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:

  1. A ship equipped with "radar" has a different problem than one not so equipped.
  2. Ships operating in areas susceptible to submarine attacks require different treatments than ships in areas where air attacks are the major consideration.
  3. Large ships with wooden decks and relatively insignificant wakes at low speed require a different treatment than ships with prominent wakes at high speed.
  4. Ships with flat athwartship surfaces need them broken-up by splotch painting for course deception.
  5. Ships operating in area frequently overcast and exposed to oblique sunlight, need different colors than those in tropical and blue sky areas.
  6. 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.

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