M16 MGMC (Japan)

This page is about the SPAA M16 MGMC (Japan). For other half-track vehicles based on the M3, see M3 Half-Track (Family).

▅M16 MGMC

▅M16 MGMC

Description

The Multiple Gun Motor Carriage M16 is a rank Japanese SPAA with a battle rating of (AB), (RB), and (SB). It was introduced in Update "Direct Hit".

General info

Survivability and armour

As an open-top half-track, the chassis can only really offer some protection against rifle calibre machine guns, even not completely being true for the anti-air turret, which has a viewport with no glass that can knock out the gunner if aimed at correctly with any kind of small arms.

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	6.35 mm (31°) Hood front 12.7 mm (31°) Driver port	6.35 mm	6.35 mm	N/A
Turret	12.7 mm	N/A	N/A	N/A

Notes:

• Suspension bogies are 10 mm thick, suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, and tracks are 7 mm thick. Front wheels provide 2 mm armour.

Mobility

Decently mobile for a half-track it offers better off-road capability over fully wheeled trucks allowing it to be a decent choice to capture points and even plausible to flank lightly-armoured vehicles with the AP-I belt.

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade				210			__.__
Realistic				131			__.__

Armaments

Main armament

12.7 mm M2HB (x4)						Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	4,800 (200)	576	-10°/+90°	±180°	N/A	52.8	73.1	88.8	98.2	104.5	18.20	16.10	14.84	14.00
Realistic						35.7	42.0	51.0	56.4	60.0

Ammunition

• Common: API-T · I · AP · API-T
• API: API-T · AP-I · API-T
• AP: AP · AP · API-T
• APIT: API-T

Penetration statistics
Belt	Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
	10 m	100 m	500 m	1,000 m	1,500 m	2,000 m
Common	31	29	21	14	9	6
API	30	27	19	12	8	5
AP	31	29	21	14	9	6
APIT	29	27	19	12	7	5

Belt details
Belt	Type of warhead	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile mass (kg)	Fuse delay (m)	Fuse sensitivity (mm)	Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)	Ricochet
							0%	50%	100%
APIT	API-T	929	0.04	N/A	N/A	N/A	47°	56°	65°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the M16 MGMC (Japan)

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	Visual discrepancy
24	12 (+12)	0 (+24)	Yes

Notes:

• Although there are 24 ammo boxes, only 10 are modeled including 4 loaded on the machine guns.
• Since there are four .50 M2HB machine guns, each reload will load 4 ammo boxes onto the guns with each box containing 200 rounds.

Usage in battles

As a lend-lease vehicle from America, the M16 will play exactly like its American counterpart. Posing a large threat to most planes within roughly 1.5 km range, the 4 x .50 cals can shred both plane and pilot after a good burst of direct hits on the plane.

While the M16 and its .50 cals doesn't offer the same explosiveness over Japan's earlier arsenal possessing the Type 98 (20 mm), it does make up for it in sustained fire due to the multiple barrels and larger belts making sure that once engaged with an enemy plane, there are very few moments where the plane can fly easily as long as you keep sights and trigger on it. You can switch target once the plane flies out of range, gets set on fire, or the pilot is knocked out.

Also unlike the previous Army's arsenal of anti-air, the M16 only offers a maximum penetration of 31 mm and purely is meant to shoot down planes with Incendiary rounds. Though some daring tankers might be able to knock out a light tank or two from the side, with the mediocre mobility of a half-track and lacklustre HMGs, it is ill-advised to use this dedicated anti-air in the anti-tank role.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Strong machine guns that can shred aircraft with a well-aimed burst
• Good mobility; accelerates quickly, fast on flat ground
• Fast turret traverse allows for easily tracking any aircraft
• .50 can knock out open-topped or lightly armoured vehicles

Cons:

• Any armament above light machine guns (>7.92 mm) poses a threat
• Vulnerable to explosive rounds and bombs dropped by aircraft due to it being open top
• Can easily be taken out by an aircraft with one well-aimed pass; the entire crew is exposed

History

Parade during the establishment of the NSF

Prior to the creation of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force in July of 1954, the Japanese were delegated a security force called the "National Safety Force" (NSF) in 1952. Similar in function to the national police, they were trained by American officers and equipped with American military equipment including most firearms and uniforms. Limited under treaty from building their own military designs, Japan sought assistance from the US to provide its heavy equipment. In particular, Japanese personnel were supplied with 168 M16 half-tracks for logistical needs but also close infantry support. M45 turrets with quad .50 cal mountings were supplied from surplus American stocks and fitted to the vehicles. Under the 1st District Force (NSF), the first anti-air units were comprised using the "hand-me-down" M16s. These vehicles would pass into the JGSDF in 1954 and while they would see use until 1974, almost 20 years after America had discontinued their M16s, they eventually were deemed obsolete for their primary purpose.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the vehicles;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.

White Motor Company
SPAAs	M13 MGMC · M15 CGMC · M16 MGMC
Export	▅M16 MGMC

Japan anti-aircraft vehicles
Ke-Ni Derivatives	Ta-Se · So-Ki
Wheeled	Type 94
Tracked	SUB-I-II
Radar SPAAG	Type 87
Missile SPAA	Type 93 · Type 81 (C)
USA	▅M16 MGMC · ▅M19A1 · ▅M42