Enigma replica

[Don Shepherd]

I was browsing the web a few months ago and came across a fellow in Georgia who was making and selling Enigma replicas. These use an Arduino-based system to electrically re-create the movement of the Enigma rotors. The replica comes in a very nice wooden box, and I was impressed with the obvious quality of the unit and the craftsmanship demonstrated by the maker. The price was rather steep, but I have to say it was worth it to me. I have enjoyed playing with this machine immensely, and my father-in-law constructed a beautiful display table for the unit and it is the first thing a visitor sees upon entering my home.

The replica re-creates the Kriegsmarine M4 4-rotor Enigma. The M4 can also decrypt the 3-rotor machines. The replica includes a plugboard and patch cables, but the plugboard is for show only as the plug settings are established by software. I suggested to the maker that it would be so cool to have a functioning plugboard, and I think he is working on doing that now. He has sent me a couple of software updates which I make by downloading the updates via a USB cable between my PC and the replica. That download process is so easy, especially compared to that funky cable used to update the firmware on the HP-30b a few years ago.

I did a couple of Youtube videos on the replica (my first foray into the Youtube world). They are here:

Operating the Enigma replica
Overview of the Enigma replica

If you would like a real hardware Enigma without spending $200,000, this is a great toy!