Click for homepage
Fairey TC-100-A
Help wanted

In March 2011, we acquired this piece of equipment. As yet, we do not know what it is, so we are asking for your help. All we know is that it was made by Fairey Electronics in the UK, that it carries the type designation TC-100A, and that it is realy really heavy.

The TC-100A has a very heavy die-cast case, that was probably designed to withstand an EMP strike. At the rear, it has three sockets: one for connection to the mains, the others for data input and output. The latter two are protected by two gas-discharge valves that are accessible directly from the rear.

We assume it is a military cryptographic device that was used for the encryption of teletype signals. The thought that it is a crypto unit, is supported by the fact that it has CRYPTO LEDs at the front: for send (S) and for receive (R).
  
Fairey TC-100A

We would like to find out what is behind the two steel doors at the centre of the front panel. It is likely that they can be opened with the locks to the left of them. All keys are, of course, missing. Furthermore, Chubb AVA safety locks [2] are used to keep the doors locked. Picking these locks will be quite a challenge.

Fairey TC-100A
Front view
LEDs
3 locks and 2 doors
3 locks on the front panel
Chubb AVA lock, used for one of the 2 doors
Rear panel
One of the gas-discharge valves
die-cast case detail
input and output sockets
Input/output sockets
Mains input
Fairey logo
Type plate
One of the gas-discharge valves
A
×
A
1 / 16
Fairey TC-100A
A
2 / 16
Front view
A
3 / 16
LEDs
A
4 / 16
3 locks and 2 doors
A
5 / 16
3 locks on the front panel
A
6 / 16
Chubb AVA lock, used for one of the 2 doors
A
7 / 16
Rear panel
A
8 / 16
One of the gas-discharge valves
A
9 / 16
die-cast case detail
A
10 / 16
input and output sockets
A
11 / 16
Input/output sockets
A
12 / 16
Mains input
A
13 / 16
13 / 16
A
14 / 16
Fairey logo
A
15 / 16
Type plate
A
16 / 16
One of the gas-discharge valves

About Fairey Electronics
Only limited information about Fairey Electronics is available on the internet. Any help in this area is much appreciated. According to the UK company database, Fairey is no longer trading. Their initial address (when this device was made) was at Barnstaple (England). Fairey was established on 2 July 1962 and their last known address was:
    Fairey Electronics Ltd.
    Western Road
    Bracknell
    Berkshire RG12 1RG
    United Kingdom
This address is now used by Tektronix. Fairey's company registration number was 00728508. Since 1997, the company has undergone a series of mangament changes on an annual basis. Apparently, the company was dissolved around 2003 [1]. The 29 October 1977 issue of Flight International, mentions Fairey Electronics as a subsidary of 'The Fairey Company' (see below).

Known Fairey subsidaries
  • The Fairey Company
  • Fairey Electronics
  • Fairey Hydraulics
  • Fairey Surveys
  • Fairey Filtration
  • Fairey Nuclear
  • Fairey Marine
  • Fairey Winches
  • Fairey Stainless
  • The Tress Engineering Co
References
  1. UKDATA.com, Company details for Fairey Electronics Limited
  2. Chubb AVA locks
Further information
Any links shown in red are currently unavailable. If you like the information on this website, why not make a donation?
© Crypto Museum. Last changed: Friday, 23 February 2018 - 22:34 CET.
Click for homepage