Bøker av David Fletcher

A mauling of mankind and a travel diary make rather odd bedfellows. However, in The Country-cides of Namibia and Botswana, these unlikely playmates not only share the same pages, but they also enfold each other in a somewhat intimate embrace.

Looks at the Medium Mark A Whippet, one of the most successful British tanks of World War I and, when placed alongside existing titles covering the Mark I, Mark IV and Mark V, completes the New Vanguard series' coverage of the major British tanks of the war.

The first Rolls-Royce armoured car was a privately owned vehicle fitted with a machine-gun and a limited amount of armour plate, used by the Royal Naval Air Service in Flanders in 1914. By 1915, nearly 100 had been built and turned over to the Army. From then on, as Sir Albert Stern said 'They searched the world for war', operating as far apart as the northwest frontier of India, the Middle East and southern Africa. The cars were fast, quiet and reliable but above all powerful. 'A Rolls in the desert is above rubies,' said Lawrence of Arabia. After World War I, the War Office continued to produce the Rolls-Royce while tinkering with the design. These further cars served all across the Empire, including in Ireland and even later Shanghai, returning for a final brief appearance in the early stages of World War II.This book tells the complete story of the Rolls-Royce Armoured Car, following its design and development as it fought from theatre to theatre during World War I and the turbulent inter-war years.

Presents the study of British light tanks of the Second World War. This book draws upon a vast and comprehensive body of archival information and research to explore their technical characteristics and combat performance. It focuses on the very widely used Mark VI, and also covers all the variants that preceded it.

Although, to the casual eye, various British tanks of World War I look much the same, the Mark V is quite outstanding and has a strong claim to be the tank that won the Great War. This title examines the technological developments that made this tank excel where others had failed.

The most powerfully gunned tank fielded by the Allies during World War II was the Sherman Firefly. An ordinary American-built Sherman modified by the British, the Firefly had the firepower that could finally match the awesome German tanks that had dominated Europe. David Fletcher examines the controversy that dogged the Firefly and the psychological boost the tank provided to Allied forces. Exploring its successes and failures on the battlefield and providing a realistic assessment of the tank's worth, this is essential reading for anyone wanting to know the facts about a tank variant that quickly developed its own mythology.

Tells the story of the Sherman Crab Flail which proved its worth both in its mine-clearing role and as a fighting machine. It recounts some of its more glorious moments with the famous British 79th Armoured Division and the US Army.

Chronicles the development of the Churchill Crocodile flamethrower tank. This book examines the effect of these tanks in battle from use in France to the terrifying attack on the Senio River in Italy, and also investigates the post-war use of the tanks to burn down the site of Belsen concentration camp, and their mobilisation for the Korean War.

Amongst the first ever mass-produced tanks in history, the British Mk IV has been classified as one of the most successful heavy tanks to have fought in World War I. Drawing on photographs and information on its operational abilities, this work presents an exploration of the British Mk IV tank, and provides an account of this vehicle.

The first tank ever to be used on the battlefield, the Mark I, profoundly changed the nature of warfare in the 20th century and beyond. This work covers the Little Willie and Mother Mark I prototypes and the aftermath of their introduction.

Explores the development and modifications of the Sherman DD by the Allied forces, focusing on their deployment during the D-Day landings. This book also discusses the variations of the Sherman DD, including the Valentine DD tank and its role as a training tank in Britain and limited operational use in Italy.

The Universal Carrier was a fast, lightly armed vehicle developed by the British Army to carry infantry across ground defended by small-arms fire, specifically the Bren light machine gun, hence the name 'Bren Gun Carrier'. This name would stick with the Universal Carrier and all of its future variants. This book details the Carrier, which was employed in a number of roles including carrying ammunition and towing anti-aircraft guns and trailers. All Allies used the Universal Carrier extensively during practically every World War II campaign. By the war's end, the Universal Carrier had proved itself to be an invaluable and successful cross-country vehicle that was both agile and fast for its time.

The Covenanter (which never saw active service) and Crusader Cruiser tanks were developed between 1939 and 1940. The Crusader first saw action in the North African desert in June 1941: its speed and sleek design made it a hard target to hit, and the tank was well-respected by the Afrikakorps for its velocity in combat. But its hurried development prior to World War II also made it prone to mechanical failure. This book examines the Covenanter and the many variants of the Crusader tank, detailing the designs, developments and disappointments of these infamous World War II tanks.

The Matilda was the principal British infantry tank in the early years of World War II. It served with the BEF in France and later in North Africa, where it earned the title ''Queen of the Desert''. Outclassed by increasingly powerful German anti-tank weapons, it still remained a power in the South-East Pacific, and was kept in service until the end of the war by Australian forces. In this title, David Fletcher deals with Marks I to V. Development and operational history are discussed, along with service in other countries, including Germany and Russia. Numerous variants are also covered, including the prototype ''Hedgehog'' bunker-busting weapon.