Bond's Gun and Airport Security

CmdrAtticus

This has come up in my mind from time to time when watching all the films:

Before there were scanners in airports, Bond could pass through customs without worrying about his pistol being discovered. Since he always traveled as a rep for a fake import/export firm and MI6 would disavow him being an agent, he always had to take the chance of authorities discovering he was packing.

In certain circumstances, he could have items (such as Q's gadgets or even a gun) delivered by diplomatic bag to the UK embassy where he could retrieve it (or possibly it could be delivered right to him).

Now in the modern films where there is such tight security, how is he getting his weapon through the airports? I see in CR it's given to him after he arrives at the hotel. However, in SF Q gives it to him in London, which means he would take it with him to Shanghai.

So, is he now having to travel sans PPK until he arrives at his destination where it is given to him by the local MI6 station rep, or does British Security clear him at the airports ahead of his flights so he has authorization to carry it and if so, does it mean he does not go through regular security and gate check in but rather passes through another area reserved strictly for law enforcement officials who travel armed?

Thunderpussy

I always think that he still has his attaché case, only a more modern
Version. In which his gun cannot be seen by security scanners or
by a hand search.
Might not hold water as a theory, but it keeps me happy. )

CmdrAtticus

When I think about it, it would make more sense today for Bond to fly via a government supplied private chartered jet used by diplomats, government VIPs and the security services rather than regular commercial flights.

Thunderpussy

Now my only experience is from reading thrillers, but I think
Guns are so widespread around the world, that you could
Pick one up in any country, from the right place
I remember reading somewhere, might have been a Bond refrence book.
That most people have never heard a gunshot and don't know what one
sounds like. Although I'm sure there are guns made of some "space age"
Materials, that can be brought through airport security.

AlphaOmegaSin

In the Gardner Continuation Novels, Bond hides his Firearm in a secret Compartment within his Suitcase -{

The Domino Effect

Unless there was a prior arrangement with airport security and the airline, I can't imagine anyone in any covert capacity would attempt to smuggle a gun on their person onto an airline today no matter how confident they were of the concealment. I would guess that barring that, they would very quickly be armed by someone upon arrival.

chrisisall

There are a couple of ways I can think of, but I don't want that kind of stuff out in the open- let's just say I believe it can be done.

Thunderpussy

Bond doesn't need no stinking guns anyway, his hands are lethal weapons.
Without going too deep, I'm sure there are ways of smuggling one through.

Peppermill

But the gun Bond gets in Skyfall in London is the same gun he is using in Shanghai. So he must have brought it with him....

AlphaOmegaSin

Thunderpussy wrote:

Bond doesn't need no stinking guns anyway, his hands are lethal weapons.
Without going too deep, I'm sure there are ways of smuggling one through.

Getting them out must have been the hard Part

Number24

In one of the deleted scenes from LTK Bond hides his gun inside a metalic vodka flask. Neat idea.

Thunderpussy

In Chris Woods " The spy who loved me ", Bond hid his gun in an old
Mechanical typewriter.

chrisisall

Number24 wrote:

In one of the deleted scenes from LTK Bond hides his gun inside a metalic vodka flask. Neat idea.

Why was that scene deleted? ?:)
It was a good one...

7289

"How is he getting his weapon through the airports?"

It's fiction.

chrisisall

7289 wrote:

"How is he getting his weapon through the airports?"

It's fiction.

He's Bond. )

Number24

chrisisall wrote:

Number24 wrote:

In one of the deleted scenes from LTK Bond hides his gun inside a metalic vodka flask. Neat idea.

Why was that scene deleted? ?:)
It was a good one...

I agree.

CmdrAtticus

In reference to his PPK in SF:

Q could have had it sent via diplomatic pouch to the British Consulate, then it was delivered to him at his hotel before he went to the airport.
Much safer than trying to smuggle it through Chinese security.

Ammo08

CmdrAtticus hit it on the head. Guns often travel by diplomatic pouch, along with lots of other things.

Thunderpussy

I wonder is it a coincidence this question is asked and within weeks
Airport security is suddenly beefed up ? The NSA is checking us out. )

chrisisall

Thunderpussy wrote:

I wonder is it a coincidence this question is asked and within weeks
Airport security is suddenly beefed up ? The NSA is checking us out. )

We are performing a public service. -{

Thunderpussy

) ) )

always shaken

your all thinking that Bond takes his weapon on the plane in one piece ie as a full working model
I would imagine that he dismantles it into its component parts , and hides/disguises them into ,toiletries ,
cameras ,false compartments , and various samples of his wares as a travelling rep ? he dosent work for universal exports for nothing , im sure the ammunition for his weapon is collected locally ,but hey in the words of DR NO
im just another stupid policeman ) perhaps our resident firearms expert ASP9MM ,could shed some light
on how to disguise a PPK for travel, but in the end its a film and we shouldn't take it too literal 8-)

Thunderpussy

Q has developed a Transporter and simply " beams " the ppk to anywhere
In the world,................... Or out of it ! ) )

Thunderbird 2

Pussy don't be rediculious! The transporter won't be invented for at least another century!

I always tended to think it was a variation of CR-06. 007 pocks up weapons, tools and other bits and bibs from a pick up point near his assigned task. Q often arrived with the toys local to whete Bond was working, such as in YOLT, TSWLM, and TND. AS has a point, maybe we are overthinking this.

chrisisall

You all miss the obvious. He carries a flash drive with the 3D image, and just prints it after he arrives.

Charmed & Dangerous

He disguises it as a torch and hands it to airport security just before going through the metal detector/scanner. Airport security just glance at it and hand it back to him just act he steps through the scanner, without putting it through the x-ray machine like everything else, so it's the one thing that never gets x-rayed or scanned. Simple! )

After all, it worked for Dimitrious's henchman in Casino Royale...

The Domino Effect

Being completely committed to Queen and country, he has had a very large cavity hollowed into his head with a secret trap door behind his left ear. He slides the component gun parts into the cavity before he reaches the airport, and reassembles the gun once at his destination. When he passes through security and the alarm goes off, he tells them it's a metal plate in his skull from an old rugby injury.

Asp9mm

This has been addressed a few times in the novels, both realistically (Fleming & Deaver) and with a dose of fiction (Gardner & Benson). This is what Q-Branch really does. It makes available equipment an agent needs overseas which would include weapons already in that country shipped in via diplomatic bag through the Emabassy, or acquired covertly from local supplies, and made available to Bond when he arrived.

The films and the less realistic novels of Gardner/Benson have him using special shielded suitcases with hidden compartments. With Fleming's books it was simple as security checks were virtually non existent at that time, and in one book he has Bond contemplating what he will do when the new metal detectors/security screens are installed after he sees an article in the paper about their development. Deaver has Bond using a Q-Branch supplied South African firearms CCP and hunting licence travelling from Dubai to South Africa, with the pistol stowed in the main luggage. A person can do this with a valid reason and the appropriate paperwork. The other times in Carte Blanche when he went over foreign borders, it was with the cooperation of the local authorities or debuss via SAS helicopter, and in one case a private flight.

But in the real world, firearms are quite easy to acquire with local knowledge and the right contacts. All of which would be made available to Bond and accrued by himself over the years. No doubt, he would also have a private stash of such useful equipment at key points over the globe too. As for him carrying the one personal sidearm with him everywhere he went, this is unrealistic and nigh impossible.

The Domino Effect

So, Asp9mm, basically you're saying my head-cavity suggestion is wrong?

Thunderpussy

I like the head cavity idea, I bet there's loads of space in my head ! )

sniperUK

For the Berreta as long as he had a female traveling companion he could use the same method the Provos used to smuggle them into the Maze prison prior to the breakout. Pussy galore With the ammo stored by someone who shall we say is anally retentive :v