The "James Bond" and "Mission: Impossible" movies gave the public a picture of what it is to be a secret agent working for the intelligence agencies of the US and the UK, and what an entertaining picture it is.
However, the actual agents employed by both agencies, the CIA and MI6, don't have such devices like X-ray glasses and smart guns that could tell if the person wielding them is their owner or not on their person, especially in the 1970s.
Here are some spy gadgets you'd never thought they would be one unless you know about them or are a spy yourself:
Remote-controlled Insects
Insects are a constant in any place, be it in a city or the countryside. As such, it isn't surprising when the CIA concocted the idea of creating a remote-controlled insect, in this case, a dragonfly, to record conversations of interest.
The "Insectothopter," as it was soon called, would have been the surveillance drones of the 1970s. However, it ultimately didn't get the clearance to be used on a mission as its unwieldiness even in light winds makes it difficult to control.
It also doesn't help that it had a miniature gas engine that could only be powered for around a minute. Despite these setbacks, the CIA learned that aerial intelligence-gathering technologies are worth looking into, with them playing a critical role in reconnaissance.
Coat Button Cameras
Spies the world over need to confirm the identity of a person of interest before nabbing them through a clandestine operation. However, doing so at a distance would be tough; sometimes, using a hands-on approach is the best way to get the job done.
Enter the coat button camera. Known by its codename, "Ajax," this camera looks like a coat button that blends in with other buttons on a coat for spies to take pictures of people and even places without arousing suspicion.
The device is widely used in the Soviet Union, Europe, and the US during the 1970s.
Dog Poop Transmitter
Excrement, especially from a dog, is widely seen as something dirty and shouldn't be touched - an idea the CIA capitalized on in the 1970s.
The agency crafted a transmitter encased in a shell that looks like dog poop that they can leave somewhere to transmit radio signals to coordinate airstrikes and reconnaissance missions.
They also made a similar device that detects vibrations from up to 1,000 feet away and warns people instead of transmitting radio signals for coordination.
A Secret Code Filled Compact
Makeup is more than just helping a woman bring out their beauty when it comes to espionage. Female agents in the field need to remind themselves of secret codes to help them blend in enemy territory or to meet with informants and handlers.
Thankfully, the CIA created a compact that helps female agents do just that by tilting the compact's mirror at the correct angle to reveal the codes.
Lockpick Pen
Lockpicking tools are easily recognizable because of the unique shape they have, allowing them to unlock standard door locks in the 1970s. However, it is also due to their shape that they are easily hidden in, for instance, a simple pen.
US intelligence in the 1970s managed to create a pen that contained all the tools agents need to pick a standard door lock at the time, allowing them to enter rooms and collect information discreetly without leaving a sign that they were there in the first place.
These tools include three different types of lockpicks that are hidden within an actual working pen, allowing agents in the field to blend in perfectly.
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