TAMXF16 - Tamiya - Flat Aluminum Acrylic - 10mL Bottle

TAMXF16 - Tamiya - Flat Aluminum Acrylic - 10mL Bottle

Tamiya XF-16 Flat Aluminum is a non-metallic, matte aluminium grey — one of the most versatile utility colours in the Tamiya acrylic range. Unlike gloss or buffable metallics, its flat finish makes it specifically suited to representing oxidised, doped, or weathered aluminium surfaces where a reflective sheen would be inaccurate or distracting at scale. It is the standard go-to for aluminium dope on fabric-covered control surfaces, undersurface panels on natural metal aircraft that have dulled through operational use, exhaust-stained and heat-affected metal areas, and as the base layer for chipping effects on camouflaged subjects where the underlying natural metal is revealed through paint wear. At smaller scales (1/72 and 1/48) where full metallic NMF systems are impractical, XF-16 provides a convincing, controllable aluminium result that reads correctly under ambient light without the preparation demands of polishable metallizers or Alclad. It is also widely specified in Tamiya kit instructions as the call-out for aluminium detail painting across AFV, aircraft, and figure subjects.

Tamiya Acrylic paints are a hybrid acrylic formula built on water-soluble resin — they can be thinned with water, isopropyl alcohol, or lacquer thinner, and clean up easily with water before curing. When thinned with Tamiya Lacquer Thinner, the paint lays down faster, dries harder, and bonds more aggressively to the substrate. The hybrid resin chemistry means the paint film remains slightly soluble after initial drying — subsequent brush strokes can reactivate and lift the layer below if applied without restraint. For this reason, airbrushing is strongly recommended for large surface coverage. Brush painting is workable for detail and touch-up work, but requires a gentle, deliberate stroke and a fully cured base layer. See our Tamiya Acrylic vs. Enamel vs. Lacquer guide for a full breakdown of paint type differences.

• Aluminium dope on fabric-covered control surfaces — standard application for doped linen elevators, rudders, and ailerons on WWII aircraft where fabric surfaces were finished in aluminium dope rather than camouflage paint, including RAF Hurricane Mk.I and Spitfire Mk.I fabric-covered ailerons (1939–41), IJAAF Ki-43 and Ki-44 control surfaces, and many German Bf 109 E/F-series fabric tail surfaces
• Natural metal finish undersurfaces at smaller scales — overall lower-surface finish for 1/72 late-war USAAF P-51D Mustangs, P-47D Thunderbolts, and B-29 Superfortresses operating in natural metal from 1944; at 1/72 scale XF-16 reads more convincingly than bright metallics, which can appear toy-like at reduced scale
• IJAAF natural metal undercoat — base coat for Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate and Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien natural metal lower surfaces before the application of dark green upper camouflage mottling; also used on the natural metal overall finish of early production Ki-43-I airframes, 1941–42
• Exhaust stacks and heat-affected panels — applied to aircraft exhaust stubs, manifolds, and surrounding panels as a base before brown and black oil paint weathering washes; appropriate for the exhaust areas of Spitfire Merlin engines, Fw 190 BMW 801 exhaust stubs, and P-51 Merlin-packard exhaust stacks
• Chipping effects base layer — airbrushed over primer on AFV and aircraft subjects before camouflage colours are applied, allowing controlled chipping with a stiff brush or sponge to reveal realistic bare metal wear on high-traffic areas such as hatches, footholds, gun mantlets, and wing root walkways
• AFV metal detail painting — road wheel hub centres, tow cable eyes, tool clamps, antenna mounts, and exposed bare metal wear on track links and sprockets on 1/35 AFV subjects across all nationalities and periods; an everyday utility colour for any armour modeller
• Ship model hull fittings — anchor chains, cleats, ventilator cowlings, and unpainted metalwork on 1/350 and 1/700 warship kits; the flat finish avoids the unrealistic glare of bright metallics at small scale
• Mixing — used as a desaturating agent added in small quantities to dark camouflage colours to create a scale-effect aluminium dust or chalk weathering glaze on late-war aircraft subjects

For full Tamiya paint colour references and modelling compatibility charts, visit our Tamiya Paint Colour Chart — Complete Guide for Scale Modellers.

Thin and airbrush with Tamiya Lacquer Thinner, Mr. Color Thinner, or Mr. Color Leveling Thinner.

• 10ml glass jar
• Part of the Tamiya Acrylic paint range