Bletchley Park Tour

Type-X machine

Type-X is in fact a derivative of Enigma, which evolved from an early Enigma bought in the 1930s. Bletchley Park used a Mk II version fitted with special drums, for decoding German Enigma messages as well as for encyphering Ultra output to go overseas. The machine's greater complexity and Britain's better cypher discipline ensured that Type-X was never broken by the Germans even though they captured some machines, without rotors, before Dunkirk in 1940.

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