FMM- the only maker of "Dark Aluminum" I'm aware of is Alclad 2. I used it on a DC-6, and in my opinion it is too dark at 1/72 scale for a bare aluminum finish. Airman Jim used it on a 1/24 P-51 and it looked OK, but dark. I really couldn't think of a good use for it: Alclad cannot be mixed in shades.
DC-6:
Also in Alclad, I've used "Aluminum" which is dark too, but OK if you put Future on it to make it have highlights. Like on airliners, where we are used to pictures of them in the rain, etc. where they look dark, but fighters usually are thought of as being in bright light. See the Connie at the top:
My only reccomended Alclad color for 1/72 big airplanes is "White Aluminum". I also used "Chrome" on the B-36 for the actual aluminum (pressurized) areas: the magnesium areas were painted "Aluminum" and "White Aluminum", which are darker.
Besides Alclad, and for the big aircraft, I've had success with the Testors Metallizer in shaker cans. My BUFF, while frankly not well done, did get non-buffing aluminum spray over white enamel primer and looks pretty good.
For some reason unknown, my B-58 was a near death experience. I used Testors gray primer, then Silver Metallizer. Big orange peels. Sand off, then regular Testors Silver. OK but not good. Strip the whole deal, Testors White Primer, then Silver which was ok.
For the B-47 IN CONCLUSION:
Clean the model really well, with soap and water in the sink.
Let it dry.
Put on latex gloves.
Wipe the whole deal down with Polly Scale plastic cleaner- pink stuff in a bottle, no substitutes.
ALWAYS wearing gloves, and I mean it cuz one fingerprint will ruin your weekend,
Spray the aircraft with a gloss black coat of Testors black acrylic.
Spray with Alclad "White Aluminum". If you have an Aztek, use the Gray tip. Use lacquer thinner to clean the Air Brush. Really work at a clean process. Fingerprints are your enemy. It won't dry as fast as you would like, give each coat a day, and you'll need at least a couple.
Masking over Alclad is not a good concept. If you have to, use micro amounts of tape and as much paper as possible. Alclad does not like superglue: it turns black.
I do not reccomend putting Future on Alclad, it gets mottled. Testors Gloss or Dulcote seems to be OK.
Alclad CANNOT be brush applied.
I am not successful or gudinuf to do the various shades of panels that are in the magazine shots of natural airplanes because I'm usually defeated by the masking.
A lot of aircraft that are supposedly natural (NMF) are actually painted an aluminum color, like C-124's, in which case Testors Silver in the shaker can is really the way to go. Always check: I'm certain that for the B-47 it was really aluminum.
I like Alclad, but the trick is to plan around it so that it is as close to last as possible. Decaling onto it takes some thought, since Future is not a good base. I usually photo copy the decal sheet a bunch, cut out a loose mask for each decal, hold it slightly above the wing and spray some Glosscote from a can onto the area, let dry and decal.
Bondoman