TB 43-0147
CHAPTER 3
COLOR, MARKING AND PATTERNS OF
CAMOUFLAGE EQUIPMENT
Section I. CAMOUFLAGE PATTERN PAINTING
General a. This section describes an improved
Reason for Pattern Painting. a. All military
3-1.
3-2.
method of camouflaging military equipment and how to
vehicles and equipment have characteristic shapes and
apply it to existing equipment. This improved method is
interior shadows. These so-called signatures contrast
simple, and field tests have proved that it works well in
with natural surroundings and make the object
confusing the enemy observer and enhancing battlefield
conspicuous. Pattern painting does much to break up
survivability. It consists of painting newly developed
the signature characteristics by using lusterless paint to
patterns on the equipment, using only four colors. The
reduce the glare of headlights, color to reduce contrasts
patterns (different for each model of vehicle or item of
with the soil and vegetation, and pattern shape, size, and
equipment) have been carefully worked out by a team of
placement to distort the vehicle's form. The paint also
camouflage experts and scientists.
Unlike older
camouflage patterns, this is a general all-purpose
for each type of vehicle, have color areas that cut off
pattern. By changing only one of the four colors, or at
corners; avoid straight, vertical, and horizontal lines; and
the most, two, the same basic pattern can be made to
extend internal shadows in shapes similar to natural
work equally well in different seasons of the year or on
features and vegetation.
different types of terrain.
b.
Pattern painting is not a magic, cure-all
b. This section describes the new patterns and
camouflage technique. However, it makes the item
where they can be obtained, what colors and kinds of
much harder to see and to recognize as a military object.
paint are to be used for various conditions, and how the
It also provides an excellent base for further, more
patterns are to be painted on the equipment. It also
complete camouflage. If properly sited, the pattern-
shows a sample pattern and how a few common items of
painted vehicle will need much less work to camouflage
equipment look when they have been pattern painted.
than a solid colored vehicle.
c. This section does not give basic information on
c. The theory behind this new pattern-painting
paint application; if needed, this should be obtained from
design is to provide a system that can be adapted to
TM 43-0139, Painting for Field Use. Basic information
various geographical and seasonal changes by the
on camouflage can be found in TM 5-200, Camouflage
changing of one or, at most, two colors. For instance,
Materials.
the forest green can be changed to sand for desert
operations, or the field drab changed to dark green and
d. The instructions in this section apply only to the
the sand to field drab for temperate climate terrain in
first pattern painting of existing solid-color vehicles and
summer. By using the appropriate color from the
related equipment. These will be painted with the color
standard camouflage color chart (figure 3-1) in
combination appropriate to the season or terrain in the
conjunction with the pattern-painting design, a good color
operational area of the equipment.
Repainting of
combination for almost every terrain can be obtained.
patterns in different colors to adapt them to different
seasons or types of terrain will be up to the appropriate
commander.
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