×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Chart (2024) Special Forces
HOME
ARMOR INDEX
MODERN ARMIES
ARMOR BY COUNTRY
VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE VEHICLES
VEHICLES BY CONFLICT
VEHICLES BY TYPE
VEHICLES BY DECADE
COLD WAR VEHICLES
MODERN TANKS
MODERN ARTILLERY
Land Systems / Battlefield

Daimler Ferret


4x4 Armored Car [ 1952 ]



The Cold War-era Ferret continued the long-running line of Daimler Armored Cars in service with the British Army and elsewhere.



Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 07/16/2023 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]
Throughout the Cold War decades, the British utilized a variety of armored cars for reconnaissance, scouting and security. One such product became the Daimler "Ferret" Armored Car, a 3.7 ton vehicle crew by two and minimally armed through a single 7.62mm or 0.30 caliber machine gun. Power was served through a Rolls-Royce B60 I6 gasoline-fueled engine outputting 130 horsepower. The vehicle was fully suspended for cross-country travel with power driven to all four wheel systems. Operational ranges reached 190 miles with a peak road speed of 58 miles per hour. The Ferret found widespread popularity in the foreign market, taken on in number by some thirty nations.

Design work on the diminutive car began in 1949. Having found success with previous Daimler armored cars during World War 2, the British Army once again looked to the local concern for its next product. A machine gun turret was made optional and steel used throughout a majority of the vehicle's construction. The "run-flat" tires were held at the extreme corners of the chassis for maximum balance in turns and running on uneven terrain. Smoke grenade dischargers allowed the crew to generate their own smoke screen as needed - the crew numbering two and made up of a driver and commander. The fighting compartment was a good portion of the internal volume of the front and middle of the hull with the engine kept separate in a compartment at the rear. Vision ports were assigned to all panels of the upper hull superstructure to improve situational awareness for the crew. Its profile was purposely low and the vehicle quite robust for the role ahead. It was also of compact dimensions which made transportation easier - dimensions included a length of 12 feet, a width of 6 feet and a height of 6 feet.

The Ferret was produced in many variants beyond the original turret-less Ferret Mk I. The Mk I/I featured improved armor protection and an amphibious quality while the Mk I/II had a fixed turret emplacement with hinged roof door and added a third crewmember to the mix. The Mk II was given the Alvis Saracen turret and armed with a 0.30 cal Browning machine gun and the Mk II/I were Mk I models brought up to the Mk II standard. The Mk II/II had a three-door turret and the follow-up Mk II/III had improved armor protection. The Mk II/IV was given welded-on applique armor plates for even more added protection and the Mk II/V was the Mk I with the applique armor. The Mk II/VI was an Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) carrier while the Mk II/VII was the Mk II/VI sans the missile launcher. The Mk III was given better armor protection, a reinforced suspension system, larger road wheels and a flotation screen for amphibious operations. The Mk IV became a reconnaissance-minded vehicle with the Saracen turret and included Mk II/III marks brought up to this new standard. The Mk V mounted the Swingfire Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) as well as the L7 General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG).

Ferrets were produced from 1952 to 1971 to which total production yielded 4,409 units. In the British Army, the vehicles were ultimately surpassed by more modern solutions. Smaller armies still maintain a fleet of Ferret Armor Cars in their stable - including Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sudan, and Zambia with over 30 vehicles each. Former operators include Australia, Canada, France, Iraq and South Africa.©MilitaryFactory.com
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications



Daimler - UK
Manufacturer(s)
Australia; Burkina Faso; Canada; Democratic Republic of Congo; Croatia; France; Ghana; Hong Kong; India; Indonesia; Iran; Jamaica; Jordan; Lebanon; Madagascar; Malaysia; Myanmar; Nepal; New Zealand; Pakistan; Philippines; Portugal; Rhodesia; Saint Kitts and Nevis; South Africa; Sri Lanka; Sudan; United Kingdom; United Arab Emirates; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe
Operators National flag of Australia National flag of Canada National flag of Croatia National flag of France National flag of India National flag of Indonesia National flag of Iran National flag of Jordan National flag of Lebanon National flag of Malaysia National flag of Myanmar National flag of New Zealand National flag of Pakistan National flag of the Philippines National flag of Portugal National flag of South Africa National flag of Sri Lanka National flag of Sudan National flag of Uganda National flag of the United Arab Emirates National flag of the United Kingdom National flag of Zambia National flag of Zimbabwe
1952
Service Year
United Kingdom
National Origin
Active, Limited
Project Status
2
Crew
4,409
Units


AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT
Traverse bodies of open water under own power with / without preparation.
ANTI-TANK / ANTI-ARMOR
Base model or variant can be used to track, engage, and defeat armored enemy elements at range.
ARMOR CAR / SECURITY
Design, of typically lightweight nature, providing onroad/offroad capabilities for the scouting or general security roles.


12.1 ft
(3.7 meters)
Length
6.3 ft
(1.91 meters)
Width
6.2 ft
(1.88 meters)
Height
7,399 lb
(3,356 kg)
Weight
3.7 tons
(Light-class)
Tonnage


1 x Rolls-Royce B60 gasoline-fueled engine developing 130 horsepower driving conventional four-wheeled arrangement.
Drive System
58 mph
(93 kph)
Road Speed
193 miles
(310 km)
Road Range


1 x 0.30 Browning M1919/BREN Machine Gun OR 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Gun.

IF EQUIPPED:
4 x Swingfire anti-tank missiles.
AMMUNITION
2,000 x 0.30/7.62mm ammunition (estimated)
4 x Anti-Tank Missiles


Mk I - Original mark; sans turret; 1 x 0.30 cal machine gun.
Mk I/I - Increased armor; amphibious support
Mk I/II - Based on Mk I/I though with fixed turret; three-member crew.
Mk II - Reconnaissance vehicle; Alvis Saracen turret.
Mk II/I - Mk I model with Saracen turret
MK II/II - Mk I models with 3-door turret
MK II/III - Mk II models with improved armor
Mk II/IV - Mk II models with welded-on applique armor.
Mk II/V - Mk 1 models with applique armor
Mk II/VI - Anti-Tank Missile Carrier
Mk II/VII - Disarmed Ant-Tank Missile Carrier
Mk III - Improved armor; reinforced suspension; larger road wheels; amphibious support.
Mk IV - Reconnaissance vehicle with Saracen turret.
Mk V - Mk 3 models; Anti-Tank missile carrier ("Swingfire" missiles).


Military lapel ribbon for the American Civil War
Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War
Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of the Bulge
Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Kursk
Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War
Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War
Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars
Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War
Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War
Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War
Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War
Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War
Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2
Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War
Military lapel ribbon for experimental military vehicles

Images



1 / 15
Image of the Daimler Ferret
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
2 / 15
Image of the Daimler Ferret
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
3 / 15
Image of the Daimler Ferret
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
4 / 15
Image of the Daimler Ferret
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
5 / 15
Image of the Daimler Ferret
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
6 / 15
Image of the Daimler Ferret
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
7 / 15
Image of the Daimler Ferret
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
8 / 15
Image of the Daimler Ferret
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
9 / 15
Image of the Daimler Ferret
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
10 / 15
Image of the Daimler Ferret
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
11 / 15
Image of the Daimler Ferret
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
12 / 15
Image of the Daimler Ferret
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
13 / 15
Image of the Daimler Ferret
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
14 / 15
Image of the Daimler Ferret
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
15 / 15
Image of the Daimler Ferret
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)