Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 90.djvu/853

 An Observation-Tower Car for the Army

It would serve as an outpost station for wire- less apparatus, signaling and sharp shooting

��TO enable an army to maintain unin- terrupted communication between scattered forces and headquarters, two New A'ork City men have devised a new form of armored car, with folding steel tower for wireless apparatus, signaling, observation and sharp shooting, and have offered it to the Government for immediate use. National Guardsmen, after putting the car to a severe test recently, reported favorably upon it.

The tower of the armored automo- bile is of steel and extends twenty-five feet in the air. When the ma- chine is in motion and the tower is not used for obser\ a- tion purposes, it may be folded back as showyi in one of the illustrations. On the top of the tower, when it is extended to its full length, is a small platform with just enough room for one man and a machine gun, the latter capable of be- ing used for offensive or de- fensive pur- poses.

When used for

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�����The armored tower car traveling at high speed with the top portion of the steel tower folded back

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��National Guardsmen using the car as a signaling station. At night colored lights would be used instead of the flags

��signaling and observation work the car may take up a certain position and be con- sidered as an outpost station, or it may move about from one section of the coun- try to the other, keeping in communica- tion with the general staff by means of its wireless apparatus. Furthermore, it may be used with equal facility at night, signal- ing being carried on with the aid of search- lights or by wig-wagging with lights instead of the usual flags. With the car traveling at high speed a man can take up his position at the top of the tower and wig- wag information to other moving observa- tion towers, or obtain military knowledge while moving through the enemy's country at great speed in the event of the failure of the ordinary means of con:munication.

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