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The Ferret Scout Car Mark I was used by the Canadian Army from 1954 to 1981.
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Ferret Mk. I of the Royal Canadian Dragoons patrolling the
Egyptian-Israeli border with UNEF. Lt. Dave Sproule and LCpl Ed
Foster scan the Egypt-Israel frontier during a desert patrol in a Ferret
scout car as part of the UNEF mission. Vehicle is UNEF 1598. It is
fitted with a Bren gun. CAR/CFR
unknown. Circa 1957-1959. (DND)
WANTED! Photos from UNEF that
show BOTH the CAR number and the UNEF number!
"The Ferret in Canadian Service" by Colin MacGregor Stevens
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WOW0xx -
The Ferret in Canadian Service
Colin MacGregor Stevens. in prep CDN$9.95 |
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(Yes, we know the photo is reversed, that was done by the Army! Spare
tie goes on left side and horn on right side.
By the way, I found that this particular Ferret is now sitting in front of the
Royal Canadian Dragoons Headquarters Building in CFB Petawawa.
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BOOK IS IN PREPARATION
http://www.servicepub.com/
http://www.servicepub.com/weapons.html (lists Ferret book)
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This page is mainly about the 124 Ferret Mk. I Scout Cars that were owned
and operated by the Canadian Army. All 124 are listed here and my goal is to
try to find every one, and where possible, to match up the history and
identifiable in-service photos with the survivors.

Ferret Mk. I Provisional User Handbook Canadian Army reprint (1966)
of 1953 May manual.
(Colin Stevens' Collection)
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Low Resolution
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High resolution
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Ferret Mk. I Canadian Army tool kit layout
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I am still learning so I would appreciate any corrections or additions.
Colin Stevens, Richmond, BC -- seaforth72 (at) gmail.com
HELP!
-
WANTED photos and any history about
my Ferret 54-82598 which served at Combat Arms School and briefly at the end of
its service life with Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians). The LdSH(RC)
& RCD Archives were helpful but did not have a picture of mine.
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What were the CAR (CFR) numbers of
the Ferrets (and any other military vehicles) sent to UNEF and Canada's 4
Mechanized Brigade in Germany? Those that I have determined are below. There are
still some mysteries.
-
I also need to find out the CAR
(CFR) related to each of the UNEF Ferrets that were renumbered in Sinai to UNEF
numbers (as in photo above). So far only 2 have both numbers showing. This is to
answer questions but also to match up surviving vehicles with photos and
history. The United Nations Archives have been unable to help.
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| IN MEMORY OF THOSE CANADIANS KILLED IN FERRETS
WHILE ON DUTY |
UNEF FATALITY IN FERRETS
 | Lieutenant C.C. Van Straubenzee, LdSH(RC) was killed when his Ferret
rolled in soft sand |
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UNFICYP FATALITY
 | Trooper J. H. Campbell UNFICYP in Cyprus. His Ferret swerved to avoid
an old woman and her flock of sheep on a narrow mountain road and went
over a 12 foot embankment. |
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| If there
are others who were killed in Ferrets on training accidents or on exercises,
I would be pleased to memorialize them as well here. |
UNITS THAT USED FERRETS IN THE CANADIAN ARMY
(Not in order of precedence, list may not be complete. Corrections and
additions welcomed.)
- Lord Strathcona Horse (Royal Canadians)
- Royal Canadian Dragoons (RCD)
- 8th Canadian Hussars (8CH)
- Fort Garry Horse (FGH)
- 12e Regiment Blindee Canadien (12e RBC)
- 17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars (in Quebec) (7th
Reconnaissance Regiment) (Mid-1950s)
- British Columbia Dragoons (9th Reconnaissance Regiment) (Mid-1950s)
- The Prince Edward Island Regiment (17th Reconnaissance Regiment) (Mid-1950s)
- Armour School (Borden) Combat Arms School (Camp Borden then CFB Gagetown)
- Nanaimo Camp (in BC - 1 Ferret for training - ref. Brigadier Herb Hamm
2007 April)
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CANADIAN FERRETS IN SERVICE IN CANADA
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Ferret Scout Car of the 17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars in
Quebec in 1955. The provincial licence plate is for Quebec 1955. The
unit sign on the right appears to rear 17 DOY in black on a white band
over an armoured unit sign. The formation sign on the far left is likely
Quebec Command (Medium light bluish grey with white QUEBEC COMMAND and a
white fleur-de-lis)
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| Two Ferrets at Camp Wainwright Albert a Canada in 1957
acting as the "Cliffland" opposing forces on exercise. Canadian Army
Journal Oct 1957 Vol XI No 4 page 33. |
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Click on photos to enlarge them.
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Ferret 54-82587 fitted with four ENTAC anti-tank missiles. The CAR is
painted above the starboard driver's window. This vehicle was sold
surplus out of Calgary in April 1981 and probably went to the USA
(though likely the above launchers were removed years before this.) -
Colin Stevens' collection.
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| Royal Canadian Dragoons loading Ferrets onto
RCAF Yukon aircraft # 13926 at Quebec City on 1964 March 15. Canadian Army photo
EQA64-58-16 |
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| Royal Canadian Dragoons loading Ferrets onto
RCAF Yukon aircraft # 13926 at Quebec City on 1964 March 15. Canadian Army photo
EQA64-58-18 |
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| Royal Canadian Dragoons loading Ferrets onto RCAF Yukon
aircraft # 13926 at Quebec City on 1964 March 15. Canadian Army photo
EQA64-58-30 |
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| Royal Canadian Dragoons loading Ferrets onto RCAF Yukon
aircraft # 13926 at Quebec City on 1964 March 15. Canadian Army photo
EQA64-59-31 |
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| Royal Canadian Dragoons loading Ferrets onto RCAF Yukon
aircraft # 13926 at Quebec City on 1964 March 15. Canadian Army
photo. Allegedly Yukon 15926 unloading in Cyprus 1964
March BUT note the parkas on the soldiers and the ice on the runway at far
left. The Canadian Army's EQA series photos show similar scene that day
with that a/c at Quebec City. Likely they were loading to take Ferrets to
Cyprus for UN Peacekeeping duty. Canadian Army 15PL-143969 |
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| Royal Canadian Dragoons loading Ferrets onto
RCAF Yukon aircraft # 13926 at Quebec City on 1964 March 15. Canadian Army
photo. Allegedly Yukon 15926 unloading in Cyprus 1964 March
BUT note the parkas on the soldiers and the ice on the runway at far left.
The Canadian Army's EQA series photos show similar scene that day with that
a/c at Quebec City. Likely they were loading to take Ferrets to Cyprus for
UN Peacekeeping duty. Note the UN decal on the tail of the aircraft.
Canadian Army PL-14397 |
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| Royal Canadian Dragoons loading Ferrets onto RCAF Yukon
aircraft # 13926 at Quebec City on 1964 March 15. Canadian Army
photo. Allegedly Yukon 15926 loading in Cyprus
1964 March BUT note the parkas on the soldiers and the ice on the runway
at far left. The Canadian Army's EQA series photos show similar scene that
day with that a/c at Quebec City. Likely they were loading to take Ferrets
to Cyprus for UN Peacekeeping duty. Note the UN decal on the tail of the
aircraft. Canadian Army PCN 3010 |
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Ferret 54-82500 of the Fort Garry Horse (regular army regiment) on convoy
escort duty in 1968. It is convoying Greek Cypriot vehicles through the
Turkish enclave. The Land Rover is in use by Danish Civilian police who
are helping in this duty. SENTINEL October 1970 p. 34 Interestingly
this is the first Ferret taken into Canadian service.
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| Kids looking at Browning .30 calibre machinegun
on a Ferret, probably at an "Open House" event. The bubble says "Yes
we had trouble with this weapon when we were in the Egypt Recce Sqn. The
extractors seem to break and jam the feed pawls." Lord Strathcona
Horse. The Strathconian October 1967 |
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SARCEE, ALBERTA 1974
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| Camouflage painted Ferret of the Lord
Strathcona Horse (Royal Canadians) at Sarcee, Alberta, 1974. This one MAY be
54-82510.
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| Camouflage painted Ferret CAR 54-82510 of the
Lord Strathcona Horse (Royal Canadians) at Sarcee, Alberta, 1974. |
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Camouflage painted Ferret CAR 54-82510 on left of the Lord Strathcona
Horse (Royal Canadians) at Sarcee, Alberta, 1974.
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ONTARIO, 1977
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Ferrets of the 8th Canadian Hussars (8 CH) at Oliphant, Ontario on
October 22, 1977. Note the cold weather driver's windscreen on the
nearest Ferret. No CFR numbers are visible. (Dennis Cardy Photo?)
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Ferret Scout Car of the 8 CH at Oliphant, Ontario, Canada. October 22,
1977. (Dennis Cardy Photo?)
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Ferret of 8 CH being serviced. Oliphant, Ontario. 22 October 1977.
(Dennis Cardy Photo?)
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FERRETS IN DIAGRAMS
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Ferret Scout Car Mark I and Centurion tank in illustration for Nuclear
Warfare Gamma Radiation survey of a nuclear battlefield. Canadian Army
Journal April 1958 Vol XII No 2 p13
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Canada purchased 124 Ferret Mk. I Scout Cars in 1954. In 1981 May 22, the
official Canadian Forces'
disposition of these was as follows:
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| Hard Targets
(i.e. Shot up on the target ranges) |
23 |
| Museum |
4 |
| CADC 1 (declared)
[i.e. sold surplus through Crown Assets Disposal Corporation - first
batch) |
74 |
| Funeral Vehicle |
1 |
| CADC (sold)
[Second batch sold surplus] |
10 |
| Monument |
10 |
| Scrap (1975) |
1 |
| Disposition N/K
(see Note) |
1 |
| TOTAL |
124 |
| NOTES:
"CFR 54-82596 was listed in 1959 printout at
RCD (Royal Canadian Dragoons) but not listed in Dec 65 printout." (1981
report
Officially 99 survived, with 23 shot up as
targets, 1 scrapped and 1 burned. However apparently at least three were
rescued from going to the target ranges at CFB Shilo. |
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In reality the distribution varied. 9 of those "sold" went to the
Ontario Regiment Museum. Museums receiving a Ferret included the Canadian
War Museum, CFB Borden and Fort Knox. In reality some "Hard Target"
designated Ferrets were saved and went
to museums (e.g. CFB Gagetown has three, and the Historical Troop of the
LdSH(RC) have 4, though some of those are ex-British Army. A number of
Ferrets were saved from the target ranges by various means.
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Of the 75 Ferrets released for sale to the public (74 + 10 = 84 above less 9
that went direct to the Ontario
Regiment's "Ferret Club" which is now a museum in Oshawa, Ontario), probably three-quarters or more of them were sold to American
buyers e.g.
1. 71 were bought by Rex Tex.
2. Mark Sonday, near Kenosha, Wisconsin ended up with about 20
Ferrets, likely ex-Rex Tex ("Mine is like Johns also,, (ex Canadian) in the same sad shape,, No
sign of the welded tag or the plate,, like it never was there,, the only ID is
the Hull number stamped near the drivers hatch. Mine and another one close by
came from a Mark Sonday near Kenosha, Wisconsin some years ago he acquired 20
something of them from Canada. " - Russ Cihlar, USA 2007-04-25)
Kenosha is just North of Chicago, IL so these may be the ex-Crown Surplus LdSH
Ferrets out of Calgary.
3. SECO - South-Eastern Parts Equipment Company, in Southern USA.
They apparently had quite a few Ferrets probably
ex-Rex-Tex.
4. RAPCO in Texas, USA had three Ferrets they they sold in Texas.
Hull numbers 310, 332 and 347.
As a result, it is very rare to find ex-Canadian Army Ferrets available
for private purchase in Canada. I have only found four (4) ex-Canadian
Ferrets in private ownership in Canada! Mine in Mission, BC, Grant McAvoy's in
Abbotsford, one in Toronto area and one in Nova Scotia!
If you are bringing a Ferret back to Canada here is the US and Canadian and
Provincial government's attitudes as described to me by a friend who imports
many ex-military vehicles and militaria into Canada: "The
US has no interest in the fact that it's an armoured vehicle because it is not
of American manufacture. If it is registered as a road going vehicle it must be
declared to US Customs outbound at least 72 hours before the vehicle arrives at
the border for inspection. No drama with Canada Customs; only regarded as an
overage vehicle but it would have to pass Provincial safety before being
registered and licensed here." Colin adds: Canada Customs would also
collect tax on the sale amount.
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| The following list is based upon a document provided by Rob Love of Shilo,
Manitoba. This 1981 official document listed all 124 Canadian Ferrets by CAR/CFR
number and their disposition. It listed the CAR/CFR, the Base it was released
from or went to (e.g. Ont Reg't or Cdn War Museum), its planned fate, Disposal
or transfer order # and Date |
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| ID |
CAR Year |
CAR
Main |
Photos |
1981
location |
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Service
Unit(s) |
Order |
Date |
Date
Sort |
Current
Owner |
SN |
Comments |
| 1 |
54
|
82500 |
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Petawawa |
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UNFICYP |
DPSL
357077 |
Apr
81 |
1981-04 |
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54-82500 served with the Fort Garry Horse in Cyprus in 1968.
Hard target? This MIGHT be the
restored Ferret at CFB Petawawa as that one has a very low hull serial
number. |
| 2 |
54
|
82501 |

Photo at a school in Ontario from Digger MacDougall, FGH |
Gagetown |
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DPSL
352223 |
Jan
80 |
1980-01 |
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| 3 |
54
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82502 |
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Valcartier |
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UNFICYP
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CADCI
50798 |
Apr
81 |
1981-04 |
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| 4 |
54
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82503 |
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Valcartier |
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CADCI
50798 |
Apr
81 |
1981-04 |
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| 5 |
54
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82504 |
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Ont
Reg't |
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SO
402848 |
Mar
80 |
1980-03 |
Oshawa
Military and Industrial Museum
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Ontario Regiment - 1 of 9
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| 6 |
54
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82505 |



Photos by seller in Oct. 2007 |
Calgary |
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CADCI
50799 |
Apr
81 |
1981-04 |
Tim in Florida
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289.B.2.4
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For sale in
Florida 2007 Dec. (see Ferrets for Sale page - link button
on left side of this page.)
As it was sold out of Calgary
it almost certainly served in LdSH(RC) |
| 7 |
54
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82506 |
|
Ont
Reg't |
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SO
402848 |
Mar
80 |
1980-03 |
Oshawa
Military and Industrial Museum
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Ontario Regiment - 2 of 9
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| 8 |
54
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82507 |

(RCD) |
Shilo |
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UNFICYP
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DPSL
352192 |
Jan
80 |
1980-01 |
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Note the two vertical wire
cutter bars. This MAY be unique to 82507.
Hard target? Note 3 of the 4
at Shilo were legitimately 'saved' from the ranges. |
| 9 |
54
|
82508 |

(RCD photo UNFICYP)

In Cyprus with FGH

LdSH photo

54-82508 waiting to be
stripped as a range target. Ed Storey photo. |
Petawawa |
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UNFICYP (RCD & FGH?)
LdSH(RC)
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DPSL
352221 |
Jan
80 |
1980-01 |
DND?
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Hard target?
Fort Garry Horse photo in 1960-1
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=5463539
Taken 1966-7 in Cyprus
and donated to the Fort Garry Horse Museum.
Another photo is at
http://www.putfile.com/centurion124/images/87124 |
| 10 |
54
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82509 |
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Petawawa |
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DPSL
352221 |
Jan
80 |
1980-01 |
DND?
|
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Hard target?
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| 11 |
54
|
82510 |


|
Calgary |
|
LdSH(RC) |
CADCI
50799 |
Apr
81 |
1981-04 |
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Colour photos taken at Sarcee, Alberta (near Calgary) in 1974 by Tom H.
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| 12 |
54
|
82511 |

Rob Love photo of CAR stamped into hull. |
Valcartier |
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CADCI
50798 |
Apr
81 |
1981-04 |
DND |
296.B.2.4 |
Rob Love says it was sent to Shilo c. 2000 from CFB Valcartier. It is
awaiting restoration right now at Rob Love's and is owned by the RHA Museum in
Shilo. It had been a monument at some point with everything welded
including the wheel nuts. The DND disposal list shows 54-82511 was disposed of from
Valcartier. The 4 Ferrets sent to Shilo in 1980-1 when they were taken out of
service were 54-82507, 560, 566 and 611. 566 is apparently still on the
ranges. |
| 13 |
54
|
82512 |
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Valcartier |
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CADCI
50798 |
Apr
81 |
1981-04 |
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| 14 |
54
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82513 |
 |
Ont
Reg't |
|
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SO
402848 |
Apr
81 |
1981-04 |
Oshawa
Military and Industrial Museum
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Ontario Regiment - 3 of 9. Although the photo is from a US dealer's 1983
ad, it shows one of the Ferrets bought directly by the Ontario Regiment. |
| 15 |
54
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82514 |
|
Valcartier |
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CADCI
50798 |
Apr
81 |
1981-04 |
RR,
Planes of Fame Museum, AZ, USA
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299.B.2.4
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Owner
is not sure if it is ex-Cdn. CAR number thought to be 54-83514 but that
was not a Canadian number, so it MAY be 54-82514. Has a turret now. In
1992 MVPA D-5 it is listed as owned by Michael Clarke, Prescoult
(Prescott?), AZ USA
SN 299
http://www.planesoffame.org/menu.php |
| 16 |
54
|
82515 |
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Det
Dundurn |
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DPSL
352193 |
Jan
80 |
1980-01 |
DND?
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Hard target?
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| 17 |
54 |
82516 |
|
Valcartier |
|
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CADCI
50798 |
Apr
81 |
1981-04 |
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| 18 |
54
|
82517 |
|
Calgary |
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CADCI
50799 |
Apr
81 |
1981-04 |
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| 19 |
54
|
82518 |

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Calgary |
|
UNEF |
CADCI
50799 |
Apr
81 |
1981-04 |
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54-82518 UNEF 1222 in Canadian Army United Nations Peacekeeping service in
July 1957 near El Quasima. This Ferret was serving with No. 56 Canadian
Reconnaissance Squadron
Photo 85 p. 41 of Tanks Illustrated No. 3 Israeli Tanks and Combat
Vehicles - Steven J. Zaloga |
| 20 |
54
|
82519 |
|
Ont
Reg't |
|
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SO
402848 |
Mar
80 |
1980-03 |
Oshawa
Military and Industrial Museum
|
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Ontario Regiment - 4 of 9
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| 21 |
54
|
82520 |
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Calgary |
|
LdSH(RC) |
CADCI
50799 |
Apr
81 |
1981-04 |
Jim G. Michigan
(MVPA # 5843) |
326
B.3.4 ?
|
LdSH photo. Appears to
be in Germany. |
| 22 |
54
|
82521 |
|
Calgary |
|
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CADCI
50799 |
Apr
81 |
1981-04 |
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| 23 |
54
|
82522 |
 |
12
RBC Valc |
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UNFICYP
12
RBC |
DPSL
352220 |
Jan
80 |
1980-01 |
DND?
|
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Monument at Valcartier? The "22" shows up in an
RCD photo as painted on shoulder armour of hull. CAR only painted in last
three digits in small (1"?) numbers over driver's hatch. |
| 24 |
54
|
82523 |
|
Calgary |
|
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CADCI
50799 |
Apr
81 |
1981-04 |
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