An online database of camouflage used by 
United State Naval Warships during WWII

The Development of Naval Camouflage 1914 – 1945
Part III: British Camouflage in World War II  

By Alan Raven

(Article reprinted courtesy of  Plastic Ship Modeler Magazine issue #97/1)  

2. Decks: As per Schemes A and B.

3. Masts: Paint white.

4. Davits: One white, the other 820 or 1330.

Schemes E and F

Schemes E and F refer to 1943 Admiralty designs for Coastal Forces. Scheme E was formerly the Light modification of the basic design, and Scheme F was the original basic design. The Dark modification was dropped altogether.

Colors used: B1S, G45, and white.

Instructions for painting Schemes F and F.

Paint the following white:

1. Undersides of platforms and all horizontal projections not normally visible from outboard.

2. Insides of ventilators, wind shields around bridge, etc.

3. Deck areas under the following: guns, dinghy, depth charges, anchors, gratings, ammunition lockers, and any fitting raised more than two inches above the deck.

4. Part of hull either below chine or normally in shadow due to flare.

5. Insides of gun shields.

6. Undersides of dinghy, lower l/3 of gun barrels, torpedo tubes, and searchlights.

7. Masts, posts, guardrail stanchions.

Paint the following B15:

1. Decks and all horizontal surfaces visible from outboard except areas of decks covered with semtex or rubber compound. The last was used by the Vosper Co. in their later series of M.T.B’s and M.G.B’s with almost the whole of the. decks covered except for the. area over the engine room and on the floor of the bridge area,

2. Upper 1/3 of gun barrels, torpedo tubes, searchlights, and any other rounded or sloping surfaces which create. highlights, such as tops of vents, etc. 3. Horizontal and sloping surfaces inside of bridge. The transom and vertical surfaces running athwartships are painted G4S except as mentioned above.

COLORS FOR PENDANT NUMBERS

For all ships from destroyer downwards using 1940-42 range of colors.

A. Camouflage colors MS 1, MS 2, 507A and BS.
Pendant color should be 507C or MS 4.

B. Camouflage colors B6, MS 3, and MS 4.
Pendant number should be white.

C. Camouflage colors MS 4A, 507C, Western Approaches Blue or Green.
Pendant number should be MS 3 or 507B.

For 1943-45 range of colors.

A. Camouflage colors GS, G10, B15, and white.

Pendant number should be G45.

B. Camouflage colors G20 and B30.

Pendant number should be white.

C. Camouflage colors G45 and BSS.

Pedant number should be G20.

COLOR PENDANT NUMBERS FOR ADMIRALTY STANDARD TYPES

CONVERSION TABLE FOR COLORS USED ON OTHER HORIZONTAL SURFACES

Color listed on the left is tone of paint on vertical surface.

Color on the right corresponds to tone of paint on adjacent horizontal surface. See camouflage tables for use when appropriate.

DECK COVERINGS (BRITISH)

The colors given are those used in peacetime practice and were used with the appropriate camouflage type - see list of camouflage types.

SEMTEX: A trowelled-on non-slip composite material.

Used on destroyers from the Tribal Class (1938) onwards. Used sometimes on small working areas of wartime construction cruisers and battleships and refitted cruisers and battleships. Used on war built escort vessels.
Color: Medium dark green.

CORTICENE: A linoleum, held down by thin brass strips. Used on most new construction from around 1915 onwards, on ships of destroyer size downwards. Last destroyer class to use Corticene was the ”I” class of the late thirties. Used on small working areas of large ships up to the late thirties.
Color: Medium brown - described as the color of milk chocolate.

ASPHALT: A trowelled-on material.

Used primarily on WW II built escort vessels beginning with the River class frigates, and on older destroyers as they converted to the escort role or were refitted and repaired.

Color: Medium dark grey/grey black.

WOOD PLANKING

Used on battleships, cruisers, and interwar built sloops. Areas of planking substantially reduced in wartime refits except for battle- ships. Wood planking was not used on carrier decks. Not used on destroyers or escorts.

Color: Varied, depending on type of wood, exposure to elements, and frequency of cleaning, When newly laid the color was of a medium tone.

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