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

Destroyers

View by Design Number

Fletcher Class

View by Design Number

for DD-445

Design 9D

for DD-445

Design Number Silhouette Ships Wearing Design
for DD-445
Measure 31
Philip (DD-498)Sigsbee (DD-502)
Newcomb (DD-586)Van Valkenburgh (DD-656)

Measure 32
Saufley (DD-465)Abbott (DD-629)
Dashiell (DD-659)Hopewell (DD-681)
Uhlmann (DD-687)
Drawing

The drawing for Design 9D for the Fletcher class; the original was dated March 8, 1944. This drawing was made using a profile of a square-bridge Fletcher. The stern view at D did not show any colors on the hull. Note the similarity between the port and starboard patterns left to right, thus reversing the pattern stern to bow. This pattern consists of a wedge of ocean gray and black centered near the bridge area flanked by false perspective “stairs” with dark sets to the left and light sets to the right. This drawing used Measure 31 colors: dull black (BK), ocean gray (5-O) and haze gray (5-H), but by substituting light gray (5-L) for haze gray (5-H) on the vertical surfaces a ship would be in Measure 32.

The first drawing for Design 9D was attached to the July 15, 1943, memo to PacFleet for the Fletcher class destroyers. This design was redrawn on April 6, 1944, for the Allen M. Sumner class destroyers; and again on May 1, 1944, for Evarts class destroyer escorts; and on May 10, 1944, for the Dunlap class destroyers: Dunlap and Fanning. The cruiser USS Chester (CA-27) appeared in Design 9D beginning in June 1944. The camouflage worn by USS Ranger (CV-4) in July 1944 was a very good match for Design 9D even though the design was identified as 33/1A. Design 32/8Ax was an almost exact copy of 9D and was used by most of the ships of the Kenneth Whiting class of seaplane tenders.

Original drawing source: NARA 80-G-170932 and 80-G-170933.

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