The Turing Bombe Rebuild Exhibition
"This electromechanical counting machine was designed to eliminate variables at high speed. Its action was described as ‘machines that go on ticking until they reach a combination that will cause them to produce an output; hence bombe."
The Turing Bombe Rebuild
The Turing Bombe Rebuild Project in B Block is a fascinating achievement.

Photos: LSA 2007

| EXIT | The Bombe Exhibition | PETARD |
The Bombe Exhibition

The photos below were taken in July 2007 at the Bombe Exhibition in B Block, Bletchley Park:

One whole section is hinged...
One whole section of the machine is hinged to allow access to the many relays, capacitors, resistors and the many miles of wiring.
An end-on view...
One end of the unit showing the power intake section and yet more red wiring.
The hinged section contains a multitude of relays...
An end-on view of the hinged section reveals the complexity of the unit, of a very compact design, which helps to reduce the length of the wiring runs.
This display case shows off the many machined parts...
This display case shows off the many machined parts which are vital to the bombe's function.


PETARD
PETARD - A prelude to the Bombe Rebuild.
Before the Bombe Rebuild Team made large numbers of mechanical parts, a test assembly needed to be constructed. This covered all the main parts of the machine, but it was only necessary to make four Letchworth Enigmas driven by shortened vertical and horizontal shafts and one carry cam assembly to achieve this. This unit is capable of demonstrating the full Bombe mechanical action albeit at one third speed.

The plan is that when resources become available, this unit will be completed with commutators and a lubrication system etc.. Following this power supply will be added and electric and electronic units developed to turn this whole unit into a permanent working demonstration unit.

The team chose the name Petard because this is another name for a type of small Bomb(e). It is also the name HMS Petard that was instrumental in capturing vital German Enigma material.


Compiled by Light-Straw © 1997-2007
This site is dedicated to Margaret Davies who, during the war, worked on a lathe at BTM Letchworth making components for the Bombes.