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Ferret MK1 or Ferret MK2/3


joeferret

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For those of you that have owned the Ferret MK1 did you ever think that you made a mistake by not getting a Ferret MK2/3? I have actively been looking to buy a Ferret and really like the MK2/3 with turret and such....With that said,i am having second thoughts that i might like the MK1 better for the room and the easier ability to enter and exit...

Lets hear your opinions....

Thanks in advance....

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I loved driving the Mk1, we had a couple in the Sqn as liaison vehicles. The Ferret was never meant to have a turret, it was an afterthought, which led to many being killed when their Ferrets turned over. The turret weighs in at around one ton, (with its base), and it was so easy, at speed, to have the steering wheel whipped out of your hands, if one front wheel hit a patch of soft. The Ferret would then spin, and roll over, trapping the commander between turret and tera-firma. Not nice.:(

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best bet is a mk1/2 ease of access like a mk 1 plus unlike a mk1 u can lock vehicle down as it has fixed turret not for nothing is the mk1/2 known as the connoisseurs choice!:cool2:

 

my head fully agrees with Griff

my wallet would always pick a Mk2 as people want to own a "tank"

my heart decided the best solution was to get one of each :cool2:

Edited by john fox
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The last one I owned was obtained as a MK.I. When I did the reasearch on it, it turned out. It was originaly manufactured as a MKII. So I swapped all the MK.I top Armour & rubber bump bars for a complete MKII Turret. & got her back to what she SHOULD have been!

 

These days, that is pretty well nigh impossible, unless you find a (Now Scarce to source) old 'scrapper' to break for spares!

 

I have to say, that in MY personal opinion, the MKII looks the better vehicle astetically. It is securable at shows like the MK.I/2, but LOOKS like a little 'Tank'! They used to be called Daleks in Service!......

 

The MK.I is easier access of course, slightly faster as no upper turret armour to lug! Is NOT secureable ,But I always liked the profile of the MKII!

 

It's all down to personal choice, & what the old phrase is of: 'Beauty, is in the eye of the beholder'.............

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mk1/2 look the dogs whatits with a 7.62 lmg sitting there in all its glory! thing is with a 2/3 is all u see is a bit of perforated tube sticking out !:-D mpg between variants is negligible more depends on how vehicle is set up and what revs/speed u drive along at.

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I had a Mk1/2 when I was in UK but really wanted a Mk2. Now in Australia I have a Mk 2/3 and a non runner Mk 1 (very poor condition and will not be rebuilt by me. I still prefer the Mk2 but am getting older and getting in will one day be a problem. Then I may take the turret off to get a few more years of fun.

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They are both great vehicles but on balance I prefer the MK1 because it is the original configuration and natural successor to the Dingo which was also a Daimler product of course. I also think the MK1 looks better whereas the turret looks a bit like a fat Dalek. With the canvas cover on the MK1 is just as watertight so give me the ragtop anytime. However any Ferret is better than no Ferret.

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Are you sure about the weight of the turret and base?

 

From the unladen weights given in the user handbook of the liaison and reconnaissance vehicle there is a difference of no more than 5 cwt. The major difference being the provision of a turret and baseplate in the recce vehicle.

 

If the recce or turreted version of the vehicle is driven sensibly on a road or metalled surface, bearing in mind the turreted version does have a tendency to be top heavy, particularly around corners and bends then it is quite safe.

 

I have never had a problem. Off road yes the steering wheel can be whipped out of your hands if a wheel hits an obstacle.

 

D & J

 

 

 

I loved driving the Mk1, we had a couple in the Sqn as liaison vehicles. The Ferret was never meant to have a turret, it was an afterthought, which led to many being killed when their Ferrets turned over. The turret weighs in at around one ton, (with its base), and it was so easy, at speed, to have the steering wheel whipped out of your hands, if one front wheel hit a patch of soft. The Ferret would then spin, and roll over, trapping the commander between turret and tera-firma. Not nice.:(
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Are you sure about the weight of the turret and base?

 

From the unladen weights given in the user handbook of the liaison and reconnaissance vehicle there is a difference of no more than 5 cwt. The major difference being the provision of a turret and baseplate in the recce vehicle.

 

If the recce or turreted version of the vehicle is driven sensibly on a road or metalled surface, bearing in mind the turreted version does have a tendency to be top heavy, particularly around corners and bends then it is quite safe.

 

I have never had a problem. Off road yes the steering wheel can be whipped out of your hands if a wheel hits an obstacle.

 

D & J

 

The turret, of coarse, was originally produced for the Saracen, and when taking my instructors coarse D&M (wheeled) at Bovington, I was told during the coarse that the turret and its associated 'bits' weighed in at almost a ton. This, I presume, was the difference between a Mk1/1, and the Mk 2/6 we had at the time. Put it like this, I wouldn't want one dropped on my toe, lol.

I think you must agree that operational use differs from what the old girls are subjected to now. I was on an exercise in Somerset in 1971, when one turned over at high speed, as its N/S front wheel hit a soft verge, causing the steering wheel to 'whip' out of the drivers hands. The commander was lucky, he saw it coming and dropped down onto his seat. The Ferret ended up on its turret, and the shaken and petrol soaked crew had a lucky escape. The Troop Leader waded through the fuel, pulling both guys out. He was a (later) much maligned, (by the press), 2nd Lt Charles (Lord) Brocket, an extremely brave man.

The second incident I know personally about, occurred in Belfast, when a Mk2, in fast pursuit of a gunman's getaway car, hit a wet zebra crossing late at night. Once again the Ferret went its own way, rolling twice before coming to a stop. The commander was thrown clear.

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The turret, of coarse, was originally produced for the Saracen, and when taking my instructors coarse D&M (wheeled) at Bovington, I was told during the coarse that the turret and its associated 'bits' weighed in at almost a ton. This, I presume, was the difference between a Mk1/1, and the Mk 2/6 we had at the time. Put it like this, I wouldn't want one dropped on my toe, lol.

I think you must agree that operational use differs from what the old girls are subjected to now. I was on an exercise in Somerset in 1971, when one turned over at high speed, as its N/S front wheel hit a soft verge, causing the steering wheel to 'whip' out of the drivers hands. The commander was lucky, he saw it coming and dropped down onto his seat. The Ferret ended up on its turret, and the shaken and petrol soaked crew had a lucky escape. The Troop Leader waded through the fuel, pulling both guys out. He was a (later) much maligned, (by the press), 2nd Lt Charles (Lord) Brocket, an extremely brave man.

The second incident I know personally about, occurred in Belfast, when a Mk2, in fast pursuit of a gunman's getaway car, hit a wet zebra crossing late at night. Once again the Ferret went its own way, rolling twice before coming to a stop. The commander was thrown clear.

 

The above post is a great reminder for all.......

About 6 years ago my friend here in the USA who was an MP in the U.S.ARMY National Guard got called for active duty to go to Afghanistan....Before his unit left to go overseas they went thru about a month of various training...He said everyone had to go thru a special course for driving the Humvee due to a real increase in accidents with Humvees which resulted in an increase of deaths...I could't understand how such a wide vehicle made for off road use could have increased rollovers..I knew about the Jeep rollovers but a wide Humvee !!!!!!!!!! He told me that with the uparmouring that had been done it was making the Humvees top heavy !!!!!!!!!

Just something to remember.

Hope all is well with everyone..

Joe

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After my last post, I have had several PMs on 'Ferret's in Service' stuff. Most of the manuals cover everything, but if there are any tricks of the trade I can pass on, or 'shortcut' tips, relating to Ferret, Saladin or Saracen, problems with operation or stowage stuff, then I would be pleased to answer anything I can remember.

I'm sure that there are other ex-service personnel well versed in the above, but the offer is always there. You can always PM or email me on tootles.thetaxi@yahoo.co.uk I have a couple of photos of Mk2 Ferrets in service in Northern Ireland, and would be only to pleased to pass them on. Not getting any younger, the Ferrets will always be around long after the guys who used them are gone!

Dave.

Edited by Tootles
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After my last post, I have had several PMs on 'Ferret's in Service' stuff. Most of the manuals cover everything, but if there are any tricks of the trade I can pass on, or 'shortcut' tips, relating to Ferret, Saladin or Saracen, problems with operation or stowage stuff, then I would be pleased to answer anything I can remember.

I'm sure that there are other ex-service personnel well versed in the above, but the offer is always there. You can always PM or email me on tootles.thetaxi@yahoo.co.uk I have a couple of photos of Mk2 Ferrets in service in Northern Ireland, and would be only to pleased to pass them on. Not getting any younger, the Ferrets will always be around long after the guys who used them are gone!

Dave.

 

Hello Dave

 

It is great to hear the service stories. I love taking mine to shows and hearing from people who actually lived, and worked with them.

 

Any service photos will be greatly appreciated on here. I will volunteer my services to scan the photos in and post them up on the forum if you agree.

 

Regards

 

Matt

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Thanks Matt,

Drop me an email, and I will send what I have by return, with a write up on each one, if that's OK.

 

Just a quick tip for those of you who take your Ferrets to shows, learned the hard way on Army 'CAPE' tours. Make up a couple of wooden blocks, so that when you have the drivers side hatches open, they jamb the hatch, preventing sticky little, (or adult) fingers, from knocking the bar, with a possibility of losing same fingers!! A really easy mod, you can keep the blocks in the 36 grenade tin, handy for when you show.

Dave.

 

 

Unless of coarse, you plan to carry three grenades???....lol

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Thanks Matt,

Drop me an email, and I will send what I have by return, with a write up on each one, if that's OK.

 

Just a quick tip for those of you who take your Ferrets to shows, learned the hard way on Army 'CAPE' tours. Make up a couple of wooden blocks, so that when you have the drivers side hatches open, they jamb the hatch, preventing sticky little, (or adult) fingers, from knocking the bar, with a possibility of losing same fingers!! A really easy mod, you can keep the blocks in the 36 grenade tin, handy for when you show.

Dave.

 

 

Unless of coarse, you plan to carry three grenades???....lol

 

I've not had that pleasure yet I like my fingers and thumbs

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That was not a fun day! I was sat in the arena at Beltring on the Sunday afternoon, 2004 I think. I had a hand resting on a side hatch when it gave way and caught my finger. The worst thing was having to drive all the way home afterwards, every time I changed gear I bashed my damaged fingers :(

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