9. John Dillinger’s Alleged Wooden Gun (1934, USA)
In March 1934, notorious gangster John Dillinger escaped from the Lake County Jail in Crown Point, Indiana, using a pistol he had carved from a block of wood. He painted the fake gun black with shoe polish to make it appear real. Dillinger used the wooden pistol to round up several guards before obtaining a real Thompson submachine gun. He then stole the sheriff’s car and fled to Chicago. This daring escape became legendary, though some debate the authenticity of the wooden gun story (en.wikipedia.org).
