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The Wheezers and Dodgers: The Inside Story of Clandestine Weapon Development in World War II Paperback – 15 Jan. 2009

by Gerald Pawle (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars 60 ratings
This is the fascinating story of the Admiralty's Department of Miscellaneous Weapon Development, the so-called 'Wheezers and Dodgers', and the many ingenious weapons and devices it invented, improved or perfected.The author was one of a group of officers with engineering or scientific backgrounds who were charged with the task of winning the struggle for scientific mastery between the Allies and the Germans in what Churchill enthusiastically called 'the wizard war'. Their work ranged from early stop-gap weapons like the steam-powered Holman projector, via great success stories like the Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar, to futuristic experiments with rockets, a minefield that could be sown in the sky, and the spectacularly dangerous Great Panjandrum, a giant explosive Catherine-wheel intended to storm enemy beaches.The development of these and many other extraordinary inventions, their triumphs and disasters, is told with panache and humour, and a diverse group of highly imaginative and eccentric figures emerge from the pages.
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  1. Print length
    304 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Seaforth Publishing
  4. Publication date
    15 Jan. 2009
  5. Dimensions
    12.7 x 1.91 x 19.05 cm
  6. ISBN-10
    1848320264
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1848320260
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Seaforth Publishing (15 Jan. 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1848320264
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1848320260
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 12.7 x 1.91 x 19.05 cm
  • Customer reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 60 ratings

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
60 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book to be a brilliant read and consider it a worthy addition to military history libraries. They describe it as an amazing story.

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8 customers mention ‘Readability’7 positive1 negative

Customers find the book readable, with one mentioning it tells a great story well.

"A very interesting read about a oart of ww2 that little is ever mentioned...." Read more

"Well written by a clearly knowledgeable author. A worthy addition to my military history library." Read more

"great book, pity it is so hard to get, I would give it to my friends if I could find more copies." Read more

"Excellent book, printing is black not grey so you can read it easily. interesting insight into British Industry." Read more

4 customers mention ‘Book value’4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be a worthy addition to their military history library, with one customer noting it covers leading-edge wartime invention.

"Well written by a clearly knowledgeable author. A worthy addition to my military history library." Read more

"An interesting period of the UK's recent history, which all age groups should know about." Read more

"...who do not, should buy it despite the poor quality - it's a good reference work and a wonderful read. Recommended." Read more

"The leading edge of wartime invention...." Read more

3 customers mention ‘Story quality’3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story quality of the book.

"...This is the fascinating story of the Admiralty's Department of Miscellaneous Weapon Development, the so-called 'Wheezers and Dodgers', and the many..." Read more

"Third time of reading this amazing story of how a unit of the Navy gathered together a ream of brilliant scientists enthusiasts and sometimes..." Read more

"...A fascinating story which shows very clearly that the British military and scientist's came up with the goods every time despite the efforts of the..." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Ajb74
    5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 August 2024
    Verified Purchase
    A very interesting read about a oart of ww2 that little is ever mentioned.

    This is the fascinating story of the Admiralty's Department of Miscellaneous Weapon Development, the so-called 'Wheezers and Dodgers', and the many ingenious weapons and devices it invented, improved or perfected.The author was one of a group of officers with engineering or scientific backgrounds who were charged with the task of winning the struggle for scientific mastery between the Allies and the Germans in what Churchill enthusiastically called 'the wizard war'.
    Helpful
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  • Crowbar
    5.0 out of 5 stars The leading edge of wartime invention.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 August 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Third time of reading this amazing story of how a unit of the Navy gathered together a ream of brilliant scientists enthusiasts and sometimes slightly crazy experts to think up new weapons and devices to help win the war. They rented a seaside pier as one of their test ranges. Any crazy idea was reviewed and some gave amazing results.
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  • Daniel De Gomme
    4.0 out of 5 stars A worthy addition to a military history library
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 April 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Well written by a clearly knowledgeable author. A worthy addition to my military history library.
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great read.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 November 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I First read this book in the 1960s and enjoyed it just as much second time around. A fascinating story which shows very clearly that the British military and scientist's came up with the goods every time despite the efforts of the hide bound establishments to thwart them.
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating read!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 July 2019
    Verified Purchase
    An interesting period of the UK's recent history, which all age groups should know about.
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  • Mahonj
    5.0 out of 5 stars great book, pity it is so hard to get
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 August 2016
    Verified Purchase
    great book, pity it is so hard to get, I would give it to my friends if I could find more copies.
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  • mars bar
    4.0 out of 5 stars wheezers
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 31 January 2010
    Verified Purchase
    Excellent book, printing is black not grey so you can read it easily.

    interesting insight into British Industry.
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  • happy moss
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 December 2015
    Verified Purchase
    a book for collectors
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Alex
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent story for a movie!
    Reviewed in the United States on 22 December 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Well written by Gerald Pawle, "The Wheezers & Dodgers", the inside story of clandestine weapon development on World War II, follows the development of various Rube Goldberg inventions designed to defend against German invasion and eventually carry the war to the Germans. It documents the difficulty in acquiring "official" approval of various projects. The inventors had a wonderful sense of humor when dealing with the slow-moving red tape and conservative superiors. I intent to send a copy of the book to my father, who is retired as a project engineer. It took great courage for these inventors to test these ideas that not only saved the allies resources, but lives as well. Any film producer worth his salt should read this book and make it a film. I'm certain that if a screen play is developed, including the hilarious antics, a classic title would spring forth.
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  • David Langlois
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent. Well worth the read.
    Reviewed in Canada on 6 April 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Pawle has done an excellent job of summarizing the events which allowed for the creation of the Royal Navy's weapons research and experimentation centre under the direction of Sir Charles Goodeve. Highly recommended.
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  • Debra M. Ridley
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
    Reviewed in the United States on 27 June 2011
    Verified Purchase
    A exceptionally well written book, that turned what might be seen as a rather 'dry' subject into a witty compelling read.My father read this book with rather more insight into the subject than most people and said that it was one of the most acurate texts that he had ever read on this particular subject area.
    This book is an mini-national treasure in defining how men and women in the back rooms played their part in helping Britain and her Allies to win the Second World War.
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  • alan merritt
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on 30 October 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Loved the book ... an interesting 'new' perspective on Shute's work
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  • Jerry P. Reid
    3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting book - but badly printed
    Reviewed in the United States on 28 June 2013
    Verified Purchase
    This is a great history of the weird things that happened in WW2. The book is good, but the printing is bad. Looks like it was photocopied off center.
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