Re: High Speed Chicken Tests

[David Bromage <zeolite@start.com.au>]

Chris Brownbill wrote:
> 
> Its not Australian - this one's been told in UK and US as well at least.

As far as anybody has been able to work out, it originates from the UK
in the 1950s. It has been reworked several times over the decades.

British Rail did use a chicken gun (compressed air powered) for testing
windscreens. The frozen chicken story cannot be substantiated, but there
is another one which can. High speed film was taken of the impact
testing for examining the cracking pattern of the glass. When one test
was played back, a rather startled rat was seen clinging to a slightly
gnawed chicken. The photo was published in one of the British rail
magazines about 10-15 years ago.

cheers
David