depscribe's photos with the keyword: catapult

His puny shield is no defense against the power of the mighty OU Theater Department. The sodden victim is Nathan Arnold, a junior from West Lafayette.

It is a direct hit.

The water-filled siege missile closes in on the poor student target.

The moment when the sling at the end of the terbuchet's arm lets go of the water balloon, which has gotten temporarily distorted by the force of the fling. A few of the demonstration balloons couldn't take it and exploded as they flew from the sling.

Student assistants prepare the trebuchet, a copy of one used in a real 12th-century siege, to fire. The real machine was larger and fired stones and other items at the enemy, water balloons having not yet been invented. The weight at the machine's left center falls, giving oomph to the long, balloon-flinging arm at right.

As Thomas "Tom from the Prop Shop" Fiocchi looked on, the water-filled battle balloon launched by the OU Theater Department's trebuchet hit its target who, soaked, surrendered immediately.

Waving a sword, Thomas Fiocchi explains the trebuchet to incoming freshmen taking part in the Welcome Weekend at the College of Fine Arts. Students said the demonstration was not what they were expecting but it left a favorable impression.