Daimler Ferret Scout Cars (UK) KEY RECOGNITION FEATURES • Driver front, turret centre, engine compartment rear with roof that slopes down slightly each side with louvres at far rear top. Top half of hull rear vertical, lower half slopes back under hull rear • Well sloped glacis plate, driver has hatch hinged at top that opens upwards and similar smaller hatch each side. Upper part of hull front, sides and rear slope inwards • Two large road wheels each side with spare wheel and tyre on left side of hull
SPECIFICATIONS Mk 2/3 Crew: Armament:
2 1 x 7.62mm MG, 2 x 3 smoke grenade dischargers Ammunition: l.OOOx 7.62mm Length: 3.835m Width: 1.905m 1.879m Height: 0.33m Ground clearance: 2.286m Wheelbase: 4,400kg Weight, combat: 3,640kg Weight, empty: 29.35bhp/tonne Power- to- weight ratio: Rolls-Royce B60 Mk 6A 6-cylinder Engine: in-line water-cooled petrol developing 129bhp at 3,750rpm 93km/hr Maximum road speed: Maximum road range: 306km Fuel capacity: 96 lit 0.914m Fording: Fording with preparation: 1.524m 0.406m Vertical obstacle: Trench with channels: 1.22m Gradient: 46% Side slope: 30% Armour: 8-16mm Armour type: Steel NBC system: None Night vision equipment: None
DEVELOPMENT Ferret series 4x4 scout car was developed by the Daimler company
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shortly after the Second World War for the British Army. First prototypes completed in 1949 with production running from 1952 to 1971. Total production amounted to 4,409 vehicles for home and export. It is no longer used by the British Army. Ferret Mk 2/3 has driver at front, commander centre and engine rear. Turret has manual traverse through 360°, 7.62mm machine gun with manual elevation from -15° to +45°. Turret is identical to that on many Alvis Saracen (6x6) APCs. Spare wheel carried on left side of hull, emergency hatch on opposite side. Channels were often carried across front of hull for crossing ditches or sandy terrain. VARIANTS Ferret Mk 1 has no turret and open top, normally has pintlemounted 7.62mm MG. Mk 1/2 has crew of three and low profile turret with 7.62mm machine gun. Mk 2 is similar to Mk 2/3, with turret. Mk 2/2 was for Far East, no longer in service. Mk 2/4 has additional armour. Mk 2/5 is Mk 2 brought up to Mk 2/4 standard. Mk 2/6 is Mk 2/3 with Vigilant ATGW mounted each side of turret. No longer used by British Army but may be found in Middle East. Mk 2/7 is Mk 2/6 with missiles removed and equals Mk 2/3. Mk 3 is Mk 1 with same modifications as Mk 4. Mk 4 is Mk 2/3 rebuilt with many improvements including larger wheels and flotation screen. Mk 5 had Swingfire ATGWs. No longer in service. Further development of Mk 4 (or 'big wheeled Ferret') resulted in Fox (qv). A number of companies, including Alvis Vehicles (now design authority for the Ferret) offer upgrade packages
