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


The Development of Naval Camouflage 1914 - 1945
Part V: United States Navy - World War II

By Alan Raven  

(Article reprinted courtesy of Plastic Ship Modeler Magazine issue #97/3)

MEASURE 32/9SS (for submarines only)

Developed from Measure 10. Used on several submarines of the Pacific Fleet in 1944 and possibly in 1945.

Colors: 024 Gloss Black, Matt Black, 07 Navy Gray, #11 Outside Gray, #17 Ocean Gray. Vertical surfaces - Matt Black, #17 Ocean Gray, #11 Outside Gray, #7 Navy Gray. Paint panels arranged from light to dark from the bow.
Color divisions to be blended into one another. 
Decks - as for Measure 32/3SS-A. 
Saddle Tanks - As for Measure 32/3SS-A.
 

MEASURE 33

Developed from Measure 17. Used on Pacific Fleet vessels in 1943, 1944, and 1945.

Colors: #82 Black, 5-N Navy Blue, 5-0 Ocean Gray, 5-H Haze Gray, 5-P Pale Gray, 5-L Light Gray, #21 Flight Deck stain, O21 Flight Deck stain (revised), 20B Deck Blue (revised). 
Vertical surfaces - varying patterns of #82, 5-N, 5-0, 5-H, S-P, and 5-L. 
Decks and horizontal surfaces - 20B. 
When pattern is used on decks and vertical surfaces - 20B and 5-0. 
Flight decks of carriers - (1943) - #21, (1944-'45) - #21 (revised).
Counter shading - undersides of platforms and overhangs painted white.
 

MEASURE 33A

Developed directly from Measure 33. Used on a few destroyers in late 1944 and early 1945. 

Colors: 082 Black, 5-N Navy Blue, 5-0 Ocean Gray, 5-H Haze Gray, 5-L Light Gray, 20B Deck Blue (revised). 
Vertical surfaces - varying patterns of #82, S-N, 5-0, S-H, and S-L. 
Decks and horizontal surfaces - 20B. 
Counter shading - none.
 

MEASURES 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 - designation not used.

  MEASURE 41

Used in the Pacific on PTs, ARGs, ARLs, PYCs, YAGs, YCs, and YCKs in 1944/45.

Colors: 5-NG Navy Green (revised), 20G Deck Green. 
Vertical surfaces - 5-NG. Decks and horizontal surfaces - 20G. 
Counter shading - none.
 

MEASURE 42

Used in the Pacific in 1945 on APCs, APBs, APLs, AWs, YFs, YOs, YOGs, and YWs.

Colors: 5-OG Ocean Green (revised), 20G Deck Green. 
Vertical surfaces - 5-NG. Decks and horizontal surfaces - 20G. 
Counter shading - none.
 

UNOFFICIAL CAMOUFLAGE TYPES - NO MEASURE NUMBERS

ASIATIC FLEET CAMOUFLAGE

A Measure "one" style camouflage using locally procured paints. Applied in autumn of 1941.

Colors: Cavite Blue, 5-L Light Gray, #20 Deck Gray. 
Vertical surfaces up to a line at the top of the stacks - Cavite Blue. 
All surfaces above the stack line, including masts and yards - 5-L. 
After November 1941 a change over to the following: 
All vertical surfaces including masts and yards - Cavite Blue. 
Decks and horizontal surfaces - #20 Deck Gray. 
Counter shading - none.  

PT BLUE Used by one squadron of PT Boats in the Mediterranean in 1943 and 1944.

Colors - Robins Egg Blue. * 
Vertical and horizontal surfaces - Robins Egg Blue. 
* Robins Egg Blue may have been Thayer Blue.
 

ADAPTOR SCHEME

Devised by Elco and used by several PT Boats in the Mediterranean and in the Pacific in 1943/44.

Colors: Black, White, Yellow Green, Countershade Gray, 20B Deck Blue. 
Vertical surfaces - varying (zebra) striped combination of Black, White, Countershade Gray and Yellow Green.
Horizontal surfaces - 20B (revised).
 

MOUNTBATTEN PINK (a.k.a. Nipple Pink)

Taken directly from British Mountbatten Pink. Used on some destroyers in the Atlantic from early 1942 into 1943. Known to be worn by destroyers PHELPS, SOMERS, CLARK, and WARRINGTON. Used in the summer of 1944 by PT Boats 71, 72, and 199.

Colors - Mountbatten Pink, 20B Deck Blue (revised). 
Vertical surfaces - Mountbatten Pink. 
Decks and horizontal surfaces - 20B. 
Counter shading - no information available.
 

BRITISH WESTERN APPROACHES

Worn by most of the ten Flower class corvettes upon transfer to the USN in early 1942, and retained for an undetermined period. Colors and application - as per 1942 Western Approaches (see part III of this series).

SOUTH PACIFIC AMPHIBIOUS CAMOUFLAGE

Applied on a large scale to amphibious craft of all types and to the old destroyers converted to APDs. Used in the Pacific from Mid 1942 well into 1943.

Colors: Brown 1A, Brown 2A, Brown 3A, Brown 4A, Green 1A, Green 2A, Green 3A, Green 4A, Lime Green, Dark Green/Formula 759, 5/84-4/STMA, 5/84-2/5TMA. 
Vertical surfaces painted in the following styles: 
1. A solid one color Dark Green/Formula 759. 
2. A base color of Lime Green overlaid with Dark Green stripes, streaks or patches.
3. A varying mix of the Brown 1A-4A series, combined with the Green 1A-4A series.
4. A two color mottled, streaked, or striped arrangement using 5/84- 4/5TMA and Si84-2/STMA. Decks and horizontal surfaces:

1. Dark Green/Formula 759.
2. 2. 5/84-4/STMA.

Counter shading - no information available.
 

PT GREEN

Worn by those PT Boats operating in the Philippines in late 1941 into early 1942, and then by many PT Boats operating in the South and Southwest Pacific from August 1942 until well into 1943.

Colors - PT Green. 
Vertical and horizontal surfaces - PT Green. 
Counter shading - none.
 

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