WEA PONS OF WAR
THE FERRET WAS ONE OF THE MOST WIDELY USED BRITISH SCOUT CARS OF THE COLD WAR ERA. AS PART OF OUR WEAPONS OF WAR SERIES, DICK TAYLOR PROFILES THE VEHICLE, DRAWING ON HIS FIRST–HAND EXPERIENCE AS A DRIVER.
At the end of the Second World War, the British Army was operating two main scout cars, the Daimler (DSC) and the larger Humber (HSC). Both were emphatically not designed to be reconnaissance vehicles; rather, they were fast, inconspicuous, lightly armoured run-arounds used for liaison work near the front line. The Daimler, known affectionately as the Dingo, was fairly successful and ubiquitous with more than 6,000 being made, but in May 1947 a replacement was required, which would update the concept and utilise a more powerful engine. Daimler was awarded the contract to design and develop the car the following year, with the prototypes appearing in mid-1950, the design clearly evolving from experience gained on the Dingo.
”The original – and very unmilitary – name given to the vehicle was Fieldmouse, but someone wisely decided to change it to the Ferret Scout Car, abbreviated to FSC”
The original vehicle was called the Car Scout 4x4 Liaison FV701C, which entered service as the Ferret …
