Tamiya 35081 - 1:35 M16 US Multiple Gun Motor Carriage

Plastic model kit of the American M16 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage half-track in 1:35 scale

The M16 is one of the most distinctive support vehicles of the US Army in the Second World War — a half-track carrying four .50 cal machine guns in a rotating Maxson turret. Tamiya 35081 reproduces it in 1:35 scale, using tooling developed in the mid-1970s from the M3 armoured personnel carrier.

The kit captures the typical lines of the American half-track: the angular fighting compartment with drop sides, the front axle with road wheels and the short track run. Its centrepiece is the Maxson turret with the quadruple heavy machine gun mount and ammunition boxes. Three figures allow the model to be displayed as a scene or as part of a marching column diorama.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues with hull, fighting compartment and Maxson turret parts
• Quadruple .50 cal machine gun mount with ammunition boxes
• Vinyl band tracks
• Three crew figures
• Waterslide decal sheet
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:35
• Item number: 35081
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Assembled length: approx. 176 mm
• Skill level: beginner

Please note: glue, paints and modelling tools are not included. This is a kit for self-assembly.

Building the model:

The kit has a classic, clearly laid out breakdown and a modest parts count, which makes it a good first military model. The vinyl band tracks take the most time-consuming step of the running gear out of the equation. The Maxson mount deserves the most attention — the slender barrels and ammunition boxes look their best once the gate marks have been carefully cleaned up.

For painting we suggest the standard US Army Olive Drab (e.g. Tamiya XF-62), with black and metallic shades on the gun barrels. A wash will bring out the rivets and plate texture nicely, and a matt varnish makes a good final coat. Dust and mud on the tracks can be recreated with weathering pigments.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling nippers for removing parts from the sprues
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Brushes in various sizes
• Model paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Wash to bring out detail
• Optional: weathering pigments for dust and mud

About the vehicle – M16 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage:

The M16 MGMC was developed as a mobile answer to the air threat facing armoured and motorised columns. The proven M3 half-track chassis received a Maxson M45 turret carrying four Browning M2 .50 cal heavy machine guns, rotating together with the gunner's seat.

It soon became clear that such a dense stream of fire was just as effective against ground targets — infantry, machine gun nests and light fortifications. That is where the unofficial nickname „meat chopper" came from, under which the vehicle lived on in the memory of the soldiers fighting in Western Europe. The M16 escorted Allied columns until the end of the war and remained in service for years afterwards.

Original vehicle specifications (M16 MGMC):

• Type: half-track anti-aircraft vehicle on the M3 carrier chassis
• Armament: four Browning M2 .50 cal heavy machine guns in a rotating Maxson M45 turret
• Role: air defence of columns, also highly effective against ground targets
• Crew: 5
• Weight: approx. 9 t
• Top speed: approx. 70 km/h (road)
• Service: from 1943 and into the post-war years

About the manufacturer – Tamiya:

Tamiya Corporation is a Japanese model company founded in 1946 by Yoshio Tamiya in Shizuoka, a city regarded as the centre of the Japanese model industry. The company started out in the timber trade and made wooden models, releasing its first injection-moulded plastic kit in 1960. Two years later came the 1:35 tank that established the world standard scale for military modelling. The brand is known for precise tooling and excellent parts fit, which is why its kits are equally popular with beginners and experienced modellers. The Military Miniature Series, to which this kit belongs, runs to hundreds of releases covering vehicles, artillery and figures. Tamiya instructions are clear and well illustrated, with painting guides referenced to the company's own paint range. Besides kits, Tamiya offers a full range of accessories: paints, cements, tools and brushes. The company is present in dozens of countries and remains one of the most recognisable names in the hobby.