Tamiya 1/35 Military Miniature Series No.81 U.S. M16 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage

Overall Length: 189 mm. The photo shows the kit assembled and painted. [ A Sharp Meat Cleaver ] Advances in air power and the increased mobility of ground forces due to mechanization drastically changed the nature of combat during World War II. Amid these changes, various anti-aircraft weapons were developed to counter ground attacks by aircraft, leading to fierce battles against the oncoming air threats. One of the self-propelled anti-aircraft machine guns fielded by the U.S. military during World War II was the M16. It was produced from 1942 to 1943. The vehicle, built on a modified M3 half-track chassis, was equipped with a quadruple mount of .50-caliber (12.7 mm) Browning heavy machine guns. With a rate of fire of 450 to 555 rounds per minute, a muzzle velocity of 893 m/s, and a maximum range of 6,767 m, the firepower of this quadruple-barreled Browning was formidable, and it is said to have earned the nickname “Meat Cleaver.” The gun mount was the M45 type, an electrically powered unit capable of 360-degree rotation, a depression angle of -10 degrees, an elevation angle of 90 degrees, and a rotation and elevation speed of 60 degrees per second. In addition to its effectiveness in anti-aircraft fire, the quadruple mount proved highly effective against ground targets as well. It saw action in the Korean War following World War II and was also deployed by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. [ Model Specifications ] 1/35 scale, total length 189 mm. This is a plastic model assembly kit that reproduces the U.S. Army’s M16 self-propelled anti-aircraft machine gun, which appeared during World War II. ● The gun mount, equipped with four 12.7mm Browning heavy machine guns, features a realistic mechanical design. Just like the real vehicle, it can rotate 360 degrees even after assembly, and the machine guns can be raised and lowered in coordination with the sighting device. ● The gun turret includes a figure of a gunner aiming at enemy aircraft, while the driver’s seat features a figure looking back up at the sky, and the passenger seat features an operator communicating via radio?all in poses that convey a sense of tension. ● The ladder-frame chassis and open-top interior are also realistically reproduced. [Initial Release Month] The kit was released in April 1976. It included figures with tense expressions and poses, pointing the quad-barreled machine gun at approaching German fighter planes. Information is current as of September 2, 2026. Product names, prices, release dates, specifications, and other details are subject to change without notice. (From the Tamiya website)