Tamiya 12686 - 1:35 JGSDF Type 16 MCV Metal Gun Barrel

Turned metal 105 mm barrel for the JGSDF Type 16 MCV model (Tamiya 35361) in 1:35 scale

Tamiya 12686 is a metal barrel replacing the plastic moulding on the Tamiya 1:35 model of the Japanese Type 16 MCV wheeled combat vehicle (35361). The box contains one 105 mm barrel turned from aluminium, with a finely reproduced perforated muzzle brake - seven rows of nine holes.

The muzzle brake is the whole point here: on a plastic moulding the rows of through-holes always remain a compromise, because an injection mould cannot produce them as open holes. The fume extractor and canvas cover come from the base kit. The base model is sold separately - this box contains the barrel only.

What's in the box:

• One turned aluminium 105 mm barrel with a finely reproduced perforated muzzle brake (seven rows of nine holes)

Specifications:

• Scale: 1:35
• Product number: 12686
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Dedicated model: Tamiya JGSDF Type 16 MCV (35361)
• Type: metal gun barrel
• Material: turned aluminium
• Note: the fume extractor and canvas cover come from the base kit

Turned metal barrels - a quick upgrade

A lathe-turned barrel has a perfectly round cross-section and no mould parting line - the line that on a plastic moulding has to be laboriously filed and sanded away, all too often damaging the fine detail around it. The muzzle is hollowed from the factory, and details such as the perforation of the muzzle brake come out far crisper than injection moulding allows.

Metal needs different preparation than plastic: before painting we suggest degreasing the surface and using a primer intended for metal, which gives the paint a proper key. Cyanoacrylate glue works well for joining the barrel to the plastic parts of the model.

About the vehicle - Type 16 MCV:

The Type 16 MCV is a Japanese 8x8 wheeled combat vehicle introduced into the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force in 2016. It is armed with a 105 mm gun, giving it firepower comparable to a light tank while retaining the mobility of a wheeled platform.

The design emphasises strategic mobility and rapid deployment - crucial in Japanese geography, where the armed forces must respond to threats spread across many islands. The Type 16 can travel at high speed on roads and be moved by air.

Original vehicle specifications (Type 16 MCV):

• Type: 8x8 wheeled combat vehicle
• Armament: 105 mm gun
• Operator: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
• Entered service: 2016
• Design focus: strategic mobility and rapid deployment

About the manufacturer - Tamiya:

Tamiya is a Japanese company based in Shizuoka, active in the modelling industry since 1946. Alongside its plastic kits it offers detail-up accessories for its own models: turned metal barrels, photo-etched frets, detail sets and display stands. These accessories are designed for specific Tamiya kit numbers, so they fit without modification. The range is completed by Tamiya paints, glues and modelling tools.