Secret Communications

Scheduled for: 16, 23 and 30 November 2013 (please consider the next announcement)

 

Page initiated on 17 July 2013

 

Status: 20 December 2013

 

Owing to the huge response encountered, we have decided to add an additional day we are open to the public.

This will be, Deo volente: Sunday 15 December 2013

Groups can contact us for special visit arrangement

Please contact us at:

Please type in what you read

 

 

Please consider also: Why we are doing it?

 

2* + 3 + 4 + 5

 *Building up the exhibition viewed on YouTube

 

 

 

>Please notice also the photos taken on 23 November 2013<

 

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Please consider also the webpage which is dedicated to the last day open to the public. This was very a special day, as Mr Schoemaker accompanied by two colleagues, visited us. Mr Schoemaker recently graduated at the University of Utrecht; his thesis was on: Stay behind aspects. He himself was a trainer in the Gladio organisation (Dutch designation O&I) from 1960 up to 1992. Unique, is, that he told us a lot of his experience and this event is being recorded and made available on YouTube. 

 

 

 

As to keep up momentum without following regular paths, we are planning for an exceptional - maybe unique Autumn project: Secret Communications. This time not relying on what we have 'in house' but an exhibition in cooperation with the Cryptomuseum.com in The Netherlands. For it, we will empty quite some regular exhibition space, making room for a unique event in November this year. We schedule three Saturdays: 16 - 23 and 30 November (when there is ample demand an additional Saturday will be devoted, for which date is not decided yet). Albeit, some of our artefacts will be brought on display as well in combination with two different Enigma configurations; also our Geheimschreiber T52d (SFM T52d) will be part of the exhibition. The time-span covered will be between 1921 up to the mysterious Gladio era ending in the 1990s (2000s?). Not widely known, this was a pan-European secret force - meant for the circumstance the Russians would have occupied Western-Europe. Even Switzerland joined this project! After the changes in Eastern-Europe (1989-1991) this organisation was eventually being made redundant. A teaser: KW-7(maybe a KL-7 too!) KL-51/RACE its successor; Hagelin TC-52, Gretag TC-53, RACAL PRM-4150 (not entirely complete, but 'unique' with its fixed-ground station). Two operational Russian Fialka machines will communicate against one another. The Swedish Hagelin type B-21 (1921), also a superb Hell H-54 machine - Hell's superior copy of the well known Hagelin cipher machine.   Viewing the WW II era - a rare Kyynel and B 2 as well as its successor A 3 will be, Deo volente, displayed too.

 

During the course of preparations it became apparent that voice crypto is also a significant way of communication; which should be covered as well. Widening the display fields means that additional space should be provided. For it we have cleared extra room.

 

Please consider also the: Cryptomuseum.com website

 

Admission is free of charge

including tea and coffee

 

 

 

Please click on one of the next hyperlinks

 

 

Invitation leaflet in English language, in PDF full quality version (4.7 MB)

Invitatiefolder in het Nederlands, PDF hoge kwaliteit (4,7 MB)

 

A choice of photos which were implemented during the course of our preparations

 

 

 

 

An Enigma 3 Rotor also known as type A 

 

 

A nice photo of the famous British B 2 set

 

 

A Swiss machine. When you look carefully, you can read its manufacturer

 

I have a penchant for fine mechanics

 

 

Also a fine Swiss product

Shown is a part of the Gretag TC 53 secret telex interface (5 bit Baudot)

 

 

 

 

The Enigma Schreibmax (MZSS) fit onto a M4 (MZSE) submarine type Enigma

This set will be demonstrated.

Its genuine power supply is extremely complicated and rare too.

 

 

 

The Fialka machine

Of which likely two machines will communicate against one another

This was a high class apparatus, and its circuitry accordingly complicated.

 

 

To keep things lively a Scandinavian spy set

The joined Sweden/Finland Kyynel

 

 

An Enigma Uhr will be shown hinged on the right-hand side of a 3 wheel Enigma machine. Replacing the so-called Stecker configuration, as to speed up operations

 

 

 

An Enigma type K

The module at the right-hand side is to facilitate remote text reading

 

 

KL-51/RACE

A quite modern machine with which some of you might have operated not too long ago

 

 

 

The mysterious Gladio FS 5000 set, entirely complete

This was to my knowledge the last type that was used in almost all non Eastern Block countries inn Europe, including Switzerland. Whether Sweden was among them too I don't know.

 

 

The Swiss Nema machine

After the Swiss army could no longer get supply of Enigma machines (type K) from Germany in 1944/45, the Swiss industry constructed their own substitute. It was like there famous "Schweitzer Armee Taschenmesser" a device with many options. Technically based on the Enigma principles with some smart novelties.

 

 

 

Shown is a SIGABA machine (actually ours)

A USA Confidential Typewriter

The SIGABA machine was an especially adapted CP1600 or 1700, which allowed the exchage of high level telex travel between the US and UK. The latter operating there TYPEX machine.

 

 

Especially for our British guests a RACAL MA-4018B

Not yet decided, but likely on display as well.

Keith Thrower once gave a talk on this very successful set, which was called, when I remember well: Jaguar (although, I am not certain)

 

 

 

How can we visualise what actually is and how the artefacts are likely being put on display? 

Please notice that the next drawing is overdue, because we have expanded the exhibition space, and will be replaced as soon as possible.

 

 

Our preliminary display setup

For a better reproduction please click on this illustration

 

 

Getting an idea how the display tables are fitting into the available museum space:

 

The Funkhorch receiver range being removed to make room for cryto-telephony 

 

 

We have started making room for the Enigma display table

The artefacts being for practical reason stored underneath the tables

 

This is what it was previously

 

We have additionally cleared the right-hand side

 

A wider space being created

 

The movable tables being cleared too

 

The so-called 'losse tafels' as these previously were displayed

 

 

The second shelf being cleared for making room for spy sets

 

 

This third level display which is showing the complete Radione wireless station RS20M and the receiver R3 both in their original transport cases as well as on the left both RPG 1 and RPG 2 will be temporarily being stored in the depot

In the top illustration designated 'vaste rek' is dedicated to spy sets - like the Swedish Kyrnel and both British spy sets 'A 3 and the famous B2'. 

 

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On  26 October 2013

Building the secret comms exhibition, to be viewed on YouTube

Film 107:    Viewing the building up of the secret communications exhibition in the rear hall. (00107)

Film 111:    Filming the Race KL-51 in the centre the KW-7 machine and on the far right the Swiss TC 52 telex manufactured by Crypto A.G. A very nicely build apparatus.

Film 113:    Viewing at the shelf showing Russian and British so-called spy sets. On the far right-hand site to the left: Russian R-350 - the quite rare Britsh A3 in a shuitcase - next to it the well known British B2 - The very rare Finish/Swedish Kyynel set M-10X from wartime days - Russian R-353 a beautiful powerful set - R-354 - R-399 and at the far right-hand side the Russian R-394 from the 1980s.

Film 114:    Showing the beautifulness of the internal construction of the Russian R-014D coding machine; to be operated in the front-line at battalion regiment level and only a single set was there at hand (at least a working device). Some regard Russian gear being crude and technically backwards. But, please bear in mind: that the Russian use sometimes a hammer to keep their space systems operational. The western world would be nowhere without them and we certainly would at present not be operating the Spacelab!

Film 115:    Viewing the SP-15 once used by the BND and also the Dutch BVD and likely in early Gladio like operations in the Netherland. Right of it the CIA RS-6 set including the para packing and auxiliary parts.

Film 116:    Under the plexiglas (perspex) cover we see the PCR-64 and in front of it the beautiful CIA set TAR-224.

Film 117:    The most recent Gladio station known the FR 5000. A beautiful piece of equipment and was used by all countries in Western-Europe including in Switzerland. Not yet shown, but is intended: next to it an opened transmitter and the receiver module with its beautiful mini-controlling-display. It was designed and build by AEG/Telefunken in Germany.

Film 118:    Viewing the British RACAL ground station FRM 4750 which was an older Gladio ground station. It is intended to display also a mobile rig.

Film 119:   Viewing the very rare Swiss TC-53 crypto-telex system. The actual telex machine operates with 14 bits. Its system in- and output operates with the regular 5 bit Baudot mode.

Film 120:   Shown are some Crypto telephones to be operated via line-systems: left the CTE-020 in the centre the CVAS III which is currently linked onto a similar set in the rear room. The line is being bugged and we can monitor the interconnection between both telephones. Its secret mode uses 2400 bit/s giving a quite poor understanding, as it is converting the phonetic speech into a phonetic 'syllable'. Far more difficult to decode by the way. The reproduced decoded voice is fully synthetic.

Film 122:    Viewing a range of crypto telephones: STU I - STU-II - STU-III, the STE the so-called Obama telephone. On the far right up some RACAL voice coding modules which can be fit onto portable wireless systems. I incorrectly mention STE instead of STU!

Film 124: Viewing photos of Ronald Reagan - Bush Jr. and Obama using crypto telephones which are displayed in the previous film. I incorrectly mention STE instead of STU!

Film 125:    Viewing the Siemens & Halske top secret telex T 52d (SFM T52d) restoration.

Film 127: Showing the building up of the ENIGMA display. These machines will be kept outside the exhibitions elsewhere, for obvious reason. Shown is on the left-hand side the Schreibmax and more to the centre the so-called ENIGMA-Uhr.

Film 128:    Viewing the opposite of the display table to the previous film. The beautiful Hell H-54 machine, next to it the 1921 Swedish Crypto machine type B 21, the post war Swiss Nema machine, which may be regarded belonging to the Enigma like principle.    

 

        

   

For to finally some photos of the setup in the rear exhibition room. It has to be noticed, that some additional artefacts will come on display soon. However, it gives you an idea what you may expect.

 

Shown briefly from left to the right

On the adjacent table

Viewing the PCR 64 spy set

 

Another nice artefact is the Russian code-machine R 014D, which was used about the front-line. Each battalion regiment had a single operator and machine.

 

It is often thought that Russian gear is crude, but when one look how it is constructed he must be impressed by its nice construction. Their technology maybe not very advanced, but remember: the Russians use hammers to keep their gear in space, and without them, we would be no longer in space!

 

On the right-hand side an old Russian spy set type R 350 set of the 1950s

Left of it:

 

Viewing from right to left:

 

The FS 5000 is a Gladio set of the last known generation

 

 

On 3 November 2013

 

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New artefacts are set up, albeit temporarily, as some devices will only in the museum during the exhibition is open to the public.

 

 

 The Schreibmax temporarily mounted on top of a M-4 machine, on the right of it the Enigma-Uhr attached onto type I. On the left of the Schreibmax its power supply

 

The Enigma-Uhr is actually replacing the regular 'Stecker' interconnections. Instead, a 37 position-switch is allowing a variable connection interchange.

 

 

 The Enigma with attached Uhr viewed from a different perspective

 

 

The well known crypto apparatus type M-209

Why we have displayed this device next to the Gretag TC-52? Because, the Gretag coding mechanism is using at some point an equal switching mechanism.

 

 

The RACAL wireless voice-crypto corner combined with some explanation

 

 

On 9 November 2013

 

4

 

The exhibition was this day open the first time be it for the annual Hell Group Meeting.

 

Viewing five Enigma machines on a row

From the left to the right: The Navy M4 fit with a Schreibmax printer - German Army and GAF Enigma apparatus type I, with attached Enigma-Uhr - Type D het about 1926 commercial Enigma without Stecker or plug-board provision - Enigma type K which was purchased about 1942 by the Swiss Army - Enigma type A which is the 1928 improved version having a step counter and may be compared to the later famous Abwehr machine type G.

 

 

Viewing the previous set-up from a different perspective

In the glass cage different rotor types among it the reflector type D

 

 

On the left the KW-7 and on the right the KLB/7T sec machine

The latter being most rare.

 

Please notice that the most rare devices being stored elsewhere when our exhibition is closed!

 

 

The FS-5000 'Gladio' set with on the left-hand side an extra stand-alone receiver module with on the left-hand side its original battery module

 

 

When the circumstances dictated it, the receiver as well as some other module could operate independently. A special sub display being provided, which is invisible when the station is being operated as is shown in the photo. The receiver being tuned at 3333 kHz

 

Finally for today

 

Viewing through to separate displays

 

 

To be continued in due course

 

 

 

Start