Ferret armoured car
Encyclopedia
The Ferret armoured car, also commonly called the Ferret Scout car, is a British armoured fighting vehicle
designed and built for reconnaissance
purposes. The Ferret was produced between 1952 and 1971 by the UK
company, Daimler
. It was widely adopted by regiments in the British Army
as well as Commonwealth
countries throughout the period.
, the "Dingo", Daimler was employed to design and manufacture the Ferret.
The Ferret shared many similar design features with the Dingo
and Canadian Ford Lynx, but featured a larger fighting compartment and an optional small machine gun turret. It was built from an all-welded monocoque
steel body, making the vehicle lower but also making the drive extremely noisy inside as all the running gear was within the enclosed body with the crew. Four wheel drive was incorporated together with "Run flat" tyres (which kept their shape even if punctured in battle thus enabling a vehicle to drive to safety.) The turret, though not fitted to all models, carried a single machine gun. Six grenade launchers fitted to the hull (three on each side) could carry smoke grenades.
It is fast and small enough to be used in an urban environment but strong enough to negotiate rugged terrain off road. The Ferret is no longer in service in the British Army, although several Commonwealth
countries still operate them to this day. They have been popular with private collectors due to the compact size and affordable price e.g. around $20,000 to $30,000 in the USA, $40,000 to $60,000 In Australia
and New Zealand
Current Operators: 40 3 Sudan
15?
Previous Operators 124, (1954-1981): 1 museum example during Croatian War of Independence
, during the Algerian war: 20 supplied by Jordan
in the late 1970s/early 1980s. South Africa
UN provided 12 new Ferret Mk2s to Irish
peacekeepers with ONUC
in the Congo in 1962.
There are several Marks of Ferret, including those with varying equipment, turret or no turret and armed with Swingfire
anti-tank missiles. Including all the marks and experimental variants there have probably been over 60 different vehicles.
Mk 1
MK 1/1
Mk 1/2
Mk 2
Mk 2/1 to 5
MK 2/6
Mk 2/7
Mk 4
Mk 5
Ferret 80
Armoured fighting vehicle
An armoured fighting vehicle is a combat vehicle, protected by strong armour and armed with weapons. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked....
designed and built for reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
purposes. The Ferret was produced between 1952 and 1971 by the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
company, Daimler
Daimler Motor Company
The Daimler Motor Company Limited was an independent British motor vehicle manufacturer founded in London by H J Lawson in 1896, which set up its manufacturing base in Coventry. The right to the use of the name Daimler had been purchased simultaneously from Gottlieb Daimler and Daimler Motoren...
. It was widely adopted by regiments in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
as well as Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
countries throughout the period.
History
The Ferret was developed in 1949 as a result of the British Army's need to obtain a replacement model for its Second World War light armoured vehicles. Due to the success of their Reconnaissance Scout CarDaimler Dingo
-external links :*** has a Daimler Dingo in its exposition.* wwiivehicles.com**...
, the "Dingo", Daimler was employed to design and manufacture the Ferret.
The Ferret shared many similar design features with the Dingo
Daimler Dingo
-external links :*** has a Daimler Dingo in its exposition.* wwiivehicles.com**...
and Canadian Ford Lynx, but featured a larger fighting compartment and an optional small machine gun turret. It was built from an all-welded monocoque
Monocoque
Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...
steel body, making the vehicle lower but also making the drive extremely noisy inside as all the running gear was within the enclosed body with the crew. Four wheel drive was incorporated together with "Run flat" tyres (which kept their shape even if punctured in battle thus enabling a vehicle to drive to safety.) The turret, though not fitted to all models, carried a single machine gun. Six grenade launchers fitted to the hull (three on each side) could carry smoke grenades.
It is fast and small enough to be used in an urban environment but strong enough to negotiate rugged terrain off road. The Ferret is no longer in service in the British Army, although several Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
countries still operate them to this day. They have been popular with private collectors due to the compact size and affordable price e.g. around $20,000 to $30,000 in the USA, $40,000 to $60,000 In Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
Production
A total of 4,409 Ferrets, including 16 sub-models under various Mark numbers, were produced between 1952 and 1971. It is possible to upgrade the engine using the more powerful FB60 version from the Austin Princess 4-Litre-R; this upgrade would provide 55hp over the standard B60 engine.Operators
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
15?
Previous Operators 124, (1954-1981): 1 museum example during Croatian War of Independence
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
, during the Algerian war: 20 supplied by Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
in the late 1970s/early 1980s. South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
UN provided 12 new Ferret Mk2s to Irish
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
peacekeepers with ONUC
United Nations Operation in the Congo
Opération des Nations unies au Congo, abbreviated ONUC, was a United Nations peacekeeping force in Congo that was established after United Nations Security Council Resolution 143 of July 14, 1960...
in the Congo in 1962.
Variants
Swingfire
Swingfire was a British wire-guided anti-tank missile developed in the 1960s and produced from 1966 until 1993.-Development:Swingfire was developed by Fairey Engineering Ltd and the British Aircraft Corporation. It replaced the Vickers Vigilant missile in British service...
anti-tank missiles. Including all the marks and experimental variants there have probably been over 60 different vehicles.
Mk 1
- FV701C
- Liaison duties
- No turret
MK 1/1
- Heavier armour than Mk 1
- Sealed hull for fording.
Mk 1/2
- Extended height roof
- Crew of three
- Equipped with Browing .30 or later GPMG gun
- Turret from Alvis SaracenAlvis SaracenThe FV603 Saracen is a six-wheeled armoured personnel carrier built by Alvis and used by the British army. It became a recognisable vehicle as a result of its part in the policing of Northern Ireland.-History:...
APC - Produced first
Mk 2/1 to 5
- Small improvements at each stage including thicker armour.
MK 2/6
- FV703
- Twin VigilantVickers VigilantThe Vickers Vigilant was a British MCLOS wire guided anti-tank missile used by the British Army. It was licence-built for the US Marine Corps by Clevite in the USA.-History:...
antitank missiles - Used by British Army and Abu DhabiAbu DhabiAbu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
Mk 2/7
- FV701
- Mk 2/6 stripped of anti-tank missiles after Vigilant withdrawn from service
Mk 4
- FV711
- Improved Mk 2
- Larger wheels
- Heavier armour
- Stronger suspension
- Flotation screen
- FV712
- Modified Mark 4.
- L7 GPMG
- SwingfireSwingfireSwingfire was a British wire-guided anti-tank missile developed in the 1960s and produced from 1966 until 1993.-Development:Swingfire was developed by Fairey Engineering Ltd and the British Aircraft Corporation. It replaced the Vickers Vigilant missile in British service...
anti-tank missiles in unusual wide flat turret
Ferret 80
External links
- Ferret recognition diagrams
- The Ferret in Canadian Service
- Warwheels.net
- Blogsite mostly about Ferret
- Ferret Walk Arounds on Prime Portal
- The Ontario Regiment (RCAC) Ferret Club, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
- King's Own Royal Border Regiment Museum, Carlisle Castle, Cumbria, Englandhas an Example on Display