Ferrett on ebay
 

Item number: 4597077700

Is this the correct type of turret? It looks like it's off something bigger.

Al

Al, I don't believe it is a proper ferret turret.
I enquired about this unit. Apparently it is one of the ex-Canadian ones, not a Brit one. This would make it a Mk1/1.
The turret looks goofy as far as I'm concerned. It would be nice to put back into it's former livery. I see that the ebay price now has no reserve. A good possibility for a project for someone so long as the bidding stays sensible.

Brad
The Canadian ferrets ran over the change in production to 1/1, which included the odd shaped side windows. The bulk of them were mk1 with the smaller square windows.
I think when the seller is talking about it being Cdn, he is referreing to about 20 or so which managed to get sold out the side door from Suffield AB around 10 years back. They were from the British unit there, and many of them headed south.

The turret thats on it is not a standard ferret turret, although the one on the pallet is the normal rotating turret. The other "turret" normally found on the ferrets was a smaller fixed unit.

Call for authors
 

I am still looking for someone to write 6,000 words on the Canadian Ferret for a booklet in my Weapons of War series. Anybody interested?:)
http://www.servicepub.com/images/ferret cover2.jpg

Besides the obvious date problem, where the seller gives the manufacture year as 1959 (ours were produced in 54 and 55), he also gives a British registration number. If you go to ferret heaven website, it lists registration numbers for the Cdn produced ferrets along with every other ferret made, but I suspect the registration numbers were not applied. At least, it has not been painted on any of the Cdn hulls I ever stripped. It would seem that our purchase co-incided with the Australian purchase, and predated most of the British purchases.
Canada only bought 124 Ferrets, and their disposal was pretty much complete by the early 80s. There is a memorandum floating around the collecting circles with the final disposition of these..I believe Colin Stevens site lists it online.

Clive:
I don't think I even know 6000 words, besides trying to tie them into a sensible string someone else could understand.

I can dig up files at Archives and DND to provide the raw information on policy and provision. What I need in an author is product knowledge, someone who can put the information into context as well as to identify the sublte differences. :teach:
Reading the posts above I have already learned more about Cdn Ferrets than I ever knew.
Clive
PS, I pay a paltry $250.00

Archives Ferret files
 

Check out the Ferret files at Archives Canada. These are still closed but an Access to Information request will probably open them.

Guys, I am no expert by any means, thanks Rob and Brad for pointing out some of the differences to a ferret novice like me.
The info forementioned was that given to me by the seller; as stated previuos, I don't think the seller knows what he has either...

I recall the "good ol' days" back around 1980 or so when Fred vanSickle in Acton (Collector's Source) was importing and selling Ferrets (no turret).

I went for a ride with him with my arm nonchalantly draped over a .30 cal GPMG mounted on the open hull.

Rode around the town of Acton...no problem...God help us if we did that today!:mad: :confused: :eek:

I would say there is a strong possibility that this Ferret is a non-runner. Knowing Ferrets very well from the mechanical side, it is evident from the front on photo that it was suspend towed to the parking place it is shown at. Note how high it sits on its suspension. The turret is a mock up with out a doubt, not Saladin as someone suggested, that is bigger and with two cupolas.

Richard

I think the answer with regard to the turret is right in the ad:

"Your 2nd turret is well built- has the periscope from original turret "

The pipes sticking out of the turret certainly don't look authentic either. Not certain what the pair of pipes are supposed to represent.....perhaps the coax doublebarrelled shotgun?
Why is it Americans just aren't happy unless it has a big gun??


I think Richard might be on to something about the tires. Theres some pretty radical angles on them. The sewer tree in the back certainly makes it looks like it was backed in to it's position as well.

CDN Ferretts
 

Hi Guys,

I'm more interested in the ferretts used by the Canadians.

Thanks for the input, it has answered a few of my questions

Al