Vixen CVR(W) Liasion

[Abraham Gubler]

The British Fox 30mm gun armoured car replaced the Ferret scout car in the reconnaissance role but not the liaison role. This was to be the task of a variant of the Fox called the Vixen. It was cancelled so the Ferret had to solider on driving bosses from call signs to call signs long post due. The Vixen was originally planned to just be a Fox without the two man, Rarden gun turret but this “Tall Fox” was seen to have a too high silhouette. So the design was modified with a lower (2m high) and wider hull to make the “Fat Fox”. It could carry four men, multiple radios and the MG turret developed for the FV432. This was accepted by the MoD as the Vixen CVR(W) Liaison but no production order was forthcoming.

 

[Stranger_NN]

clik on images to enlarge

 

[Abraham Gubler]

Some more Vixen pictures. Not much leg room in there...

 

[uk 75]

A couple of musings
The project was cut in the early 70s but the MG turret got fitted to some FV432s later on.
I dont know whether they had been ordered already for Vixens or whether they were new.
They didnt replace the mg on the 432 but rather the main circular hatch.
There was something called the big wheel Ferret (mk4 I think) but as far as I know Ferret 1and 2 soldiered on for years.
The German Dino always reminds me of a futuristic Ferret, odd as the Germans used the massive Luchs 2

 

[riggerrob]

Given that the "Fat Fox" was meant for liaison and command roles, we wonder why it did not sport a side door - a larger version of the Ferret side emergency escape hatch … or man-sized door on French AML armoured cars.

Yes, we know that amphibious capability was all the rage back then, but it proved heavy, fragile and rarely used.

We discussed "Fat Fox" turrets on a recent thread.
Perhaps those charming moderators will link this thread to that thread.
Hint!
Hint!