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Military Timeline
At Woodbury Park
WOODBURY – Woodbury will host an American Military Timeline in Hollow Park on Saturday and Sunday, Aug 2nd and 3rd. “The free event will include demonstrations and exhibits ranging from before the start of the American Revolution 250 years ago to the present day,” says organizer Ray Manzi, an insurance executive in Woodbury and Newtown.
The park will open at 10a both days. According to the preliminary schedule, there will be live firing demonstrations of muskets and more modern equipment at 11am and 1pm daily by Revolutionary War and Civil War muskets, a Gatling gun put into use in 1861 as the first machine gun, modern firearms from World Wars I and II to the Korean War, and a “Quad 50” which is four .50 caliber machine guns on an anti-aircraft mount.
Re-enactors wilj hold smaller demonstrations throughout both days. Military vehicles including Jeeps and trucks from World War II and later also will be parked at the event. A special attraction is the Ferret, a British armored scout car. Manzi purchased it this spring and managed to get the Ferret in running order by last month. Powered by a Rolls Royce six-cylinder gas engine, the Ferret will do 40mph both forward and in reverse. “It’s a scout car, says Manzi, “with a mission to find enemy positions and survive to report back quickly. It can do just that.”
Ray Manzi preps the Ferret armored car for the Military Timeline event at Woodbury’s Hollow Park Aug 2nd and 3rd
Photo credit Manzi Military.​
Photo caption backup info: Ray Manzi inspects his newly purchased Ferret, an armored scout car formerly used widely in the British Army. It will be on display at the FREE U.S. Military Timeline Event Aug 2nd & 3rd in Hollow Park, Woodbury CT
Ray Manzi inspects armored car prior to Military Timeline event Aug 2nd & 3rd
Published July 23rd, 2025
WOODBURY -- Ray Manzi inspects his newly purchased British Army scout car which will be a featured attraction at the town’s Military Timeline event in Woodbury’s Hollow Park August 2nd and 3rd. “It was called the Ferret and was designed to find enemy forces, and then get out fast,” says Manzi, president of an insurance company in Woodbury and Newtown. He adds that the six cylinder Rolls Royce engine moves the car as quickly in reverse as it does forward.
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The free, two-day event will include military reenactors from 1776 to the present, weapons displays, military equipment, and authentic camps. Organizer Manzi, a well-known militaria collector, says he welcomes picnickers and there will be food trucks as well.
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As for the four-ton armored car, it was made from 1958 to 1971. Manzi found it for sale in Florida this spring and finally got it running again This Mark II version carried a crew of two: a driver and a gunner-commander. It served in peacekeeping units on Cyprus along a ceasefire line between Greek and Turkish forces. Two famed British regiments used this Ferret in Cyprus: the Royal Lancers and the Gurkhas. More information and schedules are at www.manzimilitary.com.
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2025 4th of July Manzi Military Convoy
Military Parade to Kick off Independence Day
Vehicle Event Will Tour 15 Connecticut Towns
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WOODBURY -- In recognition of our nation’s birthday, Manzi Military of Woodbury is organizing a military vehicle convoy on Friday, July 4th. The start time is 10:30am in Woodbury on Route 6. The route will travel through nearly 15 Connecticut towns
At least a dozen vehicles or more will participate. So far, they range in age from 1940s to contemporary ones such as Humvees. Spectators are invited to park a lawn chair in the yard and cheer or wave a flag as they pass. Anyone with a military vehicle can join the convoy without an entry fee by contacting Ray Manzi cell nbr 203 233 3976 business tel 203 263 3663 email rmanzi@manziinsurance.com
From the Woodbury start, it will progress to Middlebury (rte. 64), Watertown (rte. 63), Thomaston (rte. 6) , Terryville (rte. 6-72), Harwinton (rte. 4), Torrington (rte. 202-N. Elm St- Rte.272), Norfolk (rte. 272-44), North Canaan (rte. 44-7). Stopping at VFW at 104 S Canaan Rd, Canaan. From there we will continue south on rte.7 to rte. 63 to Goshen & Litchfield to County Rd to Morris. Rte. 61 to Bethlehem to Rte. 132 to end.
Organizer Ray Manzi advises that arrival time in each town is difficult to estimate due to the distance and type of vehicles involved. Manzi, a Woodbury and Newtown insurance executive and collector of military memorabilia, is also organizing a military timeline event with demonstrations in Woodbury’s Hollow Park on the August 2nd and 3rd weekend.
2025 4th of July Manzi Military Convoy
My Ride: Woodbury man adds 1958 Ferret Mk2 armored scout vehicle to his collection
By Bud Wilkinson, Correspondent for CT INSIDER
July 4, 2025
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WOODBURY — It’s been six years since life-long military memorabilia collector Ray Manzi of Woodbury expanded his preservation efforts into motorized vehicles. His latest acquisition arrived about six weeks ago — a 1958 Ferret Mk2 armored scout vehicle, made by the British company Daimler.​
Voices News - Military History Timeline
Video Produced by Andrew Eder, Prime Publishers, Inc. Aug 11, 2017 Updated Feb 11, 2020
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​WOODBURY — Promoting interest in history and honoring America's veterans were the two objectives of the U.S. Military History Timeline held on Sunday, August 6, 2017, in Woodbury's Hollow Park. Reenactors spoke to the numerous visitors about the major military conflicts from the United States' past, from the Revolutionary War through World War I, while veterans from World War II through the war in Afghanistan discussed their personal experiences. Ray Manzi, the event's coordinator and a Coast Guard veteran, brought several pieces of his own extensive collection of military paraphernalia and vehicles.
Congratulations to Manzi Insurance & Real Estate and the Woodbury Parks and Recreation for a successful event that took place yesterday at Hollow Park in Woodbury, CT.
In case you missed the "Military History Timeline Event", here's a quick video recap.