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)
1942
ASW
Inspired
partly by British Peter Scott type, used on the destroyer PLUNKETI' in early
1942. Colors: Medium Pink, Mauve (Mountbatten Pink), Blue (possibly Thayer
Blue), Green (Possibly Western Approaches Green), 20B Deck Blue, White.
Vertical
Surfaces - A disruptive pattern of Pink, Mauve, Blue, and Green.
Decks and Horizontal surfaces - 20B.
Counter shading - undersides of platforms and overhangs to be painted White.
COLORS
WWII (USN)
COLOR |
DATE
OF
INTRODUCTION |
1929
MUNSELL
REFERENCE
|
#5
Navy Gray |
1919
|
10B
6.5/1.5 |
#20
Deck Gray * |
1919 |
N3.6/0 |
Red
Mahogany Flight Deck Stain |
1920's
|
Unknown |
#82
Black (Matt) * |
1920's
|
N.25/0 |
#24
Black (Gloss) |
1941
|
N.25/0 |
Light
Gray |
1941
|
10B 7/1.5 |
5-0
Ocean Gray |
1941
|
5PB 4.5/3 |
5-D
Dark Gray |
1941
|
5PB 2/1.5 |
45-H
Haze Gray |
1941
|
5PB 5.7/1.6 |
Haze
Green |
1941
|
7G 5.9/2.5 |
5-S
Sea Blue |
1941
|
2.5 PB 3.6/4 |
Haze
(Cabot) |
1941
|
7PB 3.2/2 |
Pearl
Harbor Blue * |
1941
|
7.5 PB 1.5/6 |
Sapphire
Blue |
1941
|
5 PB 2.2/6 |
PT
Green * |
1941
|
Unknown |
Cavite
Blue |
1941
|
5PB 3/2 |
Union
Castle Lavender |
1941
|
10P (P-RP) 6/4 |
5-N
Navy Blue |
1941
|
5PB 3/2 |
(1944
5-NB Navy Blue) * |
*See color notes
|
|
20B
Deck Blue |
1942
|
5PB 3/1.5 |
20B
Deck Blue (Revised) |
1942
|
5PB 3/4 |
250N
Blue Flight Deck stain |
1942
|
5PB3/1.8 |
251N
Flight Deck stain |
1942
|
(See Text) |
#21
Flight Deck stain |
1942
|
5PB4.5/3 |
#21
Flight Deck stain (revised) |
1942
|
5PB3/4 |
Mountbatten
Pink (Dark) |
1942
|
5RP 5/1.5 |
5-B
Thayer Blue |
1942
|
5PB 6.5/2 |
White |
1942
|
|
Elco
Gray* |
1942
|
Unknown |
Light
Grey Green* |
1942
|
Unknown |
Countershade
Gray * |
1942
|
Unknown |
Yellow
Green * |
1942
|
Unknown |
Medium
Pink * |
1942
|
Unknown |
Mauve
* |
1942
|
Unknown |
Green
* |
1942
|
Unknown |
Blue
* |
1942
|
Unknown |
Brown
1A |
1942
|
5YR (YR-Y) 2/2 |
Brown
2A |
1942
|
5YR (YR) 3/4 |
Brown
3A |
1942 |
10YR (YR-Y) 3.5/3 |
Brown
4A |
1942
|
10YR (YR-Y) 5/6 |
Green
1A |
1942
|
5GY (GY) 3/2 |
Green
2A |
1942
|
5GY (GY) 3.5/4 |
Green
3A |
1942
|
5G 4.5/2 |
Green
4A |
1942
|
5GY (GY) 4/6 |
5/84
- 4/5TMA |
1942
|
5BG 4/4 |
5/84
- 2/5TMA |
1942
|
5G 5/8 |
Lime
Green * |
1942
|
Unknown |
5-P
Pale Gray |
1942
|
5PB 8/1 |
5-L
Light Gray * |
1943
|
5PB 7/2 |
Dark
Green - Formula 759 * |
1943
|
Unknown |
MTB
Green * |
1943
|
5G 5/8 |
Robins
Egg Blue * |
1943
|
Unknown |
5-HG
Haze Green |
1943
|
10GY (GY-G) 6/2 |
5-OG
Ocean Green |
1943
|
10GY (GY-G) 5/2 |
5-NG
Navy Green |
1943
|
10GY (GY-G) 3/2 |
20-G
Deck Green |
1943
|
10GY (GY-G) 2/2 |
5-PG
Pale Green |
1943
|
5GY 8/2 |
5-LG
Light Green |
1943
|
5GY 7/2 |
5-HG
Haze Green (Revised) |
1943
|
5GY 6/2 |
5-OG
Ocean Green (Revised) |
1943
|
5GY 5/2 |
5-NG
Navy Green (Revised) |
1943
|
5GY 3/2 |
5-GTM
Green Tinting Medium |
1944
|
5GY 3.5/3 |
#1
Green * |
1944
|
5GY 5.5/3 |
#2
Green * |
1944 |
5GY 4/2 |
#3
Green * |
1944
|
5GY 2.5/2 |
#4
Brown * |
1944 |
10YR (YR-Y) 4/3 |
#46
Outside Gray |
1944
|
N 8/0 |
#37
Light Gray 5-L * |
1944
|
N 7/0 |
#27
Haze Gray 5-H |
1944
|
N 6/0 |
#16
Medium Gray |
1944
|
N 4.9/0 |
#17
Ocean Gray |
1944 |
N 5/0 |
#11
Outside Gray |
1944
|
N 4/0 |
#7
Navy Gray 5-N |
1944 |
N 3.4/0 |
#4
Deck Gray 20 * |
1944
|
N 2/0 |
COLOR
NOTES
PEARL
HARBOR BLUE
There
were three such colors under test in 1941, with only small differences between
them. The reference given in the table is the one that the author believes was
being experimented with in late 1941, and therefore is representative of wartime
use.
PT
GREEN
Documentary
and photographic evidence strongly suggest a green of medium tone. The author
has been unable to obtain a color card or formula. The name 'PT GREEN' is one
given by the author, there being no official or unofficial title found.
MTB
GREEN
There
is the possibility that this color was the one used on PT Boats upon transfer to
the British under lease lend, and never used on American Flag Boats.
5-N
NAVY BLUE
In
late 1944 5-N Navy Blue changed title to become 5-NB Navy Blue. The color itself
remained unchanged.
COUNTERSHADE
GRAY
Exact
color and tone unknown. Described by Elco who originated the color, as a blue
very similar in color to Thayer Blue and Western Approaches Blue, but slightly
darker in tone.
YELLOW
GREEN
Exact
color and tone unknown. Described by Elco who originated the color as a light
yellow green.
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