Ship Camouflage
Instructions
United States Navy
Ships - 2
Revision 1
Bureau of Ships
September 1941
Camouflage Measures
The following camouflage measures for combatant and
merchant ships are to be placed in effect when ordered by competent authority.
Camouflage
Paint.
Five colors are employed in camouflage painting,
black and four shades of Blue-Gray, Black being used exclusively on
submarines. The Blue-Gray colors are called "Sea Blue",
"Ocean Gray", "Haze Gray", and "Deck Blue",
designated by formulas 5-S, 5-O, 5-H and 20-B, respectively. They are
shown approximately in Plate
12, but the colors of Plate 12 must not be
used as standards from which to mix paint.
The three topside paints 5-H, 5-O, and 5-S are made from untinted white base
paint formula 5-U by adding certain amounts of a Dark Blue-Black tinting
material, formula 5-TM, as follows:
To five gallons of 5-U,
add 2 pints of 5-TM to get Haze Gray 5-H,
add 5 pints of 5-TM to get ocean Gray 5-O,
add 10 pints of 5-TM to get Sea Blue 5-S.
The Deck Blue paint 20-B is made from untinted deck
paint formula 20-U by adding a tinting material 20-TM in the proportions 20
pints of 20-TM to 5 gallons of 20-U.
The tinting materials 5-TM and 20-TM will be supplied
in completely filled cans.
General
Directions Common to All Measures.
The camouflage painting need not be exact or carried
into corners. Small gear, wires, rigging and areas permanently in
shadow, as under boats, etc., need not be painted with the camouflage
colors. There is no objection to exact or careful painting which may be
desired for the sake of good appearance at close range.
All pole masts and their yards, and slender upper
works above approximately the top of the superstructure masses shall be
painted Haze gray 5-H and measures 12, 13 and 14.
All horizontal surfaces shall be colored Deck Blue
20-B in all the systems. The systems only differ in the painting of the
vertical surfaces. In cases of doubt, as on sloping surfaces and the top
semi circumference of guns, use Deck Blue.
All bright or shiny objects visible from the outside
of the vessel no matte how insignificant, shall not be polished and shall be
painted, covered, removed, or have rust preventive compound applied as
necessary to avoid a shiny surface.
Glass windows shall be covered or removed, especially
during the day in sunny weather, and at night when anticipating searchlight
discovery. Insofar as conditions permit, similar precautions shall be
taken on airport lenses.
Raised characters, such as ships names and draft
marks shall be retained and painted the same color as the hull in that
vicinity. Distinguishing numbers to designate the ship to friendly
aircraft may be painted as heretofore on tops of turrets or as prescribed by
the Commanders-in-Chief of the fleets. provision should be made to make
them invisible except when definite identification is desired.
On surface ships which have designation numbers on
the bow and stern, the size and locations shall be in accordance with the
following plans, and shall be painted white, without shading.
Type of Ships |
Location |
Height
Inches |
Bureau of Ships
Plan Number |
1200 Ton Destroyers |
|
Bow |
24 |
469497 |
Stern |
15 or 25 |
113671 |
Forecastle Deck Destroyers and 2100 Ton Destroyers |
|
Bow |
24 |
469497 |
Stern |
24 |
235824 |
Plan No. 469497 is a new plan just being
issued. It provides for numerals of the same general shape and spacing
as those shown on Plan 235824 but without shadows. The smaller numbers
are located about in the center of the area where the larger numbers were
displayed and are on a line parallel to the base line.
Type of Ships |
Location |
Height
Inches |
Bureau of Ships
Plan Number |
Mine Sweepers |
|
Bow |
72 |
260232 |
Submarine Rescue Vessels |
|
Bow |
72 |
260232 |
Small Seaplane Tenders |
|
Bow |
72 |
260232 |
Patrol Vessels |
|
Bow |
72 |
260232 |
For patrol vessels the distinguishing number shall be
preceded by "PC" and letters and numerals shall be spaced 8-1/2
inches apart, the figures shall follow the sheer lines, the forward figure
being 3 feet from the bow and the tops of figures 1 foot below the deck at
edge.
Special squadron insignia for mine-sweepers,
submarine rescue vessels and small seaplane tenders shall be as shown on
Bureau of Ships Plan No. 260232.
Measure
9. Black System for Submarines.
Effectiveness.
Lowest visibility when submerged. When on
surface low visibility to aerial observers in all types of weather.
Painting Instructions.
Paint entire submarine above the waterline Black,
formula 82. The painting shall be carried over all parts which are
visible from the air including the numbers, capstan, running light boards
and bridge rails.
Radio insulators shall be dark. there shall
be no boot topping. The underbody shall be painted with current issues
of black antifouling paints.
Measure
11. Sea Blue System.
Effectiveness.
Lowest visibility to aerial observers day and
night in all types of weather. Lowest visibility under searchlight.
High visibility to surface observers in all types
of weather.
Considerable course deception to surface observers
in all types of weather.
Painting Instructions.
Vertical surfaces from boot-topping to top of
superstructure masses, pole masts, yards, slender upper works above level of
top superstructure masses, Sea Blue, 5-S.
Horizontal surfaces, Deck Blue, 20-B.
Measure
12. Graded System.
Effectiveness.
A compromise. Moderately low visibility to
aerial observers and surface observers in all types of
weather.
Some course deception.
Usually makes ship appear more remote when the
height of the observer is such as to align the division between the colors
approximately with the horizon.
Painting Instructions.
Vertical surfaces from boot-topping to level
of main deck or highest sheer line, continuous for full length, on all
vessels except carriers, Sea Blue 5-S.
On carriers, including Lexington and Saratoga, from
waterline to level of hanger deck, Sea Blue, 5-S.
Vertical surfaces above main deck level, (hanger
deck of carriers) to level of the top of the highest superstructure
masses, Ocean Gray 5-O. Pole masts, yards, slender upper works above
level of top superstructure masses, Haze Gray 5-H.
Horizontal surfaces, Deck Blue, 20-B.
Plates Nos. 13 to 18 indicate the approximate
extent of the different colors for typical vessels.
Measure
13. Haze gray System.
Effectiveness.
Lowest visibility to surface observers hazy
and foggy weather.
High visibility under searchlight.
High visibility to aerial observers in all types of
weather.
High visibility to surface observers when lighted
by sun or moon.
No particular course or range deception.
Painting Instructions.
Vertical surfaces from boot-topping to top of
superstructure masses, pole masts, yards, slender upper works above level of
top superstructure masses, Haze Gray, 5-H.
Horizontal surfaces, Deck Blue, 20-B.
Measure
14. Ocean Gray System.
Effectiveness.
Lowest visibility to surface observers in
bright sunny weather and on moonlight nights.
Increased visibility to aerial observers.
No particular course or range deception.
Painting Instructions.
Vertical surfaces from boot-topping to top of
superstructure masses, Ocean Gray 5-O.
Pole masts, yards, slender upper works above level of
top superstructure masses, Haze Gray, 5-H.
Horizontal surfaces, Deck Blue, 20-B.
Wood Decks.
Wood decks except on submarines and carriers shall be
darkened to the color Deck Blue. Deck Blue paint shall be used in lieu
of stain for this purpose.
Aircraft
Carrier Decks.
The question as to the degree that the flight decks
of aircraft carriers should be colored for low visibility to aerial observers
compared to adequate visibility for operation of their own
aircraft is under investigation on the USS Ranger. Deck markings should
be discontinued and as narrow as will serve the purpose in order that they may
not be used by enemy bombers to estimate the vessel's course.
Canvas Covers.
Canvas covers visible from the outside vessel are to
be dyed a color corresponding to Deck Blue.
White Uniforms.
Men in ranks clothed in white uniforms are
conspicuous up to moderate distances on a ship painted for low visibility.
Course
Deception by Painted Blotches.
Surfaces and corners of surfaces useful in estimating
course angles may be broken-up by means of large splotches of
paint. These should not be smaller than the resolving power of the
eye at the ranges at which it is desired to create confusion. The
resolving power of the human eye by day is about two to three minutes of arc
depending on the color contrast. Very small blotches are
ineffective. The total area covered by the pattern should not be more
than about 1/3 of the area of the surface in question. The splotches may
be regular or irregular. The color of the splotch should be chosen from
the three Blue Gray colors if Plate 12 to contrast with the color of the
surface. Thus if the surface is Sea Blue the splotches are Haze Gray,
and vice versa; if the surface is Ocean Gray the splotches are Sea Blue.
the edges of the splotches may either be left sharp, or blurred into the
surface color, or partially sharp and partially blurred. No exact form
of spots can be specified. Some examples are given in Plate
19. It
is probable that almost any spot pattern devised at random, within the above
restrictions of size, relative area, and color contrast, will on the average
be as effective as any other pattern.
Course
Deception by Train.
Guns, boats, rangefinders and any object susceptible
to training should be trained at various to aid in course deception, but to be
effective for this purpose guns should not be elevated above about 10 degrees
to the horizontal.
Visibility of
Wakes
When a ship has been painted to achieve low
visibility the visibility of the wake become important. For the dark
colored ships the speed at which the wake is visible further than the ship is
10 to 15 knots during daylight. The exact value varies with the type of
ship, the weather and the conditions of illumination and observation.
Light Gray ships are sighted from the air long before the wake regardless of
speed. At a given speed smaller ships produce a more visible wake then
larger ships. Overcast skies and choppy seas reduce the wake
visibility. At night the wake of a destroyer at speed 10 knots is
visible one mile, at 25 knots 2 miles. In general for a dark colored
ship making sufficient speed for submarine evasion, the wake will reveal the
vessel to aircraft observers day and night, and under searchlight, before the
vessel itself is sighted.
All
Ships not Painted Alike.
Since it is impossible to hide completely all ships
all of the time it may be desirable to paint ships in the same formation
differently so that their number cannot be definitely determined unless the
formation is approached very closely. Thus, information gained by a
scout at long range would be inaccurate as to numbers and also as to positive
type identification.
Flexibility
of Choice of Camouflage.
Task force commanders should be given flexibility as
to which system they use, and should extend this flexibility to Commanding
Officers and detached groups having special problems. The following
conditions indicate a need for flexibility:
- A ship equipped with "radar" has a
different problem than one not so equipped.
- Ships operating in areas susceptible to
submarine attacks require different treatments than ships in areas where
air attacks are the major consideration.
- Large ships with wooden decks and
relatively insignificant wakes at low speed require a different
treatment than ships with prominent wakes at high speed.
- Ships with flat athwartship surfaces need them
broken-up by splotch painting for course deception.
- Ships operating in area frequently overcast and
exposed to oblique sunlight, need different colors than those in
tropical and blue sky areas.
- Battleships whose major threat is from
underwater damage should be painted against submarine detection (sky
background) if operating in areas where submarines are the major threat.
[ Back Page ] [ Table of Contents ] [ Next Page ]
|