TAMXF23 - Tamiya - Flat Light Blue - 10mL Bottle

XF23 - Tamiya - Flat Light Blue - 10mL Bottle

Tamiya XF-23 Flat Light Blue is Tamiya's designated representation of RLM 65 Hellblau ("light blue") — the standard lower-surface colour of the Luftwaffe from the introduction of standardised camouflage schemes in 1936 through to mid-1944, when it was gradually replaced by the even paler RLM 76 Lichtblau. RLM 65 is a pale, slightly desaturated sky blue that provided counter-shading camouflage against the lighter sky when viewed from below. It was applied to the lower surfaces of virtually every Luftwaffe aircraft type across every theatre from the Spanish Civil War through the North African, Eastern Front, and Western European campaigns. Tamiya's original colour guide designates XF-23 as "Lower side of the plane" for Luftwaffe subjects — making it one of the most-needed colours for any German aviation modeller. XF-23 can be used straight from the jar for RLM 65, or lightened with XF-2 Flat White (approximately 1:1) to approach the slightly paler 1941–43 factory-applied shade seen on many surviving paint samples. It is also the primary blue component in mixes for RLM 76 Lichtblau (7 parts XF-2 + 1 part XF-23 + 2 parts XF-66) and Soviet AMT-7 undersurface blue.

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.

• Messerschmitt Bf 109 E/F lower surfaces — RLM 65 undersides on the Bf 109 E-1 through E-7 and early F-series operating with JG 2 Richthofen, JG 26 Abbeville Boys, JG 51, JG 52, and JG 53 over France, the Channel, and Britain during the Battle of Britain (1940) and Channel Front sweeps (1941); RLM 65 replaced earlier RLM 63 as the standard lower surface colour in 1938
• Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-1/A-4 lower surfaces — RLM 65 undersides on early production Fw 190 As entering service with JG 26 at Abbeville-Drucat from September 1941 through 1942, before the transition to RLM 76 on later production Fw 190 A-5 onward
• Heinkel He 111 H lower surfaces — RLM 65 underside on the He 111 H-series operating with KG 26, KG 53, KG 55, and LG 1 in the Battle of Britain (1940), anti-shipping strikes in the North Sea and Norwegian waters (1940–42), and the Eastern Front strategic bombing campaign (1941–43)
• Junkers Ju 87 B/D Stuka lower surfaces — RLM 65 undersides on the Ju 87 B operating with StG 2, StG 51, and StG 77 during the French campaign (May–June 1940), Battle of Britain (1940), Balkans campaign (April 1941), and Operation Barbarossa (June 1941 onward)
• Junkers Ju 88 A lower surfaces — RLM 65 underside on the Ju 88 A-1/A-4 operating with KG 30, KG 51, KG 54, and KG 76 in level bombing over Britain (1940), anti-shipping strikes (1940–43), and the Eastern Front, 1941–44
• Dornier Do 17 Z / Do 215 lower surfaces — RLM 65 undersides on the Do 17 Z medium bomber serving with KG 2, KG 3, and KG 76 in the Battle of Britain; also on the Do 215 B reconnaissance variant serving with the Aufklärungsgruppen on the Channel and Eastern fronts, 1940–42
• Messerschmitt Bf 110 lower surfaces — RLM 65 underside on the Bf 110 C/D heavy fighter and Zerstörer operating with ZG 26 and ZG 76 during the Battle of Britain and the Mediterranean and Eastern Front campaigns through 1942; also on night-fighter variants (NJG 1, NJG 2) in the early Nachtjagd scheme before the all-dark night fighter paint replaced it
• RLM 76 Lichtblau mixing base — XF-23 is the blue component in the widely used RLM 76 mix (7 parts XF-2 + 1 part XF-23 + 2 parts XF-66) for late-war Fw 190 D-9, Bf 109 G-10/K-4, and Me 262 lower surfaces from 1943 onward; XF-23 also mixes with XF-50 Field Blue (4:1) to produce RLM 78 Himmelblau for maritime aircraft

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