question Ferrets in Germany and Beer Bottle Tops

[Toolman]

Hello guys

As some of you will probably know, I’m trying to determine the Military Registration of my Ferret by any route possible due to the fact that the data plate has been removed sometime its past.

I current thinking is that the reg is somewhere between 00CA84 and 00CA90 based on the Hull Numbers of 00CA78 and 00CA92 and the sequence (or non-sequence) between them.

Additionally, I’m trying to find as much evidence as I can about it’s service life and where/how/when it became in public hands as this might help me when I finally take a look at the record cards of the suspected registrations.

I do believe that it has been in Germany at some point because there is a sticker above the instrument panel showing the maximum speed on the autobahn. However I don’t know it this is original.

Today I found a German beer bottle top in the gunge under the engine.

So I’m wondering if anyone remembers working on a ferret whilst drinking Osnabrücker Beer somewhere near Osnabrück, and if so you wouldn’t remember which ferret it was

Cheers

Matt

[sirhc]

Matt,

 

Mine also had that sticker above the speedo, and spent its whole life (near enough) in storage in Germany.

 

Have you tried needle gunning the hull above the front hatch? Mine had the registration number etched on the hull there, also also on the rear of the hull under the rear armour.

 

Chris

[Toolman]

Hi Chris

 

I have rubbed down the area above the front hatch. I didn't find the mil reg, but much to my dissapointment and amazement, I found another DVLA regiatration.

 

When you say etched on, you don't just mean painted on or deeper than that?

 

Cheers

 

Matt

[sirhc]

Matt,

 

I doubt you'd find it by rubbing down. It was lightly etched on to the hull, as in a slightly different apperance in the metal, not painted. When needle gunning the hull the paint is chipped of and so the number underneath was not damaged. I think it must have been done when it was rebuilt in 1972. On top of the bare metal was primer, gloss green and then nato green.

 

Chris

[Toolman]

Thanks for that.

 

I will have to have a go at that on the front and the back. I've been thinking about buying a compressor for a while. According to my engine (which judging by the cr*p underneath I suspect hasn't been changed whilst in private hands) it was overhauled in 1978.

 

Matt

Edited June 10, 2010 by Toolman
spelling

[ferrettkitt]

Thanks for that.

 

I will have to have a go at that on the front and the back. I've been thinking about buying a compressor for a while. According to my engine (which judging by the cr*p underneath I suspect hasn't been changed whilst in private hands) it was overhauled in 1978.

 

Matt

 

Matt,

 

Don't forget the bit below the sand channel mounts (bottom right) you can just make out the registration. Have fun

[Fugly]

Hi Chris

 

I have rubbed down the area above the front hatch. I didn't find the mil reg, but much to my dissapointment and amazement, I found another DVLA regiatration.

 

When you say etched on, you don't just mean painted on or deeper than that?

 

Cheers

 

Matt

 

 

I used paint stripper on the rear panel of my ferret (The vertical bit beneath the number plate lamp) and took it right down to the original red primer. During this process I unearthed my reg number in 3 different layers , the oldest one showing the very first number plate from 1959 in 2 inch letters.

 

I dont think the army spent much time removing paint, and from my own experience tended to paint over the number plates are re stencil them on afterwards. Hopefully if your hull has not been shot blasted down to bare metal then the eveidence should still be there.

 

Good Luck.

 

Jim

[Fugly]

Hello guys

 

As some of you will probably know, I’m trying to determine the Military Registration of my Ferret by any route possible due to the fact that the data plate has been removed sometime its past.

 

I current thinking is that the reg is somewhere between 00CA84 and 00CA90 based on the Hull Numbers of 00CA78 and 00CA92 and the sequence (or non-sequence) between them.

 

Additionally, I’m trying to find as much evidence as I can about it’s service life and where/how/when it became in public hands as this might help me when I finally take a look at the record cards of the suspected registrations.

 

I do believe that it has been in Germany at some point because there is a sticker above the instrument panel showing the maximum speed on the autobahn. However I don’t know it this is original.

 

Today I found a German beer bottle top in the gunge under the engine.

 

So I’m wondering if anyone remembers working on a ferret whilst drinking Osnabrücker Beer somewhere near Osnabrück, and if so you wouldn’t remember which ferret it was

 

Cheers

 

Matt

 

 

 

Also matt

 

on the subject of beer bottle tops mine had a couple underneath the engine as well (Towards the back, below the engine/ rad grill) - It seemed the rad grill metalwork was ideal for removing bottle tops whilst on exercise ! ) Mine were Herforder pils tops though.

 

I am going to have another search through my pics to try and eliminate some of the reg numbers in the range.

 

Have you had a look under the gearbox yet?

 

jim

[ferretfixer]

Hello guys

 

Today I found a German beer bottle top in the gunge under the engine.

 

So I’m wondering if anyone remembers working on a ferret whilst drinking Osnabrücker Beer somewhere near Osnabrück, and if so you wouldn’t remember which ferret it was

 

Cheers

 

Matt

Difficult one Matt, I was REME Attached to 3 Para in Osnabruck. 12 Armoured Div Field Workshops were just up the road. I used to have to go there regularly to collect & deliver equipment that need /had had repairs that were beyond our scalling caperbility.

A field wksp would have had a lot of german Civvies also working for the Army there.

It is POSSIBLE that they may have worked on your vehicle & also have been drinking at the time. Although obviously the partaking of Alcohol was forbidden by Civvies & Service personell allike on duty. The rules were broken regularly, though not abused. Drinking on Excercise generally was strictly forbidden. However.....it was always the REME Wagons that had the Beers onboard! It is POSSIBLE, that crew members may have partaken in a crafty beer whilst hidden inside the vehicle at night on excercise!

Mike

[Toolman]

Hello

 

Thanks Jim, would appreciate if you could have a look.

 

Mike, thats interesting. Great information :-) It'll definately help when I look into the record cards.

 

Cheers

 

Matt

[ferretfixer]

Hello

 

Thanks Jim, would appreciate if you could have a look.

 

Mike, thats interesting. Great information :-) It'll definately help when I look into the record cards.

 

Cheers

 

Matt

 

No probs Matt, Good luck with your research!

Mike

[AlienFTM]

Difficult one Matt, I was REME Attached to 3 Para in Osnabruck. 12 Armoured Div Field Workshops were just up the road.

Small world. For three years after I left the cavalry I was RAPC attached 12 Armd Wksp (as it has evidently become) in the back yard of Mercer Barracks, Osnabruck, which we shared with 1 Green Howards.

 

As to the Osnabrucker bottle top, don't take it as too much of a clue that the vehicle was Osnabruck-based. In the same way that squaddies from all over might drink Newcastle Brown. Mmm Newcastle Brown. There are two good things to come out of Newcastle: the Brown Ale and the train to Sunderland.

 

The preferred Pilsener among Royal Armoured Corps crews was pretty much universally Herforder ("Herfy") which came in multipacks, universally known as yellow handbags. 15/19H were based in Paderborn but AFAIK not one of us drank Paderborner Pils because it was disgusting.

 

I seem to recall somebody remarking recently (probably on ARRSE) that the 73mm diameter Herfy bottle was ideal for stowing up the barrel of a Scorpion. Personally, drinking cans, if I'd filled the empty case bin, I'd drop some cotton waste into a smoke discharger (to stop the trigger punching the base) and drop a can in before replacing the smoke discharger cover.