MCR1 'Biscuit Tin' Radio Receiver

Made:
1943 in United Kingdom
maker:
British Broadcasting Corporation
and
Philco Corporation
'Biscuit Tin' radio, British Government Miniature 'Biscuit Tin' radio, British Government Miniature 'Biscuit Tin' radio, British Government Miniature

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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'Biscuit Tin' radio, British Government Miniature
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

'Biscuit Tin' radio, British Government Miniature
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

'Biscuit Tin' radio, British Government Miniature
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

'Biscuit Tin' radio, British Government Miniature Communications Receiver, Mark 1 (MCR1), 1943. Box containing two receivers, two PSU and two extra tuning coil units. Came from BBC receiver section, Balham. System covers 150KHz to 15MHz in 4 bands (4 x different plug-in coil units). Mains/battery. Headphones out.

During World War II, these compact radios were dropped by a parachute hidden inside the biscuit tins. They were crucial to resistance fighters in Europe because the Germans had confiscated all normal civilian radios. BBC London's public broadcasts were used to communicate with resistance groups by using obscure "personal messages" which had secret meanings.

The receiver was developed in 1943, and by 1945, 30,000 of them had been made. After the war, they became a collector’s item due to their rarity.

Details

Category:
Television
Collection:
BBC Heritage Collection
Object Number:
2012-5118/151
Materials:
steel (metal), paint, plastic (unidentified), rubber (unidentified) and electrical component
Measurements:
overall: 3.08 kg
overall (Unit): 85 mm x 210 mm x 60 mm,
overall (Mains): 60 mm x 210 mm x 95 mm,
type:
radio receiver

Parts