"Difficult to spot in a stormy sea": British navy returns wartime paint to ship

Ahead of the commissioning ceremony scheduled for Saturday, the patrol ship HMS Severn received the Western Approaches livery worn by British destroyers fighting enemy submarines for much of World War II.

The combination of blue-gray and green-gray on a white and light gray background was first tested on the destroyer HMS Broke in 1940 and was subsequently used on many ships that went on voyages approximately 1000 nautical miles from Great Britain to the Atlantic coast of the United States.

It was difficult for German submarine commanders to spot them, especially in stormy seas.

- noted on the website of the Royal fleet.

The HMS Severn is the first modern ship to receive a WWII livery.

Although the radar makes the use of naval camouflage inappropriate, it is a tribute to the sailors who participated in the Battle of the Atlantic.

- believe in the British navy.

As explained by Phil Harper, captain (ship commander - in Russian tradition) of HMS Severn, "the camouflage is designed to confuse the enemy tracking targets with a periscope or rangefinder: this paint scheme contributes to camouflage, hiding ships in a stormy sea." ...

HMS Severn was decommissioned in October 2017 after 14 years of service, during which it mainly patrolled British fishing grounds. However, 12 months later, it was decided to return the ship to service - as stated, due to new threats.

Comments

[Vladimir_2U]

However, 12 months later, it was decided to return the ship to service - as stated, due to new threats.

New threats will not pass, the Britons are returning such a powerful core to the ranks!

[dauria]

such a powerful core the Britons are returning to the ranks!

In vain so. The British have a boat, to which they have an attitude like we have to the T-34 tank. Flower-type corvette. He took on himself the main phase of the war with boats when escorting convoys. A small slow-moving boat with a steam engine, one 100 mm cannon and depth charges. On it, just crossing the Atlantic in winter with storms was a feat. So they painted it like a tribute.

[Vladimir_2U]

Quote: dauria

So they painted it like a tribute.

In vain what? I am not criticizing the coloring, and not that well-deserved boat, but this is what:

HMS Severn was decommissioned in October 2017 after 14 years of service ... ... However, 12 months later, it was decided to return the ship to service - as stated, due to new threats.

What kind of "threats" are they?

[Russ]

Zvizdets .... coloring is everything !!! Have you learned from the krajina?

[Mouse]

Bad example is contagious ...

[Cat Alexandrovich]

“Difficult to find in a stormy sea” ... Just like the Ukrainian fleet, it is also difficult ...

[Avior]

Somehow, the coloring does not look masking, rather the opposite. Blue needs to be added, as one expensive artist said :)))
And by itself, a camouflage color would appear even now - due to the success of electronic warfare and traps, anti-ship missiles with optical seeker or combined with an optical channel have recently begun to appear.

[The leader of the Redskins]

Unfortunately, I can't find a photo, but once the head of the model circle showed - against the background of a large ship, a fairly accurate silhouette of a smaller one.)))
And, in general, if I'm not mistaken, these broken stripes still help to confuse in which direction the ship is moving / turning.

[Liam]

coloration plays no role in the case of an optical seeker

[Avior]

I think it depends on the type of coloring.
If the role is also to deceive the human eye, as in this case, that is one thing.
And if the coloring is optimized to reduce the contrast of the ship, that's another matter.
And the color for this should be different

[Liam]

Coloring, camouflage can play a role for deceiving not optical seeker, but television

[Avior]

I agree that optical is a broader concept, television is more correct.

[Tavrik]

Masking color, but not for the day, but for the night.
There the story is as follows.
Volunteer Reserve Officer Peter Scott, son of Antarctic explorer Robert Scott and generally a versatile environmentalist, bird watcher, artist, athlete, naval officer, served on the leader of the Brock. He proposed such a camouflage scheme. Scott noted that the previously practiced monochromatic dark gray paint scheme is ineffective because The western approaches are characterized by cloudy weather with a predominance of cloudy skies, giving the surface light tones. Therefore, the dark gray color (507A) unmasks the ship. According to Scott, for ships operating in the Atlantic, it is better to use light colors: light gray, light blue, light green. And he was running around with this idea until "Brock" was repainted. The resonance was great. There were both ardent opponents and adherents of the new color. The point of view of the ineffectiveness of such a coloring was shamed when in 1941 the Brock and the destroyer Verity collided. Moreover, the commander of "Verity" argued that the camouflage of the "Brock" was so effective that when they saw him, it was too late to change course.
In general, even before this incident, the fleet was convinced of the effectiveness of camouflage. In his presentation, Scott argued as follows:
1. The task of camouflage is to avoid detection at night by submarines and boats.
2. The new scheme is not defensive, but offensive. allows the escort to approach the sub.
3. To make the ship less visible at night, it should be painted in a light tone. The color is not important because at night the color is hardly distinguishable.
4. The illumination of the object is divided into direct and indirect. White ink reflects more and absorbs less than dark ink. It cannot reflect more than it hits, so the painted surface cannot appear lighter than the light source.
In short, the scheme took root and was actively used.
Who cares - "Arsenal Collection" number 6 for 2017. There is a large article about British camouflage during the war.
The British also had a pink Mountbatten camouflage in the Mediterranean. These are the entertainers ...
In the photo - a model of the destroyer "Eskimo" in the camouflage of the Western approaches. 42 year view, convoy PQ-18. The painting was done on the basis of a color photo of the times of the war.

[Avior]

That is, coloring prevents human vision from being detected at night.
Strange then, in modern conditions at night they rather rely on radar

[Tavrik]

Well, we're not talking about "now", but about "then". Scott came up with this camouflage in 40.

[Avior]

Well, the article is about now

[Prisoner]

Apparently in the opinion of British scientists, such a coloring drives the enemy's radars crazy.

[alexey sidykin]

This is live ... for a reason. Does the English have problems with shipbuilding?

[Andrey Chizhevsky]

I don’t know about shipbuilding - but something is clearly wrong with the brains. Well, if this is a tradition, then okay. Let them also glue the eye - in memory of Nelson.

[Cat Alexandrovich]

The memory of Nelson ... Was his coat the same motley?

[Andrey Chizhevsky]

I don’t know about Horatio Nelson’s coat, but he was wearing a very colorful uniform, and the black eye patch is a complete analogy with the admiral.

[astra wild2]

"because of new threats" someone began to take away the catch from the British fishermen?
This can begin: there are not enough biological resources for everyone. Nature has long endured our barbarism, but her patience is not unlimited

[NDR-791]

Quote: Astra wild2

"because of new threats" someone began to take away the catch from the British fishermen?

French fishermen. They have been fighting in the canal for a long time and precisely for the catch. And the impudent stealth turned out to be credible, no one will notice now

[tralflot1832]

The ship, as it was previously used to protect fish resources, will now be used for this. Do not forget, England left the EU, along with the economic maritime zone. Benefits for Europe are over. It is necessary to protect it from European poachers. And for painting, there is a memory.

[rotmistr60]

"Difficult to spot in a stormy sea"

It remains to wish the British an eternal storm, both at sea and in politics, and not to shine on the horizon.

[PPD]

As I understand it, the radar station and so on in Britain were canceled?
What is the connection between homage and modern coloring? Whether he is a spirit or not. And such techniques work from the strength of a week to the first serious sabantuy.

[Private SA]

Quote: tralflot1832

The ship, as it was previously used to protect fish resources, will now be used for this. Do not forget, England left the EU, along with the economic maritime zone

Trawlers and seiners will be built in convoy and escorted to and from the place of seafood extraction.
And to the French and Russian submariners - a hint. And in the far zone of security AUG with "Queen Elizabeth".