Smoking Camouflage for Special Weapons
There is an episode in one of the films about Fantomase, when the cheerful commissioner Juve, brilliantly played by Louis de Funes, rescues himself and his companions by offering “shooting” cigars to prison guards. The unaware assistants of Fantomase simply shot each other.
The accepted truth – smoking kills – has found proof in such an unusual area as arms industry. The described episode is not a simple fragment of the director's imagination. Not only cigars, but literally all smoking accessories are long since being utilized by the world's largest intelligence agencies for weapons concealment. The whole range of tobacco goods is used, as well as every associated accessory that can be found in a gentleman's pocket: cigarettes, cigars, cigarette cases and cigarette packs, smoking pipes, and lighters. Indeed, what's more natural in a man's pocket or hand, than a good cigar, a decent pipe or an expensive cigarette case?
The creativeness of “tobacco” weapon developers is truly unlimited.
During World War II, “Well Woodbine” were among the most popular cigarettes in Great Britain. It was this brand that the engineers of the British Special Operations Executive used for designing weapons that looked like cigarettes. At first glance, no one could tell the device from an ordinary cigarette that has been put out. But it contained a 4.5-mm barrel 76-mm long that had a steel arrow-shaped bullet and a detonator explosive. All this was wrapped in cigarette paper and masked with a filter from the rear and a layer of burnt tobacco from the front. The device could be safely held in one's hand as a lit cigarette. To use it, a shooter had to break the filter, pull out the pin wire and press the trigger button with a fingernail. The energy produced by the detonator explosive was enough for a point-blank shot.
Such devices were issued to agents sent to establish contacts with Resistance groups in Eastern Europe, occupied by the fascist troops. However, agents were directed to remain extremely cautious while storing such devices, since great scarcity of cigarettes during the war made them a popular target for thieves. That's why some negligent agent could suddenly discover, that the wonderful cigarette packet has gone over the hill while he was busy collecting information in a crowded place. Ultimately, it didn't take too long for the Germans to get to the bottom of this British trick. After that, a pack of “Well Woodbine” found during search could only serve a purpose of evidence against the detainee.
During WWII, agents of the British Special Operations Executive and the American Office of Strategic Services were using a .22 single-loading pistol, disguised as a luxurious smoking pipe. The hammer was cocked and released by means of a slider button shifted in an axial groove. The only disappointment was that the pipe wasn't meant for smoking.
Jacks-of-all-trades from the Office of Strategic Services chose a different approach. A small amount of powerful explosives was placed into the central part of a cigar. This created a compact booby-trap, which was particularly used for eliminating exposed traitors.
The creativeness of “tobacco” weapon developers is truly unlimited.
During World War II, “Well Woodbine” were among the most popular cigarettes in Great Britain. It was this brand that the engineers of the British Special Operations Executive used for designing weapons that looked like cigarettes. At first glance, no one could tell the device from an ordinary cigarette that has been put out. But it contained a 4.5-mm barrel 76-mm long that had a steel arrow-shaped bullet and a detonator explosive. All this was wrapped in cigarette paper and masked with a filter from the rear and a layer of burnt tobacco from the front. The device could be safely held in one's hand as a lit cigarette. To use it, a shooter had to break the filter, pull out the pin wire and press the trigger button with a fingernail. The energy produced by the detonator explosive was enough for a point-blank shot.
Such devices were issued to agents sent to establish contacts with Resistance groups in Eastern Europe, occupied by the fascist troops. However, agents were directed to remain extremely cautious while storing such devices, since great scarcity of cigarettes during the war made them a popular target for thieves. That's why some negligent agent could suddenly discover, that the wonderful cigarette packet has gone over the hill while he was busy collecting information in a crowded place. Ultimately, it didn't take too long for the Germans to get to the bottom of this British trick. After that, a pack of “Well Woodbine” found during search could only serve a purpose of evidence against the detainee.
During WWII, agents of the British Special Operations Executive and the American Office of Strategic Services were using a .22 single-loading pistol, disguised as a luxurious smoking pipe. The hammer was cocked and released by means of a slider button shifted in an axial groove. The only disappointment was that the pipe wasn't meant for smoking.
Jacks-of-all-trades from the Office of Strategic Services chose a different approach. A small amount of powerful explosives was placed into the central part of a cigar. This created a compact booby-trap, which was particularly used for eliminating exposed traitors.
In 1955, a prominent gunsmith I.Y.Stechkin designed a cigarette case-pistol TKB-506A, which proved to be extremely effective both for self-defense and for terrorist attacks. Mounted inside the case, were 3 barrels and trigger mechanism with a latch-shaped trigger. By offering such a cigarette case to someone in an obliging manner as if wishing to open it, one could kill the “target” on the spot. The barrels were shorter than those of a pistol (only 25 mm), so special magnum ammunition had to be manufactured. Stechkin cigarette case was approved and officially adopted for use by KGB agents.
Source e-nlo.ru
Source e-nlo.ru
