Canadian Ferret surfaces in NJ

[Paul Salaterski]

Hey Rob,

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction with the paint scheme. I'll try looking for a few photos on the net. Your thoughts concerning the CFR's on the bins was something I had never thought of. Excellent!
I did spend some more time looking for numbers last night. I decided to change things up a bit and spent some time on the interior. What caught my eye this time was the small metal tag with the hull # and date. My interior was painted white at some point, so I have an extra coat of paint that helps hide things. I noticed that there was what appeared to be another digit on the tag above the date so I pulled my knife out and started scratching away at the top layer of paint. What I found was three additional numerals above the date. I believe that it might be 8 26. I'll post a couple photos. Has anyone any idea as to the meaning of these? I'm having a little issue reading the first digit, so I'm not exactly sure whether it's an eight as of yet.
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[Robin Craig]

Paul,

I am on a course this week and the book work is heavy and I haven't been able to investigate mine as yet. Will be next week until I am done.

[Colin Macgregor Stevens]

The hull dataplate on Paul Salaterski's Ferret, which is the first thing I look for in a Ferret, reads 464.B.8.4 as shown in his photos.
This decodes as Ferret Hull number 464, Build date 8th month (AUG) 1954.
That vehicle was assigned British registration number 37 BA 38
AND
Australian Registration Number (ARN) 115178
I had record this Ferret when it was owned and for sale by Al Barto in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA.

Available records show that Canadian and Australian Ferrets are intermingled serial numbers
e.g.

Hull 417 was Canadian CAR 54-82604 (ex-36 BA 91)
Hull 418 was Australian ARN 115152 (ex-36 BA 92)
and
Hull 460 was Canadian CAR 54-82623 (ex-37 BA 34) (Canada's last Ferret apparently)
Hull 461 was Australian ARN 115180 (ex-37 BA 35).

The traces of white paint suggest that it was once painted white for United Nations service. Australia has provided military and police personnel to 62 United Nations and other multilateral peace and security operations since 1947. Thus, white paint does not mean that it had to be in Canadian UN service.
https://www.dfat.gov.au/internationa...0since%201947.

No CAR/CFR number was found except for a "possible" last 5 digits on bin latches. Why and how it has a possible Canadian identify 54-82559 (i.e. 82559 stamped on bin lids, is a mystery. I suspect that the 82559 is a part number.

Its hull number is out of the sequence for Canadian Ferrets.

I have a photo of a Mk. 2 Ferret in Canadian markings in Cyprus with UNFICYP, painted green. Officially we never bought any Mk. 2 Ferrets but I suspect that this was a loaner while a Canadian Mk. I was in the British shops in Cyprus being repaired and possibly being upgraded a bit.

Canada is known to buy used +/or surplus military equipment (submarines ex-UK, F-18 fighter jets (ex-Australia) and two used Airbus A330 passenger jets (from a global leasing firm). However I am not aware of any ex-Aussie Ferrets coming to Canada for use by the Canadian Army or Canadian Armed Forces, though some might have come here by private owners. Some ex-Aussie Ferrets have however may have ended up with surplus dealers in the USA.

As I tell every collector of historic military vehicles, the history of your vehicle is in the markings under layers of paint. e.g. Painted markings, decals and markings stamped into the metal (e.g. CAR number). If a vehicle is sandblasted or Redi-stripped for example, all painted markings and decals are removed. Here are photos of the Ferret that I used to own, 54-82598, that had original paint. The previous owner had uncovered the CAR number. I uncovered many more markings and even a STUDENT DRIVER plate that had slipped doiwn between a bin and the hull. https://captainstevens.com/military/...-car/54-82598/
Once the paint and markings are removed, it is like reformatting your computer without first making a back-up.

I recommend that the owner (Paul) contact the Australian Ferret owners to see if they Aussies made modifications to their Ferrets similar to those made by Canada. As well, I suggest contcating the Australian War Memorial to see if records survive for this Ferret. Also, search AWM's photo archives and Aussie armoured units web sites for photos of Ferrets in Australian service and to see about mofifications and ideally to find photos of Ferret 115178.

Colin MacGregor Stevens, Richmond, BC, CANADA

Originally Posted by Paul Salaterski

Hey Rob,

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction with the paint scheme. I'll try looking for a few photos on the net. Your thoughts concerning the CFR's on the bins was something I had never thought of. Excellent!
I did spend some more time looking for numbers last night. I decided to change things up a bit and spent some time on the interior. What caught my eye this time was the small metal tag with the hull # and date. My interior was painted white at some point, so I have an extra coat of paint that helps hide things. I noticed that there was what appeared to be another digit on the tag above the date so I pulled my knife out and started scratching away at the top layer of paint. What I found was three additional numerals above the date. I believe that it might be 8 26. I'll post a couple photos. Has anyone any idea as to the meaning of these? I'm having a little issue reading the first digit, so I'm not exactly sure whether it's an eight as of yet.
Attachment 94215
Attachment 94216

[Ed Storey]

Colin, thank you for the update which is a good reminder to always check with the Ferret data plate before jumping to CFR conclusions!

[Robin Craig]

Gents, Paul had a miserable turn of luck with his health and has given up ownership of both vehicles and has moved and was in very poor health the last time I spoke with him appearing just to be waiting for the end to arrive. Both vehicles are in circulation in the US separately. Time will tell on them and their fate and their identity.