Duffy

I started this topic on another thread but feared it would get lost. Are there any accounts of the Striker successfully using their Swingfire missles? A person shared that Mick Flynn's book Bullet Magnet mentioned it but it was GW2 . Other's have spoke of the 16 / 5 L using Swingfires and 30mm Rarden to successfully engage Iraqi vehicles. Where can I find this documented and does anyone have any Gulf War pics of the Striker? Thanks

Are there any reports of the Strikers using their Swingfires successfully during the Gulf War? If so where can I find them?

No I don't have any other vehicle numbers but I will see if I can get the entire list. I believe they had a few spare vehicles that they used frquently. Do you have the service history? Was it assigned to a unit involved in the Gulf War?

Here is the first detailed list of deployed CVRTs that I have seen for the Gulf War in the First British Armourd Division.

Since having purchased my 03FD66 Sabre last October I have jumped into the vehicle history. 03FD66 (when it was a Scorpion) was with the 14th/20th King's Hussars as part of the 4th Armoured Brigade in 91. I found the it was one of eight Scorpions in the Recce troop. The recce troop has kept in touch with each other over the years and as I have noted in another thread their website has a number of pics of the Scorpions used. I have been in touch with a few of them. Their records showed that 03FD66 was CS 21 and actually was the troop leaders vehicle. It was called "Rogue Rupert". Two of the guys in the pic told me that those in the back were actually standing on CS 21. As you know once the ground war finally got started it didn't last all that long. I am hoping to get much more information as to the role the recce troop played. If I could wave a magic wand I would turn 03FD66 back into a Scorpion and completely do it up Gulf War with the look and equipment. Here is CS 21 overseeing pows.

and a few more.

Thanks Chris, very thorough explaination. Wondering if there are any reference books with pics of all the aerial configurations that you described. The following pics are of the 19 set on my 41 Carrier. How would you describe this set?

My brief time with the ferrets was in 1970-1 in Petawawa with the 8th Hussars. They were equipted with the C42 set then. What was the timelines you are referring to?

Just found this. Does it look right??

I am planning to restore my Canadian 54-82506 ferret to the UNEF era. That would include paint, markings, weapons and of course the radios. I have a sense that in 1956 they would have been using the WWII 19 sets....true? Would anyone have any schematics of the set-up and what would be included? Any pics?

I don't know who painted the Lynx but I'll bet it was politically correct at the time. Here's another in-service pic of 506. Front left.

Here is an in-service pic from the 70's? Looks like the 8th Hussars by the cap badge. [ATTACH=CONFIG]54184[/ATTACH]

So I am still considering what depth of restoration I should do. Some are quite in depth ....some more superficial. It's so original. I mean it has no electronic ignition, no replaceable oil filter kit. It even came with a box of the original oil filter cloth inserts. I think they called them diapers. I also got the drivers windshield insert and what I believe to be a C42 radio tray. They did add a battery kill switch which I forgot to turn off and a few hours later the battery was dead. I used my ferret slave cable to fire it up. In 1970 my buddy Glen and I spent our March break from high school on coarse being trained on the Ferrets at Camp Petawa. So two days ago he and I (42 years later) were driving around the back roads in what could be the same Ferret we once worked on and drove. Ok well there is probably about a 4 -7% chance....who knows...lol. This ferret did come out of a warehouse in Petawa about 1982.

The interior needs a major clean and paint.

Here are a few more pics,

I was finally able to close the deal two days ago. I have been researching the Canadian involvement in UNEF in 1956, the Suez Crisis as it has been called. I was willing to settle for a non-running vehicle that needed work just to have that direct link to the UN's first peace keeping force. Lester Pearson later to be the Prime Minister of Canada had recommended that the UN send in a multi-national force to calm the escalating crisis in the Suez. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his proposal. 23 Ferrets were sent aboard the aircraft carrier HMCS Magnificent to the Suez canal. 82-506 is one of them. Enough of the history lesson. To my surprise it actually runs very well. Gears, Stearing and all the lights are fully functional. I am considering restoring it to 1956 Squadron 56 UNEF. That would mean a 19 set radio and a Bren Gun. I would not paint it white but rather the m-series semi gloss olive drab. The ferrets were painted white a few years after they arrived in Egypt.

Although I am still waiting for delivery I jumped into researching the history of 03 FD 66. This will be my third vehicle. Over the summer I bought a Canadian Mk1 Bren Gun Carrier and a very well restored Ferret Mk2. 02 DA 45. The ferret's history I found was amazing. The British for the most part have maintained fairly detailed service records. So now I am looking for any additional information on my new toy. You probably have seen it for sale on MILWEB. The previous owner had both the records from the Scorpion days as well as it's last days in service as a Sabre. It appears that 03 FD 66 served with the 14th/20th KIng's Hussars from 15/03/88 until 23/11/92. Of coarse in 1991 the 14th/20th was part of the 4th Armoured Brigades Desert Rats in the first Gulf War. They had 43 Challenger MBTs and a recce squadron of 8 Scorpions. This unit was involved in some notable action. There is actually a site that the recce squadron has set up. This has some amazing shots of several Scorpions. Mostly before the battle started I believe because the "V" is not visible in many of the pics. Unfortunately no vehicle numbers are visible. I am dreaming to think that 03 FD 66 could be/is one of those Scorpions? Later as a Sabre you will see it served with the 2PWRR in Bosnia in 2000 to 2001 for several months. Does anyone have any in service pics of this as either a Scorpion or a Sabre? Any help/comments here would be greatly appreciated. Al

Just bought a ferret with no service number. Hull number is 334.8.63. Can anyone help me id the service number? Thanks

I know 49AT37 would definitely look even better with NOS CVRT track added!!

Well I put a new set of plugs on her and other than looking great they changed nothing. The originals seemed shot...well at least two of the 6 were suspect. Now suspecting a blockage of fuel somewhere I jumped into that train of thought. To start it was suggested I needed to see if fuel was getting to the carb. So I discontected the fuel line at the Banjo bolt/filter nut and attached a plastic juice can to it the fuel line and cranked the engine for about 10-12 seconds. I got this amount Seems ample so everything before the carb should be ok? So hopefully tomorrow I'll look at the carb. Any thoughts?

Hi Chris Looking real good! Love seeing it all come together. Very nice! Al

The second photo shows what I found after rmoving the two plug wires. The one on the right is number 1 and on left number two. You can see the wire wrap fibres sticking out holding on the lead bits. The first shot shows the plug wire with the lead bits and the porcelin removed. There is no wire protruding from the cable...and I don't have enough to cut it back and reconnect to the lead bits with wire. Waiting for nos cables or at least number 1.

I haven't check for spark or fuel flow to the carb yet...but I will. It does have an elctronic ignition kit put in. The lead bits I have. When I removed the plug wires the two lead bits were being held together with the fabric wrap that surrounds the wire...except there was no wire showing (see pic). Looking at the plug wire connection on the no 2 cylinder the wire is weaved around the lead bits ensuring a good contact.

Just got my new Ferret 02 DA 45. I fire it up and took it around the block...all is great. Upon entering the garage it starts to spit and sputter and finally stalls. After a few trys I could get it started but it ran like shisa and would stall. My initial thoughts were that not all the cylinders were firing. A friend suggested that I check the bango union of the fuel feed pipe to the carb. Remove and clean. It was clean so I cleaned it and reinstalled. While I was waiting for someone to help me check the fuel flow from the fuel pump I thought I would pull the plugs and have a look. Cylinder no.1 plug wire looked funny. The disk in the plug wire that contacts with the plug was loose and seemed held on with the wrapping that was suppose to cover the metal wire in the cable. I could not find any metal wire. It must be broke off up in the cable. Not sure how it ever ran before? Any thoughts??

I ask because I just bought 02 DA 45 from Brad Mills. Robin Craig helped me source this very clean vehicle. I have one in service pic. Was hoping for more. Al