The Big Interview
Phil Loder chats to David Fletcher, the tank and military vehicle historian who identified an important but littleknown subject and spent his career researching it and sharing his knowledge
David Fletcher, the worldrenowned expert on tanks, armoured cars and many other types of military vehicles, is known to most classic military vehicle enthusiasts from his books, articles and videos. His groundbreaking research and insightful publications established him as an authority in the field, while more recently The Tank Museum’s Tank Chats on YouTube have allowed him to share his expertise with a wider audience from across the globe.
David grew up in Petts Wood and Croydon in south London, and attended a boarding school in Sandwich, Kent. His father worked in advertising and served in the London Fire Brigade in World War Two, but was tragically killed in the Lewisham train crash in 1957. David finished his education at a day school in Tunbridge Wells, then his mother moved the family to Dorset and opened a shop there.
After a short time working for an advertising agency in London, David had various jobs, including a brief period in the Royal Navy.
He admits, though, that his most unusua…
