FV603 Saracen

Lynn Eades · #1 21-12-10, 04:50

That other A.B. (Alexander Graham Bell) isn't he the guy who stole all those good ideas from Tessler?

Ed Storey · #2 23-12-10, 05:48

Here is an image of a Saracen that was sitting outside of Bovington Tank Museum in 1984.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e3...aracencopy.jpg

Robin Craig · #3 27-12-10, 21:38

Reading my latest library acquisition, "Alvis Saracen Family" by Bill Munro, thoughtfully given to me by my 6 year old god daughter for Christmas, I read about early cold weather testing here in Canada.

It was carried out between November 1956 and March 1957 in Fort Churchill, Manitoba.

The book makes reference to the vehicle sent being 05 BB 43.

This may be the one in the Science and Tech museum collection.

Ed Storey, may I please use your picture to post in another forum please?

R

rob love · #4 27-12-10, 22:55

Early in the thread there was mention that this Saracen may have had radar equipment mounted on top of it. I recall, in the manual "New equipment for the Cdn Army", a small red booklet from the early 60s, that there was an entry for radar equipment mounted on a vehicle. The early version of the manual had the radar mounted on a Bobcat, and a later version (after the cancellation of the Bobcat project) of the pamphlet showed a British vehicle (if I recall correctly) with the radar mounted on it. Does any body have this manual, and was it possibly one of these two saracens we are talking about?

It has been a few years since I saw a copy of the manual, so I may be way off to left base here.

malcolm erik bogaert · #5 28-12-10, 12:17

I had a similar saracen it had been fitted with the Roberts radar System and been used in Gibraltar by an RA unit...as a pont of interest there are about 4 saracens in Montes Yard in County-Durham UK two of which are the higher command versions..cheers malcolm

Ed Storey · #6 28-12-10, 21:45

Robin:

Sure you can use the image to post on another site.

Rob:

CAMT 21-40 Characteristics of New Equipments with Notes on Their Tactical Handling and Employment (Provisional) 1962 covers the AN/MPQ 501 Canadian Counter Mortar Radar and shows it mounted on a Bobcat, FV603 and a M135CDN. I have multiple copies of this manual and not every edition has this section as these books were designed to be amended as new equipment came and went.

The image of the FV603 is heavily half-toned and shows a modified vehicle with what looks like a generator mounted on the rear left side. From what I can determine the vehicle registration number is 30BA52.

ED

Richard Farrant · #7 28-12-10, 22:08

Hi Ed.

Here is picture of a British Saracen with a Decca radar mounted on it. It is the higher version, the FV610 ACV, used by Gun Positioning Officer (GPO) in Artillery units. This pic is from 1962.