Daimler Ferret

Daimler Ferret Mk 26

The Daimler Ferret is an armoured four-wheel drive road and cross-country scout car, which carries a crew of two (commander/gunner and driver). The hull is constructed of 16mm welded steel armour plate and is fully water proofed. Entry is through the top of the turret and there are escape hatches either side of the hull. Observation is through five separate hinged visors (three forward, two rearward), but in closed-down operation vision is through four periscopes and two side observation slits. 

The engine is a Rolls Royce B60 series, Mk.6A, 129 bhp, 4,250 cc, straight 6-cylinder, ohv petrol engine. The transmission is a semi-automatic, pre-selector gearbox (5 speed forward and reverse) with fluid flywheel coupling and a four-wheel drive transfer box. The suspension is fully independent with coil springs, double wishbones and 6 hydraulic dampers. There is hydraulic braking with handbrake on all four wheels. Maximum speed is 58 mph (forward & reverse) and fuel consumption is 9 mpg (road) and 5 mpg (cross-country). 

Armament in the gear-operated turret is a .30″ Browning machine gun and the Ferret is also equipped with a 9mm machine carbine and six smoke grenade launchers. 

Ferret (06 EB 64) was commissioned on 2nd April 1965 and is one of only 43 originally fitted with Vigilant anti tank guided missiles. It served in Germany with The Royal Tank Regiment, then the Inniskillin Dragoon Guards and finally the 15th/19th Hussars. In 1971, the missile mechanisms were removed and the Ferret eventually returned to Britain in 1976 as an airfield defence vehicle with the RAF at Northolt. In 1982, it was acquired by the RAF Regiment Museum at Catterick and came to the Yorkshire Air Museum in 1991.