TAMXF17 - Tamiya - Flat Sea Blue Acrylic - 10mL Bottle

TAMXF17 - Tamiya - Flat Sea Blue Acrylic - 10mL Bottle

Tamiya XF-17 Flat Sea Blue represents the United States Navy's Non-Specular Sea Blue (ANA 607, approximately FS 35042) — the flat, anti-glare dark blue applied to the upper fuselage surfaces of US Navy and Marine Corps carrier aircraft under the tricolour camouflage scheme introduced in January 1943. The scheme used three blues in a graduated arrangement: Semi-Gloss Sea Blue (ANA 606) on wing and tail upper surfaces, Non-Specular Sea Blue (ANA 607) on the upper fuselage sides, and Non-Specular Intermediate Blue (ANA 608) on the lower fuselage and side transitions, above a Non-Specular White (ANA 601) underside. XF-17 is Tamiya's designated representation of the non-specular fuselage tone. It is worth noting that XF-17 carries a slightly greenish tint relative to the historical colour chip — a well-documented characteristic — and modellers seeking a closer match can correct it with a small addition of XF-8 Flat Blue (approximately 6:6:1 with XF-53 Neutral Grey). For the all-over Glossy Sea Blue scheme (ANA 623) introduced in June 1944, XF-17 can serve as the base with a semi-gloss or gloss clear coat applied over it, though a purpose-matched paint such as Vallejo 71.300 will yield a more accurate hue out of the bottle.

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.

• Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat — upper fuselage Non-Specular Sea Blue on the tricolour scheme worn by VF-9 on USS Essex and VF-5 on USS Yorktown from their combat debut in August–September 1943 through the Gilbert Islands campaign (November 1943) and the Marshalls and Truk raids of early 1944; the F6F-3 transitioned to overall Glossy Sea Blue on later production aircraft from mid-1944
• Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat — upper fuselage tone on late tricolour-scheme F6F-5s, and base for the overall Glossy Sea Blue scheme that replaced it; F6F-5s in overall Sea Blue operated from USS Essex, Bunker Hill, and Hornet at the Battle of the Philippine Sea (June 1944) and at Leyte Gulf (October 1944)
• Vought F4U-1A/1D Corsair — upper fuselage Non-Specular Sea Blue in the tricolour scheme applied to Marine Corps land-based Corsairs operating from Henderson Field, Guadalcanal (VMF-124, VMF-213, 1943) and from Espiritu Santo through the Solomons campaign; the F4U was initially rejected for carrier operations and operated primarily from land bases until late 1944
• Curtiss SB2C-1C/3 Helldiver — tricolour Sea Blue on the dive bomber that made its combat debut with VB-17 attacking Rabaul from USS Bunker Hill (November 1943) and served at the Marianas (June 1944), participating in the destruction of the Japanese carrier force at the Battle of the Philippine Sea; some SB2Cs retained the tricolour scheme through August 1945
• Grumman TBF-1C/TBM-3 Avenger — upper fuselage Sea Blue on the torpedo bomber serving from all major US fleet carriers from 1943 through the end of the war; TBM Avengers in tricolour scheme participated in attacks on the Japanese home islands in July–August 1945 from TF-38 carriers
• Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless — upper fuselage Sea Blue on the later-production Dauntless operating from USS Yorktown, Lexington, and Enterprise through 1943–44 before the SB2C Helldiver replaced it as the primary carrier dive bomber
• Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat — overall Glossy Sea Blue base (XF-17 plus gloss clear coat) on the Bearcat that entered USN service in May 1945, too late for combat but representing the immediate post-war all-blue scheme that continued into the early 1950s
• USMC land-based operations — Sea Blue upper surfaces on F4U Corsairs of VMF-214 "Black Sheep Squadron" (Maj. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington) operating from Munda and Vella Lavella, 1943, and VMF-422 at Midway Atoll, 1943–44

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