chicken cannon

plural chicken cannons

1. A device used during aircraft testing to discharge bird carcasses into airframes and engines to determine resistance to such impacts.

   The Air Force has a device known as "the chicken cannon." Recently killed chickens are fired, feathers and all, from a converted cannon.

   1987 November 22, “Military has long history of using animals”, in Atlanta Journal-Constitution, page A15

   1 more example

   The most unusual thing sold is the "chicken cannon," a 10-foot-long pneumatic gun used at a test site to fire dead chickens at aircraft wings.

   2004, Mark Bryant (AP), "Boeing's surplus store is the 747 of garage sales," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 17 Feb

   Synonyms: chicken gun, rooster booster