FV701 Ferret Armored Car
During World War II, armored cars were used successfully by all the major combatants of the war. The British relied on their own designs rather than Lend-Lease, mainly the Daimler Dingo and the Humber. The Dingo was the most popular, and were used everywhere by British and Commonwealth forces. In 1949, the British Army issued a requirement for a new armored car to replace the Dingo. Daimler's winning design was dubbed the FV701C Ferret.
The Ferret was essentially nothing more than an updated Dingo--it was slightly larger, wider and more comfortable for the crew, but retained many of the features of the wartime Dingo. This was the main reason why the British Army chose the Ferret: it was already familiar to crews, shared some commonality in parts, and was a proven design. The initial Ferret Mk. Is were unarmed except for the four man crew's personal weapons, but later marks featured a machine gun turret; in the 1970s, the last marks of the Ferret, the Mk 5, were adapted to carry antitank missiles.
The Ferret's popularity ensured a long life; of the nearly 4500 manufactured, about a quarter remain in service. The British Army and most Commonwealth militaries retired their Ferrets in the 1970s, but they are still quite common in the Middle East and Africa.
This Ferret is on display at Battlefield Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada; though it has been demilitarized (rare for vehicles at Battlefield Vegas), it is still driveable. Its origins are unknown; it is probably former British Army, but the camouflage is broadly similar to those worn by South African Ferrets.
FV701 Ferret Armored Car
During World War II, armored cars were used successfully by all the major combatants of the war. The British relied on their own designs rather than Lend-Lease, mainly the Daimler Dingo and the Humber. The Dingo was the most popular, and were used everywhere by British and Commonwealth forces. In 1949, the British Army issued a requirement for a new armored car to replace the Dingo. Daimler's winning design was dubbed the FV701C Ferret.
The Ferret was essentially nothing more than an updated Dingo--it was slightly larger, wider and more comfortable for the crew, but retained many of the features of the wartime Dingo. This was the main reason why the British Army chose the Ferret: it was already familiar to crews, shared some commonality in parts, and was a proven design. The initial Ferret Mk. Is were unarmed except for the four man crew's personal weapons, but later marks featured a machine gun turret; in the 1970s, the last marks of the Ferret, the Mk 5, were adapted to carry antitank missiles.
The Ferret's popularity ensured a long life; of the nearly 4500 manufactured, about a quarter remain in service. The British Army and most Commonwealth militaries retired their Ferrets in the 1970s, but they are still quite common in the Middle East and Africa.
This Ferret is on display at Battlefield Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada; though it has been demilitarized (rare for vehicles at Battlefield Vegas), it is still driveable. Its origins are unknown; it is probably former British Army, but the camouflage is broadly similar to those worn by South African Ferrets.