British and Commonwealth Warship Camouflage of WWII

Destroyers, Frigates, Sloops, Escorts, Minesweepers, Submarines, Coastal Forces and Auxiliaries

Malcolm Wright

• Publisher: Seaforth Publishing
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781848322059
• eBook ISBN: 9781848322721
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military & Maritime History
• Index: History

An extensive pictorial history of the official and unofficial camouflage paint schemes used by the Royal Navy and Commonwealth ships during World War II.
During the Second World War navies developed low visibility camouflage for their ships, on both the vertical and horizontal surfaces, in order reduce visibility by blending in with the sea, or confuse the identity of a ship by applying more obtrusive patters. In this now classic work by maritime artist Mal Wright both the official and unofficial paint schemes that adorned ships of the Royal Navy and Commonwealth are depicted in detail, along with discussion on changes of armament and electronics that effected the outward appearance of each ship. Starting with destroyers from WW1 still in service during WW2, the book progressively covers ships below cruisers, class by class, to provide a detailed and easy-to-use guide to paint schemes in use. In some cases individual ships are shown in the several schemes they wore thus providing a source that covers various periods of service. With 740 full colour illustrations, all of named vessels, this book concentrates information into a single volume to provide a one-stop reference source, and, for the first time in a single volume, it covers not just the well-known ships, but also escort vessels, minesweepers, trawlers, coastal craft and auxiliaries in sequential format.
Many schemes would be difficult for the reader to have found other than with the most intensive research so that historians, collectors, modelmakers and wargamers will find this unique reference source absolutely invaluable.

DESTROYERS BUILT TO WWI PROGRAMMES

1

ADMIRALTY ‘R’ AND ‘S’ CLASS DESTROYERS

HMS SKATE H39

Admiralty ‘R’ Class Destroyer 1939

Skate at the start of WWII when a minelayer. This ship had a variety of roles between the wars and during WWII. She was the only three-funnel destroyer still in RN service. Her numerous sisters were scrapped in the 1930s, having been poorly maintained in reserve. Note the effect of dull grey in dull conditions, such as a minelayer would operate under at night or in low light. MG light AA and 12pdr AA. Colour 507b. Deck Corticene brown and 507b.

HMS SKATE H39

Admiralty ‘R’ Class Destroyer 1940–1

Skate had a very good top speed and is shown when in service as an influence minesweeper. She used her high speed to avoid the explosions of magnetic mines, but it was still a very dangerous duty steaming up and down mined areas to set off magnetic mines that had been triggered for slow merchant ships. She had adopted the medium hull, light upper works style common to many ships. These duties kept her close to the coast and well in range of the Luftwaffe so she carries a quad 2pdr, quad 0.5in MGs and twin Lewis guns aft. Only one main gun is carried. Colours are MS4a and 507b.

HMS SKATE H39

Admiralty ‘R’ Class Destroyer 1941–2

Skate altered as a Short-Range Escort (SRE), for convoy runs from the UK to Iceland, and the UK East Coast convoys. Eight depth-charge (DC) throwers are fitted. Fixed Type 286 radar on foremast. Splinter mats and quad 0.5in MG between the funnels, There is a single 12pdr AA amidships and two 20mm aft. A very heavy depth charge load is provided. She carries an unofficial paint scheme nonetheless influenced by Western Approaches (WA) ideas. Green was often difficult to obtain. Only one LA 4in carried. Colours WA green and white.

HMS SKATE H39

Admiralty ‘R’ Class Destroyer 1943–5

Old but still useful! This is Skate as she looked at the Normandy landings in 1944. She has a Type 271 radar lantern on a lattice mast aft. The ship finally paid off in 1945 having lasted longer in service than many younger vessels. Note the late war Admiralty standard scheme of B30 dark olive panel camouflage on B55 overall. Her AA armament comprises a 12pdr and four 20mm. Her deck is now dark grey. The single LA 4in was original but the barrel had been changed several times. She carried a powerful load of DCs and could deliver quite a punch in ASW operations. Type 291 radar is at the foretop. Colours B30 and B55.

HMS STURDY H28

Admiralty ‘S’ Class Destroyer 1942

This shows Sturdy as a minelayer but with contrast camouflage of unofficial design and colours. Two LA 4in still carried, and a 12pdr AA aft. Twin Lewis guns in bridge wings. There is a single 2pdr AA on the aft deckhouse. No depth charges. Colours 507c, 507a and B5 edged white on the hull. Corticene brown on decks with MS1.

HMS SARDONYX H26

Admiralty ‘S’ Class Destroyer 1941–4

Sardonyx shows her appearance during the Battle of the Atlantic as an SRE. She has a 12pdr AA amidships, 2pdr AA aft and 20mm. Twin Lewis guns in bridge wings. Eight DC throwers and a very large number of charges carried. The scheme is typical early WA type but she soon moved to the east coast of the UK as her range was too short for the Atlantic convoys. Colours WA green, WA blue, white.

HMS SCIMITAR H21

Admiralty ‘S’ Class Destroyer 1941

Scimitar is depicted in a WA-style camouflage in very pale blue. Ships in this scheme often used pale green or both. Her ASW capacity is huge and she could deliver heavy attacks. The radar fitted is a fixed early Type 286 at the foremast top. Colours white and WA blue.

HMS SHIKARI I85

Admiralty ‘S’ Class Destroyer 1941–4

Shikari altered for escort duty in an Admiralty paint scheme. Note the Type 271 radar on a tower aft. Type 286 and later rotating Type 286P on foremast, itself later replaced by Type 291. Colours white, 507a, 507c, PB10. These ships were overcrowded due to new electronics and weapons. They were also very unhealthy in rough conditions as the crew quarters were continually damp. Admiralty ‘S’ class destroyers were built at the end of WWI. Although similar to the ‘R’ class the bridge was moved further aft as the previous designs had been very wet forward. The ...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Introduction
• Reference Sources
• Abbreviations
• 1 Destroyers Built to WWI Programmes
• 2 Destroyers Built Between the Wars
• 3 Early WWII Destroyers
• 4 War-Built Destroyers
• 5 ‘Hunt’ Class Escort Destroyers
• 6 Sloops
• 7 Frigates
• 8 Corvettes
• 9 Minesweepers
• 10 Trawlers
• 11 Auxiliary AA ships
• 12 Coastal Warfare Craft
• 13 Submarines
• 14 Miscellaneous Vessels