U.S. Navy Ships in WWII Dazzle Camouflage 1944-1945

Cruisers

View by Design Number

Light

View by Design Number

for CL-4

Design 3D

for CL-4

Design Number Silhouette Ships Wearing Design
for CL-4
Measure 32
Richmond (CL-9)

Measure 33
Detroit (CL-8)
Drawing

The drawing for Design 3D for the Omaha class light cruisers probably drawn in late 1943. The vertical colors were not specified. Measure 32 colors would usually be light gray (5-L), ocean gray (5-O) and dull black (BK) on the vertical surfaces and Measure 31 would subsitute haze gray (5-H) for light gray. Measure 33 would use the colors of navy blue (5-N), haze gray (5-H) and pale gray (5-P). The horizontal pattern used the colors ocean gray (5-O) and deck blue (20-B). Note the painting of the stacks designed to break up the distinctive outline of the four stacks.

A Design 3D drawing was attached to the July 15, 1943, memo to PacFleet for the DD-380 Gridley class of destroyers. Design 3D was also drawn for every other class of destroyers and destroyer escorts and for most other classes of major warships including the Independence class light carriers, the Casablanca class escort carriers, Omaha class light cruisers and Cleveland class light cruisers. The battleship USS Colorado (BB-45) also used Design 3D beginning in October 1943. A handful of ships of the Livermore class of destroyers and some destroyer escorts used a mirrored version in which the port pattern appeared on the starboard and the starboard pattern was painted on the port side. I have identified this as 3D rev (reversed) even though there seem to be no USN drawings that would depict this.

Original drawing source: NARA 80-G-157919 and 80-G-157920.

ship_image