Camuflagem de Veículos Britânicos 1939 - 1945
Camuflagem de Veículos Britânicos 1939 - 1945
During the Second World War British AFV and vehicle camouflage was
determined by a number of Army Council Instructions (A.C.I.s) and
Military Training Pamphlets (M.T.P.s), with General Orders (G.Os) used in
the Middle East. Colours used were supplied pre-mixed, matching two
British Standards: BS.381C of 1930 and BS.987C of 1942, together with
some non-standard paints for specific purposes. In the Middle East
locally produced theatre colours that did not match these standards were
introduced during 1942-43.
EUROPE .
Up till 1939 an overall gloss colour of Deep Bronze Green No.24 was the
usual finish for all vehicles. In photographs often appears as almost
black.
January 1941.
A variation of colour took place with A.C.I. 1559. Wood and metal
bodywork was to be painted Khaki Green No. 3 and Nobel’s Dark Tarmac
No. 4 with canvas hoods and tilts in S.C.C. 7 and S.C.C 1A to the same
pattern as M.T.P. 20 thus resulting in a green/ black-grey and green/
brown scheme.
1941- 42 – Standard Camouflage Colour Shades ( S.C.Cs.) from BS.987C
came into use alongside and then supplanting, the greens, but in the
same M.T.P. patterns. The basic shade was Khaki Green 3 or S.C.C. 2
with S.C.C. 1A over it. These browns were introduced as a result of a
severe shortage of a vital chemical agent used to produce strong greens.
1944 – 45 The final change in colouring came in April 1944 when A.C.I.
533 authorised S.C.C. 15 Olive Drab for use as the new basic colour,
partially to remove the need to repaint US supplied vehicles. S.C.C. 15
Olive Drab was used to cover the obsolete S.C.C. 2 in M.T.P. 46/4A
patterns or on its own, particularly after the abandonment of disruptive
painting with A.C.I. 1100 of August 1944 except on vehicles still in S.C.C.
2.
In Italy vehicles used Home Forces schemes as outlined above, but others
showed the remnants of their final North African schemes or the new
scheme introduced by General Order of April 1943 which used bold
standard patterns of Blue-Black or dark olive green over a basic colour
of ‘Light Mud’.
Interiors of tanks were silver from 1930s until 1940 when gloss white
first came into use. U.S. supplied tanks used gloss white. Softskin
vehicles were the basic colour inside.
MIDDLE EAST
Middle East practice was determined by local General Orders and, due to
supply problems, more variation is apparent than that in Europe.
1935 – 1939 In 1936 the 11th Hussars had Rolls-Royce and Crossley
armoured cars together with support trucks in Silver with gloss Black
disruptive bands. In the same year 6 RTC Vickers Medium tanks were in
BS.52 Pale Cream with a fairly standard disruptive pattern of BS.46 Red
Oxide applied. By 1937 this pattern had changed somewhat but was the
same on every tank and used the same colours. The 11th Hussars
meantime had adopted the same cream/ red colours and established a
fairly regular pattern on their Rolls-Royce cars. This unit utilised other
colours up to 1939 but the pattern remained. By this time various other
units in Egypt has also adopted disruptive painting of various styles and
colours.
1939 – 1940 - On 25 July 1939 G.O 370 specified a basic colour of BS.
62 Middle Stone with a disruptive patterning of ‘Dark Sand’ in style
similar to M.T.P. 20. This scheme appears relatively common in Egypt in
summer of 1940.
1940 - 1941 - By mid to late 1940 many newly arrived vehicles and
tanks appear to be painted a plain overall colour, BS. 52 Pale Cream is
cited for the 6 RTR new A9 cruisers, whilst the more normal colours
seem to have been Light Stone No.61 or Portland Stone No.64. However
about November 1940 a new scheme was specified in G.O 297. This
scheme comprised the tri-coloured disruptive designs now known as
‘Caunter Scheme’. Very many AFVs and softskins carried this scheme of
Portland Stone No.64 basic with Silver Grey No. 28 and Slate No.34 or
Khaki Green No. 3 in angular disruptive stripes. Period G.Os specify
Light Stone No.61 or Portland Stone No.64 at various times and a local
variation may have substituted a mixed light blue-grey for Silver Grey
No. 28. A scheme for use in the Sudan specified Light Stone No.61 with
Light Purple Brown No.49 in patches or stripes. A variation of Caunter
was applied for use in Greece during 1941. This has the areas normally
painted Silver Grey 28 to be either Light Purple Brown or Slate 34 and
the remainder Light Stone No.61. The actual pattern deviated in detail
from an exact replication of the drawings so perusal of photographs is
recommended here.
December 1941 - G.O.1272 now calls for a basic colour of Light Stone
No.61 or Portland Stone No.64, according to supplies with one disruptive
colour over at the discretion of Commands i.e. Palestine , Malta , Trans-
Jordan etc. This cancels GO 297 of 1940 and GO 795 of 1941. At first
this may have been Slate in patterns similar to Caunter but later possibly
Slate No. 34, Silver Grey No. 28 and Black have been noted in apparently
random patterns.
1942. Over Light Stone 61 the single colour disruptive was still in force
although many units did not employ it whilst others used a variety of
schemes, designs and colours, some with black and/or white outlining.
October 1942. Another policy change issued this month. G.O.1650
cancels all previous patterns and colours and introduces standardised
drawings for certain type and classes of AFV and vehicles as decreed by
the Camouflage Directorate of GHQ ME (G(cam)). Colours to be used
are :- Basic shade – Desert Pink Z.I. with a disruptive pattern in Dark
(Olive) Green PFI. Black ( S.C.C. 14), Very Dark Brown ( S.C.C. 1A) or
Dark Slate BS. 34 are alternatives. These designs are common on
Shermans , Grants, Valentines, Crusaders, Stuarts and the Churchills of
Kingforce (which were most probably Light Stone No.61 over Khaki Green
No. 3 or S.C.C. 2 in the Crusader design). As Desert Pink was a new
colour, Light Stone No.61 continued in use on vehicles with or without
disruptive paintwork. Desert pink occurs on its own as a single shade on
vehicles of no tactical value and ACVs. Some ACVs disguised as 10 ton
trucks by application of specifically shaped black areas to resemble
shadows and structure joins.
Where dyed tilts were supplied from the UK and Commonwealth they
were chemically bleached to a pale brown colour.
Although M.T.P.46 had provision for ME colours actual use of this type
of scheme has not been confirmed.
FAR EAST.
Until 1943 vehicles appear to conform to ME or UK standards. Late 1942
or early in 1943, S.C.C. 13 (green) is introduced for use in India and
Burma as basic colour. There is a D.S.W & V. liaison letter of June or
July 1944 in Italy , section III camouflage, regarding the
discontinuation of disruptive painting. In this the subject of India and
Australia using Scamic Camouflage Colour No.207 Very Dark Drab arises
as used overall without disruptive paint. Due to coincidence of
nomenclature this is evidence suggesting the use of S.C.C. 16 Very Dark
Drab from the middle of 1944. It goes on to say that this colour is too
dark for clothing and personal equipment for the war against Japan .
This conclusion probably led to the introduction of S.C.C. 19 for these
purposes.
COLOUR MIXES
January 2008
Mike Starmer and Mike Cooper.
(Mike Starmer and Mike Cooper, 2008)
The mixes here are the best at the time of writing. They represent
matches for the standards rather than necessarily model colours.
Colours not seen/ referred to are omitted. These are all based on
primary research by Mike Starmer. Unless otherwise stated all paints are
Humbrol.
BS381C 1930
Terracotta No. 44
Mix: 100 + 70 in ratio 6:5.
In use: Mentioned in unofficial sources as possible use in Egypt 1936-39
in disruptive schemes.
Description: A distinct red-orange colour.
Light Green G5. A light green on a 1939 vintage vehicle has been
examined which is probably this colour. An actual undamaged sample has
yet to be examined.
Mix: Provisionally Revell 361 only is nearest.
In use: 1939 – 41 usually as the light shade in M.T.P.20 schemes with
G3.
Description: A light-medium grass green.
Dark Sand.
Mix: Provisional match, Humbrol 110 only.
In use: In Egypt as disruptive over Middle Stone No.62 following G.O
370 of July 1939. Trials colour in ME 1936-39
Description: This was an experimental pre-war colour. Current
matching to primary source in the TNA suggest it was a dull slightly red-
brown.
Interiors, AFVs:
Till mid-1940 Aluminium (silver).
Humbrol 11 or Revell 90 each with a touch of light grey to kill the
brightness a little.
From mid-1940 there was a gradual replacement with gloss white.
Humbrol 130 or Revell 301 with a touch of light grey or use Humbrol 195
or Revell 371.
COLOUR MIXES
February 2008
Mike Starmer and Mike Cooper.
(Mike Starmer and Mike Cooper, 2008)
Coloured paints produced in enamel for wood and metal and bituminous
emulsion for canvas. Only S.C.C. 15 Olive Drab and S.C.C. 16 Very Dark
Drab of this set were named, all others are colloquial terms from
contemporary sources.
U.S. Colours.
Light Mud
Mix: 187 + 31 +34 in ratio 6:1:1. A provisional colour according to
colour photographs and verbal descriptions. WEM ARB17 is very close,
use as is on a model.
In use: Tunisia , Sicily and Italy 1943 –45 as basic colour in disruptive
patterns. Seldom if ever on its own.
Sometimes used as disruptive over Khaki Green No. 3 or S.C.C. 2 when
units moved to Sicily from Tunisia and over U.S Olive Drab on some Lend
Lease vehicles.
Description: Dirty sandy grey. Described by veterans as “light grey” and
“ dirty grey-beige”.
REFERENCES
Much is still being written up by Mike Starmer but the basic framework
is given here and in: Hodges, P and Taylor M. ‘British Military Markings’
(revised edition) Cannon Publications 1994. Note that the information is
not contained in the earlier edition. Mike Starmer, who has added a
wealth of primary research, has matched colours against original British
Standards where possible or advice and confirmation sort from
authoritative sources. Paul Lucas has researched ‘Dark Sand’ from
Primary Sources and Ian Scrivener has provided much information and
advice into colour history. See also http://www.milifax2003tripod.com
by Steve Guthrie for coloured illustrations and some colour notes.