1914-1918 in miniature

Instruction Manual

TW32VEH1

Crossley Light Tender 20/25

(Royal Flying Corps)

A PDF of this document is available at tommyswar.com which can

be downloaded and printed in a larger size

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1914-1918 in miniature

A brief introduction to the Crossley Light Tender

Crossley Motors were formed in 1903 after initially producing engines.

In their first year alone they produced 650 vehicles and by the outbreak

of World War One they were a serious manufacturer of motor vehicle.

Based in Manchester, Great Britain, Crossley opened a second site near

Stockport in 1914 to boost production and their 20 hp light truck with

a modified 4.5 litre side valve engine was chosen by the newly formed

Royal Flying Corps as their squadron vehicle. This was the light tender

20/25.

RFC squadrons received eleven light tenders and two staff cars.

The light tender was designed for three passengers in the front and eight

in the rear. In 1917 the design of the 20/25 was modified and the longer

wheel based version was known as the 25/30, these came in to service at

the end of the war.

Over 6,000 Crossley vehicles were purchased by the War Office and the

vehicle forms an important part of the story of the Royal Flying Corps and

Royal Air Force. Not only did the 20/25 see service in Europe it was also

seen in the Middle East, Africa and India.

Indeed, one of the vehicles most famous use came with the Duke of

Westminster Armoured Car squadrons in Sudan and Palestine as well

as with T E Lawrence’s campaigns where it formed an important role as

support vehicle, much loved for its mobility in difficult conditions.

The Tommy’s War Crossley Light Tender Kit

The kit supplied here is the early 20/25 version which would have

served right through from 1914-1918 and would be seen wherever

RFC or RAF squadrons were based.

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Assembling the Kit

1914-1918 in miniature

Before you begin assembling the kit it is always worth checking that you

have all the relevant parts needed to complete the kit and tools needed.

Read through the instruction manual carefully, we always recommend that

you familiarise yourself with all the various parts of the kit and their

assembly.

There are two instructional videos which can be found on our Youtube

channel at:

www.youtube.com/user/tommyswarvideo

These two video’s cover two important aspects:

1. Shows how to further etch the wheel guards and engine cover to add

more detail to the kit, this is a simple process and easily achieved, but we

recommend you practice before trying the technique on the kit.

2. This video tutorial shows how to use the kit provided to shape and form

the photo-etch for the wheels. This simple tool provides a really effective

way of forming the spokes and making it much easier to assemble the

wheels.

The Crossley is a comprehensive kit that does require a variety of

modelling techniques, but if you do struggle at any point please contact

darren@tommyswar.com and we will provide assistance.

We do urge extreme caution when working with resin, while cutting and

sanding you will produce dust which is harmful so always wear a good

quality face mask and limit dust by wet-sanding and ensuring your room is

very well ventilated. We also ask that you take care when using sharp knives,

you will require new blades to cut resin and photo-etch.

We are committed to quality, so if you are missing any parts or have any

faulty pieces please contact darren@tommyswar.com.

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Step 1.1 Chassis Assembly

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Step 1.2 Chassis Assembly

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Step 2.1 Engine Assembly

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Step 3.1 Cab Assembly

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Step 3.2 Cab Assembly

Please see our instruction video at www.youtube.com/user/tommyswarvideo

for further details on how to detail and assemble this section

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Step 4.1 Wheel Guard Assembly

Please see our instruction video at www.youtube.com/user/tommyswarvideo

for further details on how to detail and assemble this section

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Step 5.1 Wheel Assembly and Fitting

Please see our instruction video at www.youtube.com/user/tommyswarvideo

for further details on how to detail and assemble this section

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Step 6.1 Detail

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Step 6.2 Detail

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Step 7.1 Fitting of Hood

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Step 2.1 Engine Assembly

Step 2.1 Engine Assembly

Completed engine block with photo etch fan. Please

note how the fan blades have been positioned.

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Step 3.2 Engine Cover Assembly

Step 3.2 Wheel Guard Assembly

The image shows how the front guards have been

added to the chassis.

Please see our instruction video at

www.youtube.com/user/tommyswarvideo

for further details on how to detail both front and rear

wheel guards.

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1914-1918 in miniature

Step 4.1 Wheel Guard Assembly

Step 4.1 Engine Cover Assembly

This image shows how the engine cover is assembled

prior to fitting.

Please see our instruction video at

www.youtube.com/user/tommyswarvideo

for further details on how to detail both front and rear

wheel guards.

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1914-1918 in miniature

Step 6.2 Rear Body Assembly and Rear Wheel Guards

Step 6.2 Rear Body Assembly and Rear Wheel Guards

The rear wheel guards are fitted to the rear body

section and the rear cab detail is fitted with both resin

and photo etch parts.

Please see our instruction video

at www.youtube.com/user/tommyswarvideo

for further details on how to detail both front and rear

wheel guards.

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1914-1918 in miniature

Step 6.2 Rear Body Assembly and Rear Wheel Guards

Step 6.2

The rear wheel guards are fitted to the rear body section.

Please see our instruction video at

www.youtube.com/user/tommyswarvideo

for further details on how to detail both front and rear

wheel guards.

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1914-1918 in miniature

Step 6.2 Rear Body Assembly and Rear Wheel Guards

Step 6.2

The rear wheel guards are fitted to the rear body section

Please see our instruction video at

www.youtube.com/user/tommyswarvideo

for further details on how to detail both front and

rear wheel guards.

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1914-1918 in miniature

Step 7.1 Fitting of hood

Step 7.1 Fitting of hood

The two canvas cover parts are combined to create

the cab and rear cabin cover.

A further small sprue of photo etch is included in the kit

which provides the straps from the hood over the cabin

to the front wheel guards, this is often seen in images

and would have offered further stability for the hood.

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Completed Kit

Completed Kit

Prior to painting, this is a progress shot of how your

vehicle will look.

You can find more information on the kit at

www.youtube.com/user/tommyswarvideo

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1914-1918 in miniature

Decals

Photographs of the Crossley in

RFC and RAF service between

1914 and 1918 show that the

vehicles were lightly marked.

However, we’ve given you a

choice of some basic decals

that you can use to display your

model.

The most often found markings are the serial numbers which

would have been placed either side of the engine cover. On

this sheet we have provided M8449. Another way of displaying

the serial number is a single number under the windscreen,

for this we have provided 4592 and 894.

To further detail your vehicle you may wish to use the

Q symbol on both doors and under windscreen, this is a

reference to a vehicle used at a training squadron in

England. Similarly, the reference to No 3 RAF (which should

be applied to both tool boxes behind the cab is a training

vehicle.

The large RAF and RFC decals can be used, if you wish, on the

rear tarpaulin cover. We have no documentary evidence of

these being displayed in this manner, but using artistic

licence you may wish to show the vehicle with either of these

designations.

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1 9 1 4 - 1 9 1 8 i n m i n i a t u r e

Tommy’s War Limited, 5 Athens Close

Hinckley, Leicestershire LE10 1FJ United Kingdom

Registered in England number 9000306

Tel: +44 (0) 7958 626236

Email: darren@tommyswar.com

WWW.TOMMYSWAR.COM