Project Baker

This page is a gallery of photos from Project Baker.  This project may have been TMC's first essay into air transportable communications systems.  It was built at the Waverly Avenue plant in Mamaroneck, most likely in the late 1950's (judging by the cars in the plant parking lot).  Later systems were built at the Alexandria, VA plant, where there was a heck of a lot more space!

The photos provide no indication concerning the military designation for this communication system, but a TMC General Catalog that came to me in a recent stash of documents shows that Project Baker is AN/MSC-42.   Evidence (Teletype Corporation TTY equipment) suggests that it's either a Navy, or possibly Air Force, system.  There's no info on the web about MSC-42; if you know something about this system, please let me know!

614.18-3  Van under construction.	615.15-1.  Project van.	615.15-2. Project van.	615.15-3.  Project van.
615.15-4.  Project van.	621.10-1.  Baker van.  Note SBT-1K  inside door.	621.10-2.  Another shot of same van.	621.10-3.  Same van, but different angle showing GPT-10K
621.10-4.  Baker van, another view of GPT-10K.	621.10-5.  Transmitter control van showing UHF relay link equipment.	621.10-6.  Appears to be M28 tty  and some sort of tape euqipment.	621.10-7
621.10-7 (misnumbered..)	622.28-1.  Baker van.	625.22-1.  Shot of various manuals for Project Baker.  Manuals identify the generators as having been built by Western Branch (55KW, 100KW, and 233KW).  Cannot read the Motorola manuals..	C621.10-3. Rear view of control van.
C621.10-5.  Front of van showing air conditioning equipment.	C621.10-7.  Van control center, showing TTY and tape equipment.	C621.10-14.  Interior shot of control center van.	C621.10-16.  Baker power van with two 55KW Diesel generators.
C621.13-38.  Baker receiving control complex outside Waverly Ave plant.	C621.13-39  Project Baker overview at Waverly Ave. plant.	C622.13-26.  Interior of transmit/receive van, showing GPT-10K in foreground .	C6112.26-30.  Labelled "Mars Van", but label may have been mistakenly attached!
C6112.26-31.  Interior of transmit/receive van, showing R-390A's with MSA's, and SBT-1K/SBG at right.	C6112.26-33.  Rear of equipment in transmit/receive van (?).	C6112.26-38.  Transmit/receive van.  If you recognize any of these folks, please let me know!	C6112.26-43.  Van under construction.  Pretty sure this is the transmitter van (GPT-10K)
C6112.26-44.  Interior of transmit van, showing GPT-10K
C6211.3-37.  Transmit complex at Waverly Ave. plant.	Labelled "C  33", shows the R-390A and other receivers (left) and SBT-1K (right).	"Project Baker G.M. Generators"	R6111.17-12.  Van rear, showing rear of GPT-10K.
Unnumbered.  "Project Baker.  Receiving Center showing tone terminal equipment on the left, receivers and monitor teletypes on the right."	Unnumbered. "Project Baker. Receiving complex set up in operating position, showing microwave antenna."  I believe there's a possibility that this photo was taken at the site of the future West Nyack plant, next to the NY Thruway.	Unnumbered.  "Project Baker.  Transmit/Receive van showing mounting of 10 and 1KW transmitter.  Guy wires are installed to stabilize equipment in transit."	"Baker vans at rear of Waverlly plant during installations."  This shot looking toward the north at the rear of the Waverly plant, showing the railroad siding for the plant.  Note the "penthouse" and stairway to roof, which apparently gave access to the penthouse.