Ship Camouflage on the Web - A Modeler's Guide

Website Review: Ship Camouflage Website
(http://www.shipcamouflage.com)
Reviewed By Ned Barnett

This is actually both an after-market product website (Snyder & Short) as well as a real reference source (John Sheridan’s “USN Warship Camouflage” website). This is a good mix – the commercial venture (Snyder & Short – the premier guys in accurate ship-color paint-chips and references) sponsor and host John Sheridan’s remarkable resource. Premier among elements here is Alan Raven’s six-part article, “Development of Naval Camouflage” which originally appeared in Plastic Ship Modeler Magazine. Those who know Alan Raven’s work (I have several of his books – they’re outstanding!) realize what an incredible free resource this is.

Other features of this website include the USN Camouflage database – a class-by-class review of the applicable camouflage measures used by the USN during the war. Each major class of surface combatant – CV, CVL, CVE, BB, CB, CA, CL, DD and DE – is covered here, with data on each known measure used by each named ship of the class. For those not familiar with the USN “measures,” the website has an explanation of each measure (with variations) along with photo- and drawing-illustrations of the various camouflage schemes. The descriptive text is taken directly from a WW-II USN official source – SHIPS-2 – (the writing is remarkably clear – for once the Navy got it right).

There are other features – a whole section on signal flags, another on USN Ship Call Letters, a review of the characteristics of camouflage paints used in the war and historical information on the development and use of camouflage by surface combatants.

If you build USN WW-II fighting ships, this site is both a “must” and a treasure. Along with a trio of books on USN camouflage and 190 exceptional dazzle-camouflage design sheets published by prolific author and plan-drafter Tom Walkowiak at the Floating Drydock (http://www.floatingdrydock.com), this site is literally all you need to get a good start into accurately marking your ship models.