Heavily Armed Flying Police Patrol

After the gang wars of the depression, and before the advent of practical helicopters, a heavily armed gondola towed by a speeding aircraft may have seemed like a good idea.  At least, that was the opinion of the author of this article from the February 1936 issue of Science and Mechanics, posted on Paleofuture.  The gondola was supposed to have the ability to steer itself within the limits of the cable, but I still cannot help thinking that trees or tunnels would be problematic.