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This may well have cropped up before...I have always played A as the main chord in FBI, along with E, C, F, B.
I know the melody is based on Am scale, but am I right in playing the A major chord or should it be the A minor ?

A major is correct.

I always play A major for the intro then A minor for the melody so that you get that subtle change. Not sure if that's how it's written but it sounds right.

Hi Rick, Hank plays minor,Bruce plays major, regards gary

Check out the video Just Hank Marvin (VHS) 1997. If you haven't got it, get it. Its a player's delight, full of tips. It may sometimes be on YouTube.

Hank demonstrates exactly how to play FBI rhythm 53 minutes in.

Just Hank Marvin (1997)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kaVxgey9w4

Watching Hank play the rhythm pattern for FBI at 53:00 on "Just Hank Marvin”,
I am trying to find out the picking pattern for it. As a rule he plays 'down/up etc.,
but somewhere (where?) there must be 2 times down or 2 times up, to get back to the beginning of the pattern...
Who knows how to play it?

Is the picking pattern like this ?:
(d=down; u=up)
d u d u d d u d
or this ?:
d u d u d u d d

(The last eight note of the bar is not considered)

The second feels the most comfortable - it's the way I would play it naturally without actually thinking about it.

Thanks Noel, the second pattern is easier for me, too.
But it seems that Hank plays the first pattern,
because he plays those “accidental/on purpose” unmuted higher string notes on 3&
downward. (the second d of the double d’s of the first pattern)