Huge range of military books specialising in tanks and armoured vehicles published by leading book authors and book publishers available from Cranston Fine Arts. 

The New Vanguard book series contain comprehensive histories of design, development and operational use of the World's armoured fighting vehicles and artillery. Each volume includes an authoritative text written by a recognised expert on the subject, backed up by extensive contemporary photographs and coloured illustrations of the weapons system. Black and white line drawings and colour artworks detail the vehicle's variants and each volume includes a full-cutaway showing the interior workings of the fighting machine.

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Devils Chariots : The Birth and Secret Battles of the First Tanks by John Glanfield.

The Devils Chariots is the first full history of the extraordinary birth and early years of the tanks - a revelatory account of the pioneer builders and their strange machines, of the men who backed them, and the many disbelievers. John Glanfield has conducted intensive research, much of it from unpublished sources, to shed new light on the creation of a weapon that revolutionised the conduct of battle throughout the twentieth century.

Illustrated hardback with 336 pages.

Order code NMP5508. Book price £25.00.

Iron Fist. Classic Armoured Warfare Case Studies by Bryan Perrett.

Perhaps the Chariot of ancient times was the first example of mechanised warfare equipment, but it has been a strictly twentieth century experience for the soldier to ride onto the battlefield in a fully armoured vehicle which carries both him and his weapons.  Whilst the cavalry man could protect himself and, to a degree, his horse, and Leonardo Da Vinci, unsurprisingly, sketched plans for an early version of the tank, it was not until the internal combustion engine was invented that efficient land armour could be conceived.  Once this watershed was passed land warfare changed at an unprecedented pace.  Strategies were revised, tactics which matched the new mobility were developed, the routines of logistics and supply were transformed, and both offensive drives and planned retreats could be executed with speed and protection.  If the mechanical monsters lost the flair and colour of the mounted cavalry charge, they provided new dramas of firepower and impact.  Selecting examples of armoured vehicle warfare action from the two world wars, the Middle East, Vietnam and the Gulf, Bryan Perrett uses his professional knowledge and descriptive skills to recreate the atmosphere of the battlefield in the era of the tank whilst telling the story of the evolution of mechanised armour.

Order code NMP8199. 220 pages.  Book price £16.99.

Achtung-Panzer by Major General Heinz Guderian

Amongst the military literature of the 20th Century, Achtung-Panzer! is a most rare commodity- the distilled thoughts and strategic theories of an outstanding soldier as they were just two years before he was charged with putting them into practical action.

In this first English translation carrying annotations of a modern commentator, the fascination of historians, military professionals and students of land warfare will be in how Guderian is seen to have learned from the lessons of the 1914-18 conflict and developed his conviction that the efficient use of armoured formations held the key to success in any future battle. Most apparent is his independence of mind for, although much of his policy came from the doctrines of the national education and military training establishment, his words show a cavalier readiness to consider alternatives where the accepted norm did not attract him.

The movement of the land army in fully motorized formations was not a dream to Heinz Guderian - he saw it as a necessity. He was convinced of this long before he wrote Achtung-Panzer! and the book represents how the theories of this doctrine would be practised on the battlefield. Hitler's personal enthusiasm for modern mechanized technology provided inspiration for Guderian, but the air and sea forces often seemed to get priority. His superior, General Lütz, urged Guderian to write this book as part of their campaign for more funds. Thus, readers will find examples of the author seeking advantage points over competitors for national support; they will not, however, find much national chauvinism and may well be surprised by the regular praise of the British and French in respect of tank development. 

Although many of the points made by Guderian in this treatise were being echoed by his equivalent experts in other nations, it was the man from East Prussia who was first to mastermind their application. This fact alone marks this volume as essential reading for those studying the evolution of land warfare and the years of German armour supremacy in the first part of World War II.

Book serial number BK45. Price £16.99. Hard back with 220 pages. Translation by Christopher Duffy.

Post: UK- £5.00 (max post for multiple books £6.00).

For Europe £8.00 (each plus one charge of £3.00 recorded fee per total shipment)

Rest of World £10.00 (each plus one charge of £3.00 recorded fee per total shipment)

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Once war was declared in Europe it was only a matter of time before it spread to the Middle East. The conflict that swiftly followed saw the armies of Britain, Germany and Italy slogging it out on the inhospitable desert sands of Egypt and Libya. The final act took place in Tunisia, when British troops joined by their American allies, defeated the Axis forces in 1943. The pitched tank battles made news headlines across the world and names like Tobruk and El Alamein became widely known.

Drawing on the extensive photographic archives of the world famous Tank Museum, Tanks in Camera depicts almost three years of continuous tank warfare from the viewpoint of the British soldier, set against the harsh backdrop of the North African desert. Many of these photographs are unique and 'unofficial', taken by British Army tank crews and soldiers as personal records of their war service, and most have never been published before.

Eight chapters cover significant stages in the desert war, each with a general introduction leading up to a photographic section with extended captions. Tanks dominate, naturally, but other armoured vehicles are included as well; transport, landscapes and incidents in the tank soldiers life are also recorded.

Tanks in Camera will appeal to all with an interest in the Second World War in general and armoured warfare in particular, including historians and military modellers.

Book serial number BK33. Price £19.99. Hard Back with 186 pages.

Post: UK- £5.00 (max post for multiple books £6.00).

For Europe £8.00 (each plus one charge of £3.00 recorded fee per total shipment)

Rest of World £10.00 (each plus one charge of £3.00 recorded fee per total shipment)

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Armoured fighting Vehicles is a compendium of the most important and influential military vehicles that have been in service since World War I. Starting with the crude and unreliable tanks that fought on the Western Front in World War I, the book goes on to examine the military vehicles of World War II, tanks such as the Panzer IV, Panther, Tiger, Sherman and T34 - vehicles that transformed the art of land warfare. Armoured Fighting Vehicles also includes the most up-to-date fighting machines, such as the Abrams and Challenger tanks, and Bradley and Warrior infantry fighting vehicles.

Each vehicle is fully illustrated by a full-colour side-profile artwork, and accompanied by a detailed specifications table giving country of origin, crew, weight, dimensions, armour, armament, powerplant and performance, all measurements in imperial and metric. In addition there is accompanying text for each vehicle that summarises the vehicle's development and service history.

Post: UK- £3.00 (max post for multiple books £6.00).

For Europe £5.00 (each plus one charge of £3.00 recorded fee per total shipment)

Rest of World £8.00 (each plus one charge of £3.00 recorded fee per total shipment)

Book price £9.99. Order code AFV1.

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Detailed information on West Germany's main battle tank. 

Post: UK- £2.50 (max post for multiple books £6.00).

For Europe £3.00 (each plus one charge of £3.00 recorded fee per total shipment)

Rest of World £6.00 (each plus one charge of £3.00 recorded fee per total shipment)

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Book price £8.99. Book serial number Osprey NV16.

Post: UK- £2.50 (max post for multiple books £6.00).

For Europe £3.00 (each plus one charge of £3.00 recorded fee per total shipment)

Rest of World £6.00 (each plus one charge of £3.00 recorded fee per total shipment)

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Book price £8.99. Book serial number Osprey NV24.