1954 Daimler Ferret armoured car

[LewG]

That's about right mate, I believe the very earliest versions were turreted Mk2s for some reason. As for the hatches yep that's right, square hatches means an early Ferret. It was in the first batch ordered, I'm not anoraky enough to remember the contract number now but it was ordered 1951, entered service March 1954 so was built at some point between those two dates. If you or your mate doesn't have it already Pat Ware's Ferret book is an interesting read, plenty of good photos in there too.

[LewG]

I'm not sure about the up armouring I have to admit, I've seen a few Mk 2/4s that are definitely up armoured as the rear hatches next to the engine deck are a completely flush surface, there's no 'dish' to them like a normal hatch. Some had modifications to the side armour behind spare wheel and bin. Have you ever seen a Ferret Mk5? Strange looking thing with the Swingfire missile bins in the turret, when looking to buy a Ferret we looked at a few and one owner had a Mk5 tucked away in his barn, probably worth a bit now!

[magooagain]

Thanks Lew for this thread. Very enjoyable?

[spudgun GB]

LewG said:

That's about right mate, I believe the very earliest versions were turreted Mk2s for some reason. As for the hatches yep that's right, square hatches means an early Ferret. It was in the first batch ordered, I'm not anoraky enough to remember the contract number now but it was ordered 1951, entered service March 1954 so was built at some point between those two dates. If you or your mate doesn't have it already Pat Ware's Ferret book is an interesting read, plenty of good photos in there too.

I think I might have had a copy of that book home here for a bit. A copy came with his ferret on an "extended loan". Is it a beige cover and costs about £100 or more to buy? The previous owner had three ferrets before he sold one to Simon. Both the other two have turrets, mk2's of some descriptions. One was a mk1 converted to a mk2 while in service. He has doubles of a lot of kit and that book he had three copies of.

As for the mk5, we live about 45 minutes from Bovington, and we get down there quite often. They have one down there. Odd looking thing but I would imagine could pack quite a punch. They also have an exhibit which is a ferret production line. They have one with cut away areas which is very handy to work out how things work.

Edited by spudgun GB on Thursday 26th May 22:26

[LewG]

magooagain said:

Thanks Lew for this thread. Very enjoyable?

Thanks magoo! Hopefully I'll have a few more interesting updates for it soon.

[LewG]

spudgun GB said:

I think I might have had a copy of that book home here for a bit. A copy came with his ferret on an "extended loan". Is it a beige cover and costs about £100 or more to buy? The previous owner had three ferrets before he sold one to Simon. Both the other two have turrets, mk2's of some descriptions. One was a mk1 converted to a mk2 while in service. He has doubles of a lot of kit and that book he had three copies of.

As for the mk5, we live about 45 minutes from Bovington, and we get down there quite often. They have one down there. Odd looking thing but I would imagine could pack quite a punch. They also have an exhibit which is a ferret production line. They have one with cut away areas which is very handy to work out how things work.

Edited by spudgun GB on Thursday 26th May 22:26

That's the one! I admit as a sad and strange 10 year old I wore our copy out reading it

Oh yes you wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of a Swingfire that's for sure! I remember the training vehicle, had a good look over it on my last visit. It's got a much better almost modern style flexi pipe replacing the old school belled exhaust tubes from manifold to exhaust elbow, shame they didn't bring that into mainstream production unless it was a later mod or something. I replaced tubes and elbows on ours with brand new and it still blows like a bd when cold!

[soad]

Perfect vehicle for the zombie apocalypse!

[Gretchen]

soad said:

Perfect vehicle for the zombie apocalypse!

Hmm. It is but being commander puts you at risk. It's quite nippy though and you don't need to park it like a c¥^t as it fits in to a standard space. (Pictured next to my 5).

I just can't decide between this one and his other tank...

[LewG]

Tonight I think I've finally got to the bottom of the ongoing electrical issues! Traced the faulty ignition to a set of yet more bullet connectors, and I managed to solder the headlight feed wire back onto the switch. All works now, as a bonus I found some intercom headsets in the personnel carrier after clearing it out before it left for its new home on Saturday. Plugged them into the Ferret and sure enough the intercom crackled into life after a few decades! It's surprisingly clear and crisp, although admittedly I haven't tried it out on the road yet with an orchestra of engine roar and gearbox whine in the background

[williamp]

Great stuff. Like any old vehicle, wiring always improves when you remove the modern "improvements" and take it back to how it was meant to be.

[spudgun GB]

LewG said:

Tonight I think I've finally got to the bottom of the ongoing electrical issues! Traced the faulty ignition to a set of yet more bullet connectors, and I managed to solder the headlight feed wire back onto the switch. All works now, as a bonus I found some intercom headsets in the personnel carrier after clearing it out before it left for its new home on Saturday. Plugged them into the Ferret and sure enough the intercom crackled into life after a few decades! It's surprisingly clear and crisp, although admittedly I haven't tried it out on the road yet with an orchestra of engine roar and gearbox whine in the background

We use the intercom. you get a lot of generator whine and the wind noise is spectacular while moving. At 40 mph I can't hear a word the driver is saying.

[LewG]

Things have been a bit quiet on here recently mainly due to the weather! I've done a couple of events with the Ferret and it only seems to be getting better.
TodayLewis (AceOfHearts) and I took it on a 100 mile round trip all the way to Bicester and back for the Bicester Flywheel festival, it was a fantastic event with so much to see, a bit like a miniature Goodwood Revival. The Ferret was in some impressive company but still managed to get plenty of attention. I had a bit of a lucky break on the fuel bill as one of the office girls at work filled her diesel Punto from fuel light on for a week empty with 30 quidsworth of petrol. I drained it into some clean drums and put it in plus a bit of extra fresh in and it didn't make no difference whatsoever. On the return journey coming back down the Bedford bypass it was amazing how much go it had in it, sitting at a steady 55mph at minimal throttle, off the end of the speedo
We both got back a bit knackered, sunned out and wind blasted but what a great day.
Some photos from the event:






We both got to sit in the Centurion tank which was a bit of a moment for me!

Edited by LewG on Monday 4th July 22:08

Edited by LewG on Tuesday 15th August 19:37

[yellowjack]

LewG said:

Things have been a bit quiet on here recently mainly due to the weather! I've done a couple of events with the Ferret and it only seems to be getting better.
Today me and Lewis (AceOfHearts) took it on a 100 mile round trip all the way to Bicester and back for the Bicester Flywheel festival, it was a fantastic event with so much to see, a bit like a miniature Goodwood Revival. The Ferret was in some impressive company but still managed to get plenty of attention. I had a bit of a lucky break on the fuel bill as one of the office girls at work filled her diesel Punto from fuel light on for a week empty with 30 quidsworth of petrol. I drained it into some clean drums and put it in plus a bit of extra fresh in and it didn't make no difference whatsoever. On the return journey coming back down the Bedford bypass it was amazing how much go it had in it, sitting at a steady 55mph at minimal throttle, off the end of the speedo
We both got back a bit knackered, sunned out and wind blasted but what a great day.
Some photos from the event:




We both got to sit in the Centurion tank which was a bit of a moment for me haha!

Awesome. 165mm Centurion AVRE, ex-32 Armd Engr Regt (aka: The Antiques Roadshow).

This weekend I was at Chalke Valley History Festival. On Saturday I spoke to Rick, owner of a Cromwell tank, either the only running Cromwell in the world, or the only one in the UK, depending on whether you believe Rick, or the 'expert' commentator at the show

Anyway. Come Sunday and I was walking back to find my wife past Rick's Cromwell when his Mancunian voice shouts "do you want a ride in a Cromwell?" Well. Let me think. "Is the bear a catholic?" "Does the pope st in the woods?" I thought it was just a trundle round to the forming up point for the arena display, but no. As ex tank crew myself, Rick wanted someone to sit in the turret who'd have half an idea how to fight an engine fire (kidney plates on the bulkhead were removed so I could see through into the engine compartment). I had to skip off to let the wife know what was happening, and I tore the arse of my jeans getting in and out, but Boom! I got to go into the arena as part of the 'combined arms Normandy advance' display. Full pyro (batsims), 2 x 25pdr artillery pieces 'firing' from a hill behind the audience, a whole platoon's worth of British infantry and a generous handful of Das Heer German Army re-enactors playing enemy.

To think that I'd only gone along to keep the wife company listening to talks by Suzannah Lipscomb and Dan Jones. I got some video, and a few stills, but my wife's camera has been dropped so the stills will be poor quality and the video was limited because the memory card was close to full and it ran out of free memory!!!

Still. Rick has sold the tank to Russia, and it is probably a better than once in a lifetime experience. I wasn't the only one in the turret either. He asked another chap to sit in the commander's hatch (I was stood in the loader's position to access the fire extinguishers if needed).

This is the tank, with a bit of background and restoration commentary... http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/usa-great-britain-ar... ...I've literally just found it myself, so haven't read it through yet. I'll see if I can add a couple of pictures later...

[Opel-GT]

yellowjack said:

Awesome. 165mm Centurion AVRE, ex-32 Armd Engr Regt (aka: The Antiques Roadshow).

This weekend I was at Chalke Valley History Festival. On Saturday I spoke to Rick, owner of a Cromwell tank, either the only running Cromwell in the world, or the only one in the UK, depending on whether you believe Rick, or the 'expert' commentator at the show

Anyway. Come Sunday and I was walking back to find my wife past Rick's Cromwell when his Mancunian voice shouts "do you want a ride in a Cromwell?" Well. Let me think. "Is the bear a catholic?" "Does the pope st in the woods?" I thought it was just a trundle round to the forming up point for the arena display, but no. As ex tank crew myself, Rick wanted someone to sit in the turret who'd have half an idea how to fight an engine fire (kidney plates on the bulkhead were removed so I could see through into the engine compartment). I had to skip off to let the wife know what was happening, and I tore the arse of my jeans getting in and out, but Boom! I got to go into the arena as part of the 'combined arms Normandy advance' display. Full pyro (batsims), 2 x 25pdr artillery pieces 'firing' from a hill behind the audience, a whole platoon's worth of British infantry and a generous handful of Das Heer German Army re-enactors playing enemy.

To think that I'd only gone along to keep the wife company listening to talks by Suzannah Lipscomb and Dan Jones. I got some video, and a few stills, but my wife's camera has been dropped so the stills will be poor quality and the video was limited because the memory card was close to full and it ran out of free memory!!!

Still. Rick has sold the tank to Russia, and it is probably a better than once in a lifetime experience. I wasn't the only one in the turret either. He asked another chap to sit in the commander's hatch (I was stood in the loader's position to access the fire extinguishers if needed).

This is the tank, with a bit of background and restoration commentary... http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/usa-great-britain-ar... ...I've literally just found it myself, so haven't read it through yet. I'll see if I can add a couple of pictures later...

Thought it might have been this AVRE. from the parade square in Hohne. The camp was handed back to the German authorities in January. I dont know where these ended up.

[yellowjack]

Opel-GT said:

Thought it might have been this AVRE. from the parade square in Hohne. The camp was handed back to the German authorities in January. I dont know where these ended up.

I've no idea where they ended up either. There's a Centurion 105mm AVRE on the left, a T-55 or T-62 (no 'key' recognition indicators visible in that photo), the 165mm AVRE, an AVRE trailer (could carry a spare fascine, or be filled with barmines to lay a minefield among other things) and a (Vickers) Chieftain AVRE. There were two types of Chieftain AVRE. The 'Willich' AVRE was the first, in the 1980s, made by removing the turret of a gun tank, plating it over and adding the 'hampers' on top to carry fascines and trackway. Made in the Willich workshops in Germany, hence the name. The one in the photo is the later version, factory converted by Vickers with a larger superstructure beneath the hampers and 'better' hydraulic systems etc for the improved hampers and a more powerful winch, along with an Atlas crane stowed over the deck between front and rear hampers.

[LewG]

Hello chap, I know of Rick and his Cromwell! Followed his thread over on HMVF, from what I remember he has a Churchill under restoration too by Bob Grundy up at British Military Vehicles, good on him. We exported a CVRT gearbox through them to a collector in America. I bet you were absolutely in your element up in the turret, what a great experience. It must be said I've gone through my head repeatedly over the last couple of days trying to work out how I can buy myself a Cent or a Chieftain. Should really be saving for a mortgage but I suppose I could live in a tank too?

Edited by LewG on Tuesday 5th July 22:53

Edited by LewG on Tuesday 5th July 22:53

[Opel-GT]

yellowjack said:

I've no idea where they ended up either. There's a Centurion 105mm AVRE on the left, a T-55 or T-62 (no 'key' recognition indicators visible in that photo), the 165mm AVRE, an AVRE trailer (could carry a spare fascine, or be filled with barmines to lay a minefield among other things) and a (Vickers) Chieftain AVRE. There were two types of Chieftain AVRE. The 'Willich' AVRE was the first, in the 1980s, made by removing the turret of a gun tank, plating it over and adding the 'hampers' on top to carry fascines and trackway. Made in the Willich workshops in Germany, hence the name. The one in the photo is the later version, factory converted by Vickers with a larger superstructure beneath the hampers and 'better' hydraulic systems etc for the improved hampers and a more powerful winch, along with an Atlas crane stowed over the deck between front and rear hampers.

Thanks for the info: Heres the veiw from the front it may give you more recognition indicators for the t-55/62.

[soad]

LewG said:

It must be said I've gone through my head repeatedly over the last couple of days trying to work out how I can buy myself a Cent or a Chieftain. Should really be saving for a mortgage but I suppose I could live in a tank too?

[yellowjack]

Opel-GT said:

yellowjack said:

I've no idea where they ended up either. There's a Centurion 105mm AVRE on the left, a T-55 or T-62 (no 'key' recognition indicators visible in that photo), the 165mm AVRE, an AVRE trailer (could carry a spare fascine, or be filled with barmines to lay a minefield among other things) and a (Vickers) Chieftain AVRE. There were two types of Chieftain AVRE. The 'Willich' AVRE was the first, in the 1980s, made by removing the turret of a gun tank, plating it over and adding the 'hampers' on top to carry fascines and trackway. Made in the Willich workshops in Germany, hence the name. The one in the photo is the later version, factory converted by Vickers with a larger superstructure beneath the hampers and 'better' hydraulic systems etc for the improved hampers and a more powerful winch, along with an Atlas crane stowed over the deck between front and rear hampers.

Thanks for the info: Heres the veiw from the front it may give you more recognition indicators for the t-55/62.

T-55 it is, then. "Key" recognition features being: Larger gap between first and second road wheels, and the fume extractor is out at the end of the barrel. The T-62 has larger gaps between the 3rd & 4th and 4th & 5th road wheels, with the fume extractor mid-way down the barrel.

Interesting to note the laser rangefinder on the gun mantlet, a feature which, until the first Iraqi armoured units were engaged, we were assured that they did not posses. Alongside that is the infrared searchlight. Chieftain gun tanks used to be fitted with searchlights, but they were protected by being 'boxed in' on the side of the turret. Infrared driving lamps too (black filters on the inboard headlights). By that stage of development, we in the developed Western nations had all but abandoned 'active' night vision like infrared in favour of 'passive' systems which magnified available light (image intensifiers) because 'active' night vision systems have a light output that similar enemy systems can also see, thereby giving away your position.

[yellowjack]

LewG said:

Hello chap, I know of Rick and his Cromwell! Followed his thread over on HMVF, from what I remember he has a Churchill under restoration too by Bob Grundy up at British Military Vehicles, good on him. We exported a CVRT gearbox through them to a collector in America. I bet you were absolutely in your element up in the turret, what a great experience. It must be said I've gone through my head repeatedly over the last couple of days trying to work out how I can buy myself a Cent or a Chieftain. Should really be saving for a mortgage but I suppose I could live in a tank too?

If you're going to try it, I'd recommend a (Vickers) Chieftain AVRE. More room inside the hull/superstructure for a start, plus you could probably put up a shed/summerhouse type structure on the rear hampers, with perhaps some decking or astro-turf on the front hampers with a picket fence round the outside...


...so long as the BVs are working you'll be sorted for brews and beans.