TAMXF87 - Tamiya - IJN Gray Acrylic - 10mL Bottle

TAMXF87 - Tamiya - IJN Gray Acrylic - 10mL Bottle

Tamiya XF-87 Flat IJN Gray (Maizuru Arsenal) is described by Tamiya itself as depicting the shade of grey used on IJN warships built at the Maizuru Naval Arsenal — specifically noted as lighter than those of Kure and Sasebo arsenals, and seen on vessels such as the Shimakaze, Kagerō, and Fubuki. It is the fourth and lightest colour in Tamiya's comprehensive IJN arsenal grey family alongside XF-75 (Kure), XF-77 (Sasebo), and XF-91 (Yokosuka), providing the complete set of out-of-the-bottle solutions for the four distinct IJN warship hull greys documented across Japan's major naval shipyards. XF-87 Maizuru grey is a lighter, somewhat cleaner grey than the slightly darker Kure and Sasebo shades — the subtle but historically documented difference that resulted from each arsenal's own paint sourcing and mixing practices. It is particularly significant for the very large destroyer-type subjects that dominate the Tamiya 1/700 Waterline Series, as destroyers were among the most frequently built at Maizuru.

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.

• Shimakaze — Tamiya specifically names the Shimakaze as an XF-87 subject; the experimental high-speed destroyer laid down at Maizuru in 1941, capable of 40+ knots and armed with 15 torpedo tubes; sunk by US carrier aircraft in the Battle of Ormoc Bay (November 11, 1944); the Shimakaze is one of the most iconic and sought-after IJN destroyer subjects in 1/700 scale
• Kagerō-class destroyers — Tamiya names the Kagerō class as XF-87 subjects; seventeen ships of this class were built across multiple arsenals including Maizuru; notable vessels include Yukikaze (one of the few major IJN warships to survive the war intact), Hamakaze, Isokaze, and Tanikaze; these destroyers participated in virtually every major Pacific naval action from Pearl Harbor through Leyte Gulf
• Fubuki-class destroyers — Tamiya names the Fubuki class as XF-87 subjects; the revolutionary "Special Type" destroyers introduced in the late 1920s that set a new standard for destroyer design worldwide; Fubuki-class vessels participated in the Guadalcanal naval battles (1942–43) and numerous other Pacific engagements; among the most modelled IJN destroyer subjects in 1/700 and 1/350 scale
• Maizuru-built light cruisers and support vessels — smaller cruisers, torpedo boats, and auxiliary vessels constructed at the Maizuru Naval Arsenal during the war period; XF-87 covers all Maizuru-origin hulls where the lighter arsenal grey is documented
• Arsenal grey accuracy in fleet displays — the four IJN arsenal greys (XF-75 Kure, XF-77 Sasebo, XF-87 Maizuru, XF-91 Yokosuka) produce subtly different hull tones that become visible when multiple vessels are displayed together; using the correct arsenal grey for each vessel produces historically precise fleet and task force displays in the 1/700 Waterline Series format
• Scale-effect consideration — XF-87's lighter character means it may require less additional lightening at 1/700 scale than the darker Kure and Sasebo greys; at this scale the colour reads approximately correctly straight from the bottle, making XF-87 one of the more convenient IJN destroyer hull colours to work with directly

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