Rolls-Royce Armoured Car: 1915-44 (all models) (Owners' Workshop Manual)

Although I'm not totally obsessed with armored fighting vehicles (although my interest level IS growing), I've really enjoyed Haynes' tank manuals so far. I recently re-read their Tiger tank manual, and was impressed by how detailed and well-rounded it was. Having gotten hooked on the author's "tank chats" on The Tank Museum's YouTube page, I was looking forward to another David Fletcher/Haynes/Tank Museum collaboration. The result is kind of a missed opportunity.The big problem with this book is that it's terribly unbalanced. For a "workshop manual," it's rather short on the hardcore technical details I've come to expect from this series. Sans introduction and index, this book is 147 pages long. Of that, a whopping 83 pages are devoted to a lengthy potted history of the vehicle, which is essentially a blow-by-blow account of the many operations they participated in. The first few chapters are interesting enough for military history buffs, but have been recounted endlessly elsewhere.The second half fares better, but is obviously a bit pressed for space. There are some excellent technical diagrams and descriptions, some interesting photographic walkthroughs of vehicle maintenance (checking the engine oil, starting the engine, etc.), and a chapter on restoring "Sliabh na mBan," which was escorting Michael Collins when he was ambushed and killed. Unfortunately, the technical descriptions are rather skimpy when compared with those in Haynes' other tank manuals.For all the talent involved, this book is kind of disappointing. Like other Haynes titles, it has plenty of excellent photographs of restored vehicles, and plenty of "in action" shots, which should come in handy for modelers. As a hardware geek, it's merely decent. Haynes has published some solid books this year, but they're yet to hit it out of the park.

The book was interesting and opened a huge range of questions, like Norperforce.I am interested in history and have travelled in Persia enough to be fascinated.I would have like larger pictures and also some line diagrams and dimensions. Colour pictures where possible, would really make it outstanding as a coffee table book.The main failing is the British one of only being interested Rolls-Royce, and not the continuation into vulgar Ford (Fordson) vehicles, which where the same bodies but different chassis.I realise that the potential subject is absolutely vast and there need to be some limits and the book is good and the author certainly "knows his onions".

The Rolls Royce {RR} Silver Ghost was built from 1907 - 1925. This is the model {more than any other} produced by company that deserves "The Best Car in the World" moniker that was the company's [unoffical} slogan for most of the 20th century. The 1st World War created the unlikely circumstance where a high quality/cost luxury car chassis was translated into a supremely reliable, quiet, adaptable and durable armored fighting vehicle that this excellent Vanguard volume details in a concise, lucid and highly readable manner. Luxury car chassis such as the Silver Ghost were sold without a body - so each Armored shell for a RR chassis was a semi-customized and individual effort. This vehicle was very expensive to build but it's quality and long service record show that Britain got it's "money's worth" for them ! This book gives a complete history of the RR armored car design,specifications, various model development, upgrading/moderization and the numerous military/colonial campaigns that it participated in between 1915 and 1941. BUT some of them would remain in service right thru the end of World War 11 - a remarkable run !! France, Gallipoli, Iraq, Africa, Egypt, Libya, Ireland, India - the Rolls Royce Armoured Car was a design that was adaptable for use thru- out the Brtish Empire and it's protectorate and client states. The used copy that I recently received thru the Amazon Web Site was in excellent condition. This 46 page volume packs a lot of information and is an excellent value and I give it between a 4 and 4 1/2 star rating.

There haven't been too many books on the Rolls-Royce armored car; this book redresses that imbalance. The quality of the paper and printing is excellent as are the many photos of the armored car in service. There are color pictures of two restored cars. The only negative I can find is that the book is geared more for the automotive crowd. It is not quite the walk-around needed by modelers where every aspect is photographed in detail . Still, that is a minor quibble for an overall excellent book.

Very nice overview of this iconic armored car - hardcover, full color throughout, high quality printing. Many color photos of preserved examples. A truly definitive book on this type is waiting to be written, but this is about as good as it gets for the time being.

Given the author and the publisher, its only natural to be left on the last page feeling a little disappointed the book wasn't a few hundred pages longer.Good newsThe content is usual decent gloss one gets with books of this type, and Mr Fletcher has the knowledge along with the resources to pack the tight word/illustration limits full of first rate stuff. It is a good book within the limits of the format, and since there's not a lot else out there on the subject anyway, if you want a book on RR A/C's look no further.Bad newsThe Kindle edition is a bit hard on the photos which are such an important part of these books, and the formatting was a bit off base from multi-page images like the cutaways.

This book describes the use of the Rolls-Royce armored car as a weapon of war. From its birth in August 1914 as a private vehicle used in France by a Royal Naval Air Service Squadron, to its final use in WWII by the Home Guard (Dad's Army) for internal security. I found it intriguing that most of the cars were privately owned, often locally made. All in all, this book is an interesting side note to the New Vanguard series on military equipment.

Book arrived on time and in perfect condition.

Whilst this book is excellent as a history of the RR Armoured Car [and it would be with David Fletcher as the author], it was a big disappointment to me as a purchase. This is because I was expecting something more akin to the Haynes car and Land Rover manuals - something packed full of drawings that you could virtually build the real thing from! Whilst I will enjoy reading the authoritative text, the book wasn't what I thought I was buying. Hopefully this will help warn other purchasers if they are expecting to receive a manual about this vehicle in the usual style of the Haynes vehicle manuals and with the normal amount of drawings included. They won't!

Fascinating stories about first world war in the desert. Graphic descriptions of Rolls Royce armoured cars roaring over desert, dodging boulders, in the sweltering heat. The author drives Lawrence of Arabia on missions to blow up the railways which carried supplies to the Turks and carries gold to pay wild Arab camel troops. What a story!

The book gives a good general history of this iconic armoured car with some nice detail with respect to the vehicles role in WW1 and the inter war years. However, the role of this vehicle in WW2 is pretty much glossed over and you will not find much information at all. The 11th Hussars used these armoured cars for nearly a year in the desert of North Africa and they saw a lot of action. The regiment war diary is packed with various patrols and engagements. This is not reflected in the book. I recommend a look at the war diary as it is available on line. Would have liked a section on the vehicle in the desert in WW2.

A very informative book on the RR armoured car. Not perhaps the last word but useful if like me you had little knowledge of the subject.

a great insight to the first real armoured car that served in 2 world wars and was the car that helped to police an Empire.