21:33:00.007-04:00

NOBLEBORO, ME: SATURDAY OCT 9, 2010

TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER AND TEAM BIG TEN INCH TRADED THE LEAD ALL DAY SATURDAY IN A HIGH PROFILED NON-SANCTIONED EXHIBITION SHOOT OUT IN MAINE, BOTH TEAMS UNLOADED SIGNIFICANT LONG DISTANCE SHOTS ON A COLD,WINDY MORNING OVER THE GREAT SALT BAY.

NARROWLY, ON THE LAST SHOT, THE 13 YEAR VETERAN BIG TEN INCH TEAM BARELY EDGED OUT THE 1ST YEAR AMERICAN CHUNKER TEAM BY A VERY THIN MARGIN IN THEIR VERY FIRST HEAD TO HEAD COMPETITION EVER . THE EVENT WAS EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE AND ALMOST TOO CLOSE TO CALL.

TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER WAS SAID TO BE OPERATING AT TWO THIRDS CAPACITY WITH ONLY A COUPLE SECTIONS OF BARREL ATTACHED. "WE LEARNED QUITE A BIT HERE TODAY" SAID TEAM CAPT BRIAN LABRIE, "THEY MIGHT HAVE BARELY EDGED US OUT - BUT NOW WE "CLEARLY"KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE" FURTHER STATED LABRIE. 'WE WERE TESTING OUT OUR BRAND NEW EQUIPMENT AND COMPETING AT THE SAME TIME TODAY - SORT OF A TWO FOR ONE TYPE OF EVENT! "WE'D LIKE TO THANK RALPH AND TEAM BIG TEN INCH FOR ACCEPTING THE OFFER TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PRESEASON EXHIBITION "CHUNK OFF". THIS NEW FOUND RIVALRY SHOULD PROVE INTERESTING 30 DAYS FROM NOW IN THE GREAT STATE OF DELAWARE.

VERMONT'S WCAX REPORTER SUMS IT UP BEST!

2010-10-04T18:50:00.007-04:00

Cambridge, Vermont - Sunday October 3, 2010
Harvest season is in full swing in Vermont. While many families are picking up pumpkins to carve and roast seeds, some in Cambridge are putting them to higher use -- catapulting them.
Some of the pumpkins were chucked over 400 feet, but one group there had a different number in mind. Although it is a medieval concept, the American Chunker has a pretty modern dream, to shoot a pumpkin over one mile. "This is our baby. We've been working on this for almost a year -- a lot of hours in this -- about 1800 man hours," said Brian Labrie, with the American Chunker crew.
The American Chunker, built by Brian Labrie, Mark McCalvey, Jim Moreau, Dave Bingham, Jeff Desrosiers, and Kyle Gesetto cost over 100-thousand to build -- which they hope to get a record beating chuck from. "I'm waiting for the results right now. I think we're well over 4,000 feet on that shot," Labrie said.
After an ATV ride, we learned the pumpkin was chucked more than 4,800 feet and had quite the landing.
"It's simple pneumatics and hydraulics, but they have to work together, so there's a little complexity with it," Labrie said.
Gina Bullard - WCAX News

Ray Kranz hand delivers perfection in a case!

2010-10-02T12:13:00.007-04:00

A Big thanks to Ray Kranz for all of his efforts on the "Chunker" build .......the 1/16th scale model chunker build, that is. Ray has designed and built a one of a kind outstanding scale model. The newly delivered Amerian Chunker model is spot on with every detail. This model is awesome and Ray certainly out did himself on this project. Check back soon as we should have higher quality pictures available. Nice job - thanks Ray!

AMERICAN CHUNKER IS READY FOR VERMONT

2010-09-26T14:50:00.004-04:00

THANKS AGAIN TO DAVE JORDAN AND CREW FOR INVITING US UP FOR THE WEEKEND. THIS SHOULD BE AN ABSOLUTE BLAST. TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER HAS SOME HALF SPEED EXHIBITION SHOOTING IN STORE FOR THE GREAT FOLKS AT THE BOYDEN FARM IN CAMBRIDGE VERMONT NEXT SUNDAY OCT 3RD. THE FARM DOSEN'T QUITE HAVE A MILE OF OPEN FIELD SO WE WILL BE WORKING WITH 4000FT OR SO, WHICH IS PERFECT FOR OUR FIRST EXHIBITION EVENT. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE ATTENDING THE EVENT, WE SHOULD BE UP AND OPERATIONAL BY 10-11 AM ON SUNDAY. TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER IS LOOKING TO BREAK INTO THE 4000FT NEIGHBORHOOD WITH EASE ON SUNDAY. I'M SURE THERE WILL BE REAL SPOTTERS AND ACCURATE MEASURING ON SUNDAY TO GIVE THE CREW A REAL FEEL FOR TRUE DISTANCES. THIS IS A BIG TEST FOR THE ALL NEW CHUNKER - WILL SHE DELIVER..............?

AMERICAN CHUNKER HITS THE SCALES!

2010-09-22T07:21:00.004-04:00

NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT THE AMERICAN CHUNKER WILL HAVE IT'S FIRST OFFICIAL WEIGH IN. THE MONSTER MACHINE WILL FINALLY HAVE A SHOT TO "HIT THE SCALES"! IN CONTINUED EFFORTS TO REMAIN BOTH SAFE AND DOT COMPLIANT TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER HAS OPTED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO "WEIGH IN" AT A LOCAL CONCRETE PLANT. SEVERAL OF THE TEAMS FRIENDS HAVE INVITED THE CREW TO STOP BY THE PLANT AND JUMP ON THE SCALE. WITH ANY LUCK WE WILL BE RIGHT WERE WE NEED TO BE. STAY TUNED - POST YOUR GUESSES ON FACE BOOK, WHAT DO YOU THINK SHE WEIGHS?

CO-CAPTAIN DAVE BINGHAM PREPARES FOR BATTLE!

2010-09-16T19:36:00.004-04:00

BEHOLD, THE FINAL BIO FOR THE 2010 AMERICAN CHUNKER TEAM. WHERE DOES ONE START IN DESCRIBING A VETERAN FABRICATOR AND TOP SHELF MECHANIC. DAVE IS ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT WOULD RATHER BUILD IT THAN BUY IT JUST BECAUSE HE CAN MAKE IT BETTER THAN ANYONE AROUND. DAVE IS UNIQUE IN MANY WAYS BUT HIS OVERSIGHT AND INSIGHT SET HIM APART. OWNING ONE OF THE NORTHEASTS TOP SAW MILLS FOR OVER 4 DECADES, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO QUESTION DAVE HAS SEEN IT ALL! THERE IS NO PROBLEM DAVE CAN'T SOLVE, HE IS GREAT WITH MATH, FORMULAS, PHYSICS, HYDRAULICS, PNEUMATICS AND REAL WORLD DAY TO DAY MECHANICS. DAVE HAS BEEN A GREAT SOUNDING BOARD FOR THE TEAM THIS YEAR AND HE IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH. THANKS AGAIN DAVE FOR ALL YOUR IDEAS AND HELP ON THIS UNIQUE BUILD.

AMERICAN CHUNKER CREW APPEARS AT "WOOFSTOCK 2010"

2010-09-11T17:25:00.003-04:00

SEPTEMBER 11, 2010 - STURBRIDGE MASSACHUSETTS. TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER STOPPED BY THE ANNUAL BASSET HOUND CONVENTION IN STURBRIDGE MASSACHUSETTS TODAY. THE PHOTO TO THE RIGHT SHOWS JEFF D, THE BASSET HOUND MASCOT, KERRY, AND TEAM CAPTAIN BRIAN LABRIE (GUS & MORGAN BELOW).

THE GROUP HAD BEAUTIFUL WEATHER AS A MASSIVE COLLECTION OF BASSET HOUNDS AND HOUND ENTHUSIAST CONVERGED ON THE WELL KEPT STATE PARK!

FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW - THE NEW ENGLAND BASSET HOUND RESCUE ASSOCIATION IS THE CHARITY OF CHOICE FOR THE 2010 AMERICAN CHUNKER TEAM. ALL THE TEAMS THAT WILL COMPETE IN DELAWARE IN NOVEMBER WERE REQUIRED TO CHOOSE A CHARITY.

IF TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER WINS THIS YEAR, THE NEW ENGLAND BASSET HOUND RESCUE ASSOCIATION WILL GET A NICE DONATION THIS FALL. SO WITH ANY LUCK WE MAY BE ABLE TO DELIVER THE GOODS, IF WE DON'T - IT WON'T BE FROM A LACK OF EFFORT!!

GREAT DAY GUYS - THANKS FOR INVITING THE CREW!

A TOTAL SUCCESS AT THE BROOKLINE AIRPORT

2010-08-29T07:19:00.003-04:00

THIS PAST SATURDAY WAS AWESOME. MR. MORAN INVITED THE AMERICAN CHUNKER TEAM UP TO THE BROOKLINE AIRPORT FOR THE DAY TO SHOOT SOME LONG DISTANCE SHOTS. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME WE LET THE CANNON STRETCH OUT HER LEGS. WHAT A GREAT FIRST DAY IT WAS. PRACTICE IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR SURE. WE SHOT 22 8LB HONEYDEW MELONS. THE MELONS WERE PAINTED FLORESCENT ORANGE SO THAT MIKE AND TOM COULD PICK THEM UP BETTER IN THE AIR AND RELAY THE LOCATION FOR MEASUREMENT PURPOSES. GPS & LAT/LON WERE USED TO DETERMINE EXACT POINT OF IMPACT. THE LONGEST DISTANCE OF THE DAY WAS .............OOPS SORRY I FORGOT THAT'S CLASSIFIED! GUESS YOU HAD TO BE THERE. THANKS AGAIN GUYS!

556 MPH MELON VS. VAN

2010-08-22T22:11:00.004-04:00

HONEYDEW MELON $3.49 EACH, HIGH POWERED AIR CANNON $100K, WATCHING A MELON PENETRATE A VANS STEEL SKIN AT 556 MILES PER HOUR.... PRICELESS! WOW WHAT YOU SEE IN THIS VIDEO IS A MASSIVE AIR CANNON SHOOTING AN 8LB HONEYDEW AT SUPER HIGH VELOCITY. HERE'S THE KICKER.....THAT'S ONLY 40% OF THE CANNONS CAPACITY!

PREPARE FOR ABSOLUTE DESTRUCTION!!!

2010-08-20T08:51:00.007-04:00

THATS RIGHT CHUNKER FANS, THE TIME HAS FINALLY ARRIVED TO START TESTING ON SOME DETROIT STEEL. THURSDAY THE CREW WORKED DILIGENTLY TO PREPARE THE SHOOTING RANGE FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKENDS EVENTS. TARGET PRACTICE WAS ON THE MENU AND THE BOYS WERE HUNGRY! STAY TUNED FOR THE END RESULTS, THEY SHOULD BE POSTED EARLY NEXT WEEK! I WONDER WHY THE CALL THE AMERICAN CHUNKER "THE MOST SMASHING PUMPKIN CANNON OF EARTH"?

IN THE REAR WITH THE GEAR........NICE TRAILER.

2010-08-20T08:44:00.003-04:00

TODAY THE TRAILER WAS FINALLY COMPLETED. A FRESH COAT OF PAINT AND SOME NEW GRAPHICS DID WONDERS. ALL THE CHUNKERS GEAR AND ACCESSORIES WILL RESIDE HERE. THE CREW DID A GREAT JOB ON THE PAINT AND THE CHROME. REMEMBER YOU GOTTA LOOK GOOD TO PLAY GOOD! I WAS TALKING ABOUT ME NOT THE TRAILER.....JUST KIDDING!

Kyle's Bio .............

2010-06-27T17:20:00.009-04:00

Kyle Gisseto (pictured center) is a quite fellow, by day he rolls with Mark as his assistant mechanic in Hollis NH. However, after work Kyle comes out of his shell and he can either be found 4 wheeling or working on the chunker! Kyle's input has been quite valuable over the last 8 months. Kyle is also looking forward to getting down to business in Delaware! I think we all are - thanks for all your help Kyle, it's been a pleasure. Keep up the good work.

COMING SOON......................

2010-06-09T22:17:00.006-04:00

STAY TUNED FOR SOMETHING AWESOME. A ONE OF A KIND PRODUCTION IS ON THE WAY. CAPTURING EVERYTHING THE AMERICAN CHUNKER STANDS FOR! NO OTHER GROUP HAS ANYTHING LIKE THIS. CHECK BACK IN A FEW DAYS - SOMETHING BIG IS ON THE HORIZON.

THE JUNE 1ST ENTRY APPLICATION IS ON THE WAY!

2010-05-29T13:25:00.004-04:00

WELL THE MUCH ANTICIPATED JUNE 1ST ENTRY DATE IS UPON US. ANY NEW ENTRIES ARE ALLOWED TO ENTER ON OR AFTER JUNE 1ST FOR THE DELAWARE CONTEST THIS NOVEMBER. EARLY THIS MORNING - TEAM CAPTAIN BRIAN LABRIE MAILED THE COVETED OFFICIAL ENTRY APPLICATION. ACCORDING TO ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT JOHN HUBER AS OF MAY 19 THERE WERE 43 ENTRIES ALREADY OUT OF A POSSIBLE 110 TYPICALLY ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE. WITH ANY LUCK WE MAY BE ABLE TO JOIN THE 2010 CHAMPIONSHIP CHUNK! WE'LL KEEP YOU POSTED.

Made In The U.S.A. - Logo

2010-05-18T21:11:00.005-04:00

Red, White and Blue is timeless. Look for our Made In The USA! Logo this fall - tee shirts and gear are being made as we speak. This stuff looks awesome!!

Our Newest Friends!

2010-05-14T19:53:00.003-04:00

We would like to welcome some new friends to the world of the "American Chunker". The New England Basset Hound Rescue Group will offcially be the charity of choice for the 2010 season. Any and all funds and or donations will go to this group directly to support their cause. Welcome aboard guys!

LET THE BIO'S BEGIN........NOW BATTING.... JEFF D

2010-05-10T20:51:00.011-04:00

Although Jeff is the latest team member to join up with the crew, he has certainly pulled has share of the load. He is always on time and never hesitates to complete any task he is assigned. Jeff is actually the Captain's cousin, who not only assists with the building of the chunker but also work's as a foreman for Brian's Landscape construction company. Jeff is all heart, he will do anything to see victory arrive this fall. He is a welcomed sight after work when the chunker build gets crankin. His positive attitude is awesome - Jeff really is a true "team Player"! I also believe he has learned quite a bit this past winter about life and how to build a one off, top shelf Pumpkin Cannon. His up-beat demeanor is admirable for a kid who literally had to grow up over night this past winter. Thanks for all your time and unconditional commitment Jeff. It's been a long winter, now the payoff is finally within reach. WORK, PUSH, PRAY! When you're done doing those 3 things.........do 'em again!

AMERICAN CHUNKER INC TO COMPETE HEAD TO HEAD WITH THE BIG TEN INCH IN MAINE!

2010-03-30T17:12:00.014-04:00

It's official - The good folks that coordinate the Damariscotta, Maine Pumpkinfest have just informed ACI (American Chunker Inc) that Ralph and crew has accepted an invitation to return to the well attended pumpkinfest. The Big Ten Inch and American Chunker Inc. will square of in a head to head battle for speed and distance supremacy. This event will just be as entertaining as the entire Delaware showdown that will follow. The Big Ten Inch is a rather impressive cannon from PA. They were last years Champs and are no strangers to fierce competition. This ought to be an awesome show of power. Good luck to all!

Science Channel Special 8pm Thanksgiving

2009-11-28T17:17:00.005-05:00

The Science Channel covered this event again. They had a 2 hr special on Thanksgiving Night. The event is huge and impossible to cover all the teams in a week let alone 2 hrs. They did a fantastic job again this year and they continue to help the event grow. For those that have "On Demand" on their cable check out the replay on the Science Channel under Punkin Chunkin.

The Build Is Underway!

2009-11-24T06:53:00.012-05:00

After a weekend in Delaware at the World Championship Punkin Chunkin Competition, It was decided that we needed to build the mightiest of all the Air Cannons to compete in 2010! I have since assembled a brilliant engineering and fabrication team. As this post is being drafted, we are underway and currently at the 10% complete mark on the build.

This Massive Air Cannon named "American Chunker Inc" is designed to beat distances of 4500 ft with ease and with any luck crack the mile mark once it's dialed in properly. The downside for our fans is that the build is also top secret. This event is much like racing and every bit as competitive. We are the only Air Cannon in NH and one of very few in the Northeast.

Explaining the name - Showing our Patriotic colors comes the word "American", the word "Chunker" references what we do, and most importantly the suffix "INC" indicates that when it comes to Punkin Chunkin we're all Business!! Prior to selecting the name "American Chunker Inc" we contacted the WCPCA President John Huber because there was a team name that may have posed a potential conflict, however due to several factors including the fact that the name is all together different and we would also be competing in completely different classes, no conflict was found and permission was granted.

We may also soon be working with a special group of folks that might have a bigger interest in this project. Also top secret...sorry! So, thanks in advance for following us. I'm sure this will be quite the interesting journey. Welcome aboard!

BH-Team Capt.