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C - 446

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C - 446
Entwicklungsbeginn : Mitte 1952  Schweiz
Schlüsselsystem : Rotor - System
Arten der Chiffrierverkehre : keine Angaben
kryptologische Festigkeit : Adonis  high level;  Pollux low level
Betriebsart : keine Angaben mechanische - elektrische Konstruktion
Übertragungsart der Information : keine Angaben
Information :
Hagelin C-446
The C-446 was a mechanical cipher machine developed in 1944/1945 by Boris Hagelin of A.B. Cryptoteknik in Stockholm (Sweden). The design is clearly based on the earlier M-209. It comes in a similar sturdy case and is very robust and reliable. The tools are stored in the top lid.

Unlike the M-209 however, the C-446 is locked with two different keys (see below). Furthermore, it has two different printers, one for the plain text and one for the cipher text. Two separate paper reels have to be mounted inside the top lid.

Three versions of the C-446 are known:
  • C-446
  • C-446-A
  • C-446-RT
Hagelin C-446A

Although we know that the RT version uses a one-time pad (OTP) cipher tape, rather than cipher wheels, the differences between the C-446 and the C-446-A are currently unknown. It is quite likely though that the A-extension only refers to small manufacturing changes, just like with the M-209 A and B models.

The C-446 came in commercial (grey) and military (green) variants. Apart from the outer colour, they were functionally identical. The machines shown on this page are all of the military type and were used by the Dutch Navy and the Norwegian Army.

The image on the right shows both versions side by side. The one on the right is the standard C-446-A that has 6 cipher wheels. The leftmost one has a 5-bit tape reader instead of the wheels. It uses a so-called One Time Tape (OTT) and is theoretically unbreakable.
The standard C-446A (left) and the special C-446/RT (right) side-by-side

Many C-446 machines that have been found in recent years, appear to be incomplete due to de-militarisation procedures when they were finally scrapped. As a result, some of the bars and lugs are missing from the cage inside the machine. In many cases, even the serial number plates have been removed.

C-446-A
The machine shown below is a standard C-446-A. At first sight it is very similar to the war-time M-209, which in turn was based on the civil C-38. The machine has 6 non-removable cipher wheels that protrude the top lid at the bottom right. To the left of the wheels is a small letter-counter. At the far left are the two printers.

Unlike the M-209, the C-446 can be locked properly. It has a lock on the top cover and one on the machine itself. Both locks are different, so different keys were supplied with each machine. One key could only open the cover, whilst the other key (the so-called officer's key) could open both locks (see below).

The machine is operated by a crank at the right. In the image, the crank is shown upright, in the operational position. The mechanism is operated by pressing the handle down to the front of the machine (carefully).
The C-446 opened and ready for use

Different versions of the C-446-A are known. The two rightmost images below show two variants. The one on the right has some additional mechanics just behind the printer. This was used to allow it to be driven by an external keyboard attachment. Strangely, there is no way to tell these differences from the model number of the machine. br />