Ferret Scout Car

The Ferret Scout Car was produced by Daimler between 1952 and 1971 as a fast armoured scout vehicle mainly for the UK and other commonwealth militaries such as Canada. Approximately 4500 of them were produced during those years. A crew of two manned the ferret (a driver and commander), using it to quickly travel around the countryside performing reconnaissance and reporting back what it found.

The ferret was powered by a Rolls Royce 6-cylinder gas engine which propelled the four ton 4x4 vehicle effortlessly down roads, across streams, over sand dunes, and most any terrain in its path. Yet this little fast vehicle did have its down-points. The interior was quite small, requiring men of no more than average height to operate it. Also, the drive-train was enclosed in the body under the passengers. This and the rigid body made for a great deal of noise when driving at high speeds. An interesting fact about the ferret was that it can go up to approximately 60mph forward AND reverse.

Canada used the ferret both at home for training and abroad for military/peacekeeping missions. They were used extensively in the middle east in places like Cyprus, where a quick, armoured reconnaissance vehicle was essential for getting to the action and reporting back on what was happening, or even for joining in on the fight.

By the late 1960's the ferret's life-span had already come to an end for the Canadian military with the introduction of the newly designed APC's (Armoured Personnel Carrier). Most ferret were either given to the U.N for peacekeeping missions, or sold to developing countries in need of cheap, used equipment. Some ferrets did survive this time to either end up rusting in the back of a supply depot to later be sold for scrap, or went to museums and private collectors the world over. Canadian ferrets have been found all over the world, from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and even all the way down in Australia.

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