FERRET FALL IN OHIO
00 DC 81 AT HOME
1960 DAIMLER FERRET FV701H (MK 2/3)
WHAT IS A FERRET? IT'S A SMALL BRITISH ARMOURED SCOUT CAR DESIGNED AND FIRST BUILT IN THE EARLY 1950'S BY THE BRITISH (NOT GERMAN) DAIMLER WORKS FOR THE BRITISH ARMY. PRODUCTION STOPPED IN 1971 AFTER HAVING BUILT 4,409 OF THEM. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT AS MANY AS 1,000 MAY STILL BE IN SERVICE TODAY! I HAVE OWNED 00DC81 FOR NEARLY SIX YEARS, AND IN THAT TIME WE HAVE TRAVELED OVER 5,500 MILES. YES, 00DC81 IS A "STREET LEGAL" VEHICLE, LICENSED HERE IN OHIO AS A COLLECTOR CAR. I LIKE TO SAY "IT'S A 1960 GREEN AND BLACK SEDAN WITH A SUN ROOF".
00DC81 IS EXACTLY 6 FEET WIDE, 6 FEET TALL AND 12 FEET LONG, ABOUT THE SIZE OF A FORD BRONCO. IT WEIGHS CLOSE TO 9,000 POUNDS AND IS POWERED BY A REAR MOUNTED ROLLS ROYCE SIX CYLINDER GASOLINE ENGINE OF ABOUT 125 HORSEPOWER. AT FULL SPEED IT CAN GO ABOUT 60 MILES PER HOUR, BUT CRUISES AT 50 ON THE FREEWAYS QUITE NICELY! IT IS EQUIPPED WITH A FIVE SPEED TRANSMISSION (BOTH FORWARD AND REVERSE), AND HAS FULL TIME FOUR WHEEL DRIVE.
THIS FERRET HAS A CREW OF TWO; DRIVER AND COMMANDER, AND REPRESENTS A FERRET AS USED DURING THE 1970'S. ACCORDING TO THE RECORDS KEPT BY THE TANK MUSEUM, BOVINGTON, UK, THIS PARTICULAR FERRET WAS USED IN NORTHERN IRELAND DURING THE "TROUBLES" THERE BY THE ROYAL SCOTS DRAGOON GUARDS, A FAMOUS SCOTTISH REGIMENT OF THE ROYAL ARMOURED CORPS. THEIR REGIMENTAL INSIGNIA (THE EAGLE, BELOW) IS DISPLAYED ON THE FRONT OF 00DC81'S TURRET.
ROYAL TANK REGIMENT INSIGNIA
(click here for some Scottish Bagpipe Music)
(Royal Scots Guards Band - Slow March)
00DC81 IS CONSTRUCTED OF A WELDED HULL USING ARMOUR PLATE THAT IS 0.63" THICK (CREW COMPARTMENT). THIS WILL STOP BULLETS USUALLY FIRED BY FOOT SOLDIERS. ANYTHING OF .50 CALIBER OR GREATER WILL PENETRATE THE ARMOUR. THE HULL HAS AN INWARD TAPER TO THE LOWER HALF TO ASSIST IN THE DEFLECTION OF THE FORCE FROM MINES OR OTHER EXPLOSIVE DEVICES UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE TIRES ARE DUNLOP "RUN FLAT" DESIGNED TO ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO KEEP GOING AT ABOUT 30 MILES PER HOUR EVEN WITH NO AIR IN THEM.
THE MAIN ARMAMENT IS A BROWNING 1919A4 .30 CALIBER MACHINE GUN. 00DC81'S BROWNING IS A "DISPLAY GUN" MADE FROM MANY OF THE PARTS OF A REAL GUN, BUT IT CANNOT SHOOT. WITH THE VISION PORTS (HATCHES) CLOSED THE DRIVER AND COMMANDER CAN SEE OUT THROUGH PERISCOPES TO THE FRONT AND SIDES. THERE IS A PERISCOPE GUN SIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE TURRET WHICH ALLOWS ACCURATE FIRING WHEN "BUTTONED UP". THE TURRET ROTATES, POWERED BY THE COMMANDER - IT MOVES VERY EASILY.
THE BIG METAL CHANNELS ON THE FRONT ARE FOR USE IN VERY SOFT SAND. THEY ARE DISMOUNTED AND PUSHED UNDER THE TIRES IN EVENT OF GETTING STUCK. THE FERRET WAS USED EXTENSIVELY BY THE BRITISH ARMY IN OVER FORTY COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. THEIR SMALL SIZE AND MANEUVERABILITY MADE THEM POPULAR FOR USE AS A SCOUT CAR, COMMUNICATIONS AND INFANTRY SUPPORT.
A LOCAL CAR CLUB HERE IN OHIO HOLDS AN EVENT EVERY JANUARY. IT'S CALLED THE "SNOWBALL CRUISE".
IN 2004 THE DAY BEGAN OVERCAST AND VERY COLD, ABOUT 22 DEGREES. IT IS ONLY A FIVE MILE DRIVE FROM MY HOME TO THE BURGER KING WHERE THE CRUISE IS HELD. JUST BEFORE THE END OF THE EVENT THE WEATHER TURNED TERRIBLE, AND FREEZING RAIN CAME DOWN. THOSE FAMILIAR WITH THE FERRET WINDSHIELD WIPER KNOW THAT IT IS ESSENTIALLY A WORTHLESS DEVICE! THE PHOTO BELOW SHOWS THE ACCUMULATION OF ICE ON 00 DC 81 WHEN I GOT HOME. I DROVE THE LAST COUPLE OF MILES USING MY ARM OUT A VISION PORT AND A CREDIT CARD TO SCRAPE THE WINDOW SO I COULD SEE THE ROAD. AND THE TROPHY? SECOND PLACE!
A CAR SHOW IN JUNE AT THE LOCAL PIZZA PARLOR - OVER 225 CARS, ONE FERRET.
00 DC 81 AT A CAR SHOW IN
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
00 DC 81 AT THE "COPS AND
RODDERS" CAR SHOW IN COLUMBUS, OHIO
I WONDER WHY NO ONE WANTED TO PARK NEXT TO ME?
A GROUP OF DAYCARE CHILDREN ON AN
OUTING AT THE
EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION'S FLY-IN,
ARLINGTON AIRPORT, ARLINGTON, WASHINGTON
THE PUGET SOUND MILITARY VEHICLE COLLECTORS CLUB PARTICIPATING IN A VETERAN'S DAY PARADE IN AUBURN, WASHINGTON. THIS PARADE IS THE ONLY FULLY SUPPORTED VETERAN'S DAY PARADE IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, AND THE SIXTH LARGEST IN THE NATION, COMPLETE WITH MILITARY FLY-OVERS. THE PHOTO SHOWS SOME OF THE OVER 150 VEHICLE THE CLUB MEMBERS HAVE. THE LAND ROVER (WITH THE BRITISH FLAG) IS MINE, BEING DRIVEN BY MY SON, STUART. BEHIND 00 DC 81 IS ANOTHER FERRET IN "URBAN CAMOUFLAGE". FARTHER BACK IS A JAGUAR ENGINED "FOX" ARMOURED CAR (DESERT SAND COLORED BEHIND THE LARGE TRUCK). THE CLUB HAS 12 FERRETS, THREE FOXES, DUSTER, M113 APC, AND ASSORTED OTHER ARMOUR AND SOFT SKIN VEHICLES.
AT A CAR SHOW IN DOWNTOWN DELAWARE,
OHIO
JULY 22, 2005 - A BIG SHOW WITH SOME 600 CARS ALL
ON THE STREETS OF TOWN
00DC81 IN BETWEEN AN OLD VW AND A 1968 PORSCHE
THE SHOW STRETCHED FROM THIS POINT ALL THE WAY TO THE
HORIZON!
WHERE OLD FERRETS GO TO DIE - A "BONE YARD" SOMEWHERE
IN BELGIUM
NOTICE THAT SOME ARE MK1 (NO TURRET) MODELS
LOOK ALSO AT THE SPARE TIRES; THEY ALL APPEAR TO BE NEW!
MANY OF
THE TAIL AND BRAKE LIGHT LENSES HAVE BEEN REMOVED, AND OTHER PARTS "CANNIBALIZED"
WE CAN ONLY HOPE THAT SOME OF THESE FIND A SAFE HOME
(AT LEAST THERE ARE LOTS OF PARTS HERE)
NOTE: We have since learned that some of these
Ferrets
have in fact found new homes and have been restored!
