Tamiya 1/35 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage M16 - Kit Review

A review of Tamiya's 2023, re-release of the U.S. M16 half-track, the Multiple Gun Motor Carriage, featuring the Quad .50 cal. AA unit, Kit No. 35081, first released in 1976, under Kit No. MM181.
Part of Tamiya's 2023, re-issue of it's 1970's range of U.S. half-tracks, this classic kit includes, parts and accessories for 3 U.S. Army figures, vinyl tyres and tracks, a pre-cut clear plastic windscreen sheet, 1970's style Tamiya Assembly Instructions with parts indentification, and sprue layouts, and a decal sheet with 4 vehicle options (1 x WW2, 2 x Post-WW2, 1 x Korean War).

[@HenrikFredriksson-oi4lz]

Thank you for bringing back my childhood memories👍❤️

[@PetesKits]

My pleasure. I too have a lot of fond memories from those days! Cheers!

[@chrishorne5855]

I have all 3 original release half tracks , would love to get my hands on a couple more of each

[@PetesKits]

The originals are still fetching interesting prices from what I can see, because they're "Vintage"....but these "new" releases are a great, much cheaper, alternative. And, exactly the same. Cheers!

[@MatterusOD]

Nice for an old kit. Out of my price range when I was a kid. More 1/72 and there abouts for planes and armour and 1/600 for the fleet. Mount is the M45 Maxson and came in a towed self contained unit as well. Acetate is the name of the plastic for the windows. Sometimes you know it but it just doesn't want to cooperate and jump to the vocal cords 🙂. Thank for the review. Matt 🦘🦘🦘

[@PetesKits]

Acetate! Even though I know it well, and have pieces of it in my spares box, that's the word that my brain just completely forgets! Thanks for that. Maybe I should write it down somewhere. I think growing up we were the same. I had both 1/72 armour and planes like you, and most of the Airfix ships like the Bismark and Tirpitz, Suffolk, and all sorts. Really miss the days when kits were so (relatively) cheap. Remember paying 20 cents Australian for a bagged Airfix Stuka. God that makes me feel old! Cheers mate. Thanks again for the memory jog!

[@Andy.Gledhill.Models.]

Hi mate. I bought the M3A2 APC version. One thing to note about this M16 version, is the large star decal on the bonnet. The decal placement guide in the instructions has the star decal the wrong way round. The correct way is for the point of the star to be facing the windscreen. The box art and pics of the built model in the instructions show the star the right way round. So, its worth noting that mistake.

[@PetesKits]

Good pick up mate. I actually didn't notice that at all. Nice one! Interestingly, some British and Canadian units, for D-Day and after, actually had the star point facing forward, to show that they were Allied vehicles not U.S. Wonder it that was why it's shown like that in the instructions? An option they never went with? Cheers!

[@michaeldean1289]

Hi Pete Still a good kit despite the age. The armoured sides etc are so out of scale so you need to do a bit of thinning down to try and get it back into some reasonable thickness. If you replace the rear suspension/track with FC model trends upgrade and use a PE set, maybe a barrel change out with brass ones from Aber etc it will build up to a reasonable model. I even went out and grabbed the tombstone magazines to spruce it up a bit more. Nice review mate ❤😊

[@PetesKits]

Hi mate. Glad you liked this review. As a 1970's kit, she still stands up pretty well, but, as you say, with a bit of tinkering, she will shine a bit brighter. Cheers!

[@martinoconnor4314]

Great review Pete. I managed to pick up M3A2 Personnel Carrier for just over £20 but I can't for the life of me see why the cheapest M16 kit is over double that price, some comedians are asking £60 or £70 on ebay. Dragon prices for ancient Tamiya offerings!

[@Andy.Gledhill.Models.]

It looks like lots of places have sold out of the m16 version. But they were going for only about £23. I got the M3A2 APC version myself.

[@PetesKits]

Glad you liked the review mate! I've seen the same here. The average retail price here in Oz is around $35, which would be around your price in pounds, but some people are going for the maximum price on these new releases, as if they're the originals. Talk about rip-off merchants! Definitely pays to shop around with clowns like this around. Cheers mate!

[@martinoconnor4314]

@@Andy.Gledhill.Models. For £23 I'd buy one, it is a nice looking kit for a 70's model but its not worth the 2024 price for top end kits.

[@Andy.Gledhill.Models.]

@@martinoconnor4314 Jadlam have the APC version and Mortar Carrier versions for £23.95. If you are interested. I have seen them slightly cheaper. But Jadlam do free P&P, so that makes their price to likely be the cheapest.

[@poonshop]

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[@dje1944]

I bought one recently.....the price for originals was getting a bit crazy.....

[@PetesKits]

I know, right. I've seen originals priced at any where between $80 Aust up to a ridiculous $140. I know these old half-tracks are (were) scarce but there's a limit to their value. At least these re-issues are a reasonable price here in Oz, around $35 and they don't seem that scarce (at the moment). cheers mate!

[@xxusafnmjxx8899]

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