Canadian Ferrets coming home

[Robin Craig]

Ladies and Gents,

Some of you have known for a little while in confidence, but it is time for the rest of you to know.

Following a posting by Jason Ginn about 2 Ferrets on ebay I had a look and made contact with the owner.

The ebay auction ended without any buyers, and since then we have come to an agreement.

Right now we are sorting out the final admin details on them in readiness for them to come back to Canada.

You can see some pictures via Jason's post in the for sale section of this forum.

I will post pictures when they land back in Canada in the coming weeks.

I am having troubles logging into this forum so send me an email directly if you have a question.

So far the plans for both are them are unclear until I can do a thorough survey on what I have bought.


regards

Robin Craig

[Brad Mills]

Robin,

Kudos to you , well done on bringing these two vehicles back to Canada!

[Dan Sicotte]

Outstanding, and welcome back to the world of ferret ownership! Let me know how you make out, I'll come out your way and help any way I can.
Dan

[Bob Carriere]

where are you located Robin....?

Boob

[Robin Craig]

Bob, we have met, Im located near Kingston and was part of the organising for the OMVA show in Kingston a while ago.

Well im just setting up the final details of trucking of the Ferrets back to Canada, eta before Christmas, I hope.

rgds

Robin

[Robin Craig]

I have just been given the serial numbers (not CFRs) of my two Ferrets.

they are 337.8.4.4 and 447.8.8.4

They were built in 1951 under contract 6/FV/4267 and interestingly were assigned British military registration numbers 36 BA 11 and 37 BA 21 which
I presume is some kind of foreign military sales scheme before being transfered to Canada.

Now all we need to do is find the CFRs.

rgds

Robin Craig

[rob love]

The CFRs will be stamped on the hull just forward of the antenna bracket mounting area, just to the front left of the driver.

[Colin Macgregor Stevens]

Congratulations to Robin Craig on repatriating these two ex-Canadian Ferrets! I had seen them on eBay and was trying to get information from the owner on their identity and fate.

Robin Craig wrote: "they are 337.8.4.4 and 447.8.8.4 They were built in 1951 under contract 6/FV/4267 and interestingly were assigned British military registration numbers 36 BA 11 and 37 BA 21 which I presume is some kind of foreign military sales scheme before being transfered to Canada."

My response:

The contract may have been let in 1951 but they were both built in 1954 not 1951. The hull numbers confirm this.

The Hull numbers are both wrong so you will want to confirm them when you receive the Ferrets. They are probably 337.B.4.4 and 447.B.8.4. They translate as 337th hull; B (not 8) for Build date; 4th month; 1954 and the second as 447th hull; B (not 8) for Build date; 8th month, 1954.

1. Hull # 337 (assuming that part of number is correct) would be 36 BA 11 which was CAR/CFR 54-82569 This Ferret served in Cyprus with UNFICYP. This photo is an RCD photo and is identified as 54-82569 by Darrell Zinck.



The CAR is stencilled in white numbers about 1" high above the driver's head. If you can find the original photo you kight be able to confirm the CAR number. It would also have been on both sides (behind the spare wheel on port side) and possibly on the rear. The unit sign has a black (presumably) 5 (though it looks like a 3) on the armoured corps flash of red and yellow. Note the D Squadron tactical sign on the side. The UNITED NATIONS decal (split for application here) appears to be white on UN blue, though early UN decals used in UNFICYP on Ferrets were yellow reflective letters on UN blue (as found on Grant McAvoy's ex-UNFICYP Ferret in BC).

Ferrets in Cyprus and Egypt had special racks on the rear for a pair of Jerricans. Ferrets in Canada tended to have two regular Jerrican brackets bolted to the rear of the Ferret.

It was sold surplus out of Valcartier, Quebec on order CADCI 50800 in May 1981

2. Hull # 447 is a mystery as it was out of the DND system before the lists I have were created. By process of elimination it was likely 54-82615. Other possibilities are 54-82596 (which served in UNEF); 54-82579 (though that was destined for CFB Gagetown and may be there) and 54-82525 (which served in UNFICYP).

The British War Department numbers 36 BA 11 and 36 BA 21 were the British Army numbers. These numbers were stamped onto a large aluminum dataplate which was mounted inside the the fighting compartment behind the driver's right shoulder. The Canadian Army used this British WD number as the Canadian serial number (today called a VIN) instead of the actual VIN, the hull number. Sadly these special dataplates were almost always stolen. I have come across only three for Canadian Ferrets and none are attached to the vehicles. The British were better at keeping these data plates with the Ferrets and I have seen several surplus British Ferrets with the data plates still in place. The British WD number was replaced by a Canadian Army Registration (CAR) number (later renamed the CFR - Canadian Forces Registration number).

For more info on Canadian Ferrets, see my web site at http://bcoy1cpb.pacdat.net/ferret.htm and just released is my book on "The Ferret Scout Car in Canadian Service" by Service Publications. It may be ordered direct from the publisher at http://www.servicepub.com or from me for an autographed copy at seaforth72@gmail.com

[captw]

Hi all...Robin asked me to post this for him...evidently he can't post onto the site...dated today...Wilf

They are loading this aft in Michigan.

ETA @ Sarnia crossing 1330 hrs tommorow.

I will drive down tonight to meet + clear them and beetle back to meet truck in Gan + unload. On friday am.

You can post this info on Maple Leaf up if you want to, as I can't get into that site for some reason.

I did start a thread on them a long time ago.

R

[Robin Craig]

Howdy all,

I have great amounts of grief logging in here.

Both are back on paradise island.

Pics too follow in the coming days.

R

[captw]

Robin had emailed me on Friday asking me to post these pics, but I was away on a firefighter survival course, so here they are, now...Wilf

[sMoothEric]

Good news to hear Robin has rescued these two wayward vehicles.
I ever a man needed to have a Ferret or two...

[Robin Craig]

I have posted a series of photos on www.hmvf.co.uk a i have so many problems logging in here.

Robin

[Robin Craig]

The serial numbers given to me before I recieved the vehicles have turned out to be wrong, but ho hum I have the vehicles, which is what counts.

Neither vehicle has the CFR stamped on the front of the hull as per Colin Stevens web page, I guess someone has to have the exception that proves the rule.

One big question, what is the colour, a kind of light mocha, that the CF used to paint the power packs over the British colour?

Robin

[Robin Craig]

Well,

its been a busy summer living the dream life of a farmer amongst other things.

I have done zero work on either vehicle apart from putting them under cover.

I am buying parts in the UK and sending them over as we speak. Call sign 31 will be the first to get attention.

Here are some more pictures

PS I can rarely get into this forum, my computers dont like it at all.

Robin

[Robin Craig]

The second vehicle (#1) in pictures is being traded as a bare hull in spring 2015

The names of people involved and the two wheeled device being traded is being kept silent for the moment to protect the guilty

R

[Robin Craig]

Well that didnt quite happen, so vehicle marked with the big white 1 is the one being offered possibly as a trade.

There you go Sam

It is a square side hatch and will be a bare hull with engine deck