Ferret

[Waspie]

Mick
Reference my last; the Woodland Pattern DPM clothing was designed about 1960, issued from '63 to Special Forces only before general issue from 1966-1968 onwards. Prior to this the combat gear was the 1960 Pattern green sateen combat clothing of essentially the same style which continued to be worn for some time contemporaneously thereafter (see early Op Banner photos for example).The 'Pixie Suit' (Oversuit, Tank Crew) was issued from '43 and continued to be worn until the mid '60s. Therefore I think late 50's is a little problematic in terms of dating - the camouflage jacket certainly seems the wrong cut and pattern for the Denison smock - a conundrum I'd love to see resolved!
Steve

Steve, when operating in the field, did the Army have stocks of kit available? (Serious Question).
The reason I ask, certainly in my case, if kit was damaged/destroyed when on ops we would simply scrounge what we could get. On one op I returned to my home base more like 'Percy Pongo' than 'Jack me Heartie' as I ran out of clobber to wear!
Also, when away from base, non regulation kit would be worn as if to say 'look at me' I have a 'para smock' or such.
I know 'Gucci' kit today still goes amiss if left lying around too long!!

[Airborne01]

Mick
Second line and REMFs were more likely to be able to draw on the largesse of the QM resources, otherwise scrounging and 'proffing' were well-known methods of retaining one's sartorial elegance! Non-regulation 'Gucci' kit was generally tolerated in most units - Bergans, smocks, boots, Norwegian Army shirts, gloves for example - although certain units (the Guards spring to mind here) seemed to be averse to such variation. Having said that look at pictures of the Scots Guards on Tumbledown to see the numerous and wonderful permutations of standard issue kit! Also bear in mind my time was '65-'89 and the kit seems much more standardised and of better quality (especially boots!) today!
Steve

[Guest]

Though is it important what camouflage jacket the fellow standing on the Saracen is wearing exactly, if the idea is to make a model of the Ferret?

[Mickc1440]

Another couple of pics from the same time I thought you might like to see. In the first pic I can more clearly see how the 46 badge is painted.

[scottie3158]

Mick,
Are these any good to you. If so just ping us your address in a PM and I will get them in the post.

[Guest]

You can tell in the photo with the Austin Champ that yhe arm of service marking is diagonal, so the red/blue 46s in that set aren’t accurate (and the style of the numbers is wrong for 04BB69, of course).

Going by the second photo of that Saracen, the vehicles weren’t white: the characters on the number plate are clearly lighter than the armour plate they’re on. First the values for the top part of the letter A:

[ATTACH]492721[/ATTACH]

And at the same height, but between the AoS marking and the number plate:

[ATTACH]492720[/ATTACH]

Since the values for R, G and B are about equal, the colours in the photo are basically grey — not too surprising, of course — and black is 0,0,0 while white is 255,255,255. Clearly, if the characters were white (as they would have been) then the rest of the plate was some pale colour, but not white. A pale sand colour, perhaps? I’m not up to speed on what was used on British AFVs on Cyprus in the 1960s, though.

[Airborne01]

And an Austin Champ if I'm not mistaken - never seen a model of one of those!
Steve

[scottie3158]

And an Austin Champ if I'm not mistaken - never seen a model of one of those!
Steve

I think Accurate Armour do one.

[Mickc1440]

Mick,
Are these any good to you. If so just ping us your address in a PM and I will get them in the post.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1210597[/ATTACH]

Thanks for the offer pal but it appears they’re not quite right, strange coincidence about the number

[Mickc1440]

You can tell in the photo with the Austin Champ that yhe arm of service marking is diagonal, so the red/blue 46s in that set aren’t accurate (and the style of the numbers is wrong for 04BB69, of course).

Going by the second photo of that Saracen, the vehicles weren’t white: the characters on the number plate are clearly lighter than the armour plate they’re on. First the values for the top part of the letter A:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n[/ATTACH]

And at the same height, but between the AoS marking and the number plate:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n[/ATTACH]

Since the values for R, G and B are about equal, the colours in the photo are basically grey — not too surprising, of course — and black is 0,0,0 while white is 255,255,255. Clearly, if the characters were white (as they would have been) then the rest of the plate was some pale colour, but not white. A pale sand colour, perhaps? I’m not up to speed on what was used on British AFVs on Cyprus in the 1960s, though.

Wow Jakko that’s given me some more investigating to do

[Guest]

I think Accurate Armour do one.

They do indeed.

[Mickc1440]

I’ve made contact with the Household Cavalry museum who just might be able to help

[Scratchbuilder]

Mick, the vehicles would be painted in Light Stone. (sand yellow), or bronze green.....
The arm of service sign background might have been Black over Red diagonal, with Black at the top and right.

Credit Royal Horse Guards.

Credit Alamy, showing Ferets in Cyprus 1963.
AA are doing the Airfix Ferret plus their own decal sheet and etch set from their own Ferret.
Hope this helps
Mike.

[Mickc1440]

Mick, the vehicles would be painted in Light Stone. (sand yellow), or bronze green.....
The arm of service sign background might have been Black over Red diagonal, with Black at the top and right.
[ATTACH]493435[/ATTACH]
Credit Royal Horse Guards.
[ATTACH]493437[/ATTACH]
Credit Alamy, showing Ferets in Cyprus 1963.
AA are doing the Airfix Ferret plus their own decal sheet and etch set from their own Ferret.
Hope this helps
Mike.

Great pics Michael, by the time of the last pic my dad had been demobbed and was in the police and even better he’d had me for a year :smiling2:

[Guest]

the vehicles would be painted in Light Stone.

That fits with it being darker than the white on the number plates, but still light enough that you might think it’s white in black-and-white photos.