Air Fronts: Air Defense FM 5-20F; Camouflage of Antiaircraft Artillery - 6. Camouflage Materials

There are two main classes of camouflage materials; natural (trees, grasses, brush, vines) and artificial (nets, paints, burlap). Advantages of natural materials are their ready supply at or near a position and the success with which they blend with their surroundings. Principal disadvantage is the great amount of maintenance work required, unless growing, live foliage is used. Advantages of artificial materials are low maintenance and ability to prefabricate; disadvantages are difficulty of blending with surroundings and difficulty of supply under battle conditions.

To be effective, camouflage materials should be used for the purpose for which they are intended. Table I lists the more common materials and their uses. Table II lists field expedients.

CAMOUFLAGE SUPPLY

The Corps of Engineers is the supply agency for camouflage materials. These materials are divided into two classes of supply—class II (supplies and equipment prescribed by T/E) and class IV (miscellaneous supplies issued on special requisition or against outstanding credits).

Class II camouflage supplies which are furnished AAA units are described on the following pages.

CAMOUFLAGE EQUIPMENT SET NO. 3

This set normally is issued on the basis of 1 per lettered battery when requested by the commanding officer. It consists of the materials and tools necessary for practically all camouflage construction that is done by batteries. Nets, netting, paint, wire, paint brushes, pliers, nails, and cloth are included. No lumber is issued with the set. Lumber requirements must be satisfied from local sources. For complete details on sizes, quantities, and stock numbers of items in this set, see ASF Engineer Supply Catalog, section 6.

NETTING, CAMOUFLAGE, COTTON, SHRIMP

FIGURE 67.-Shrimp nets are issued in olive drab or sand colors, in the following sizes: 22' x 22', 29' x 29', 36' x 44', and 45' x 45'.

NET SETS, CAMOUFLAGE, NOS. 3 AND 4

The only difference between these two net sets is in the size of nets they employ. Net set No. 3 is issued on the basis of 1 per 37-mm or 40-mm gun; net set No. 4 on the basis of 1 per 90-mm or 3-inch gun. For erection procedure see page 42.

Netting, camouflage, wire, steel-wool or glass-wool garnished, in 72-inch wide, 25-yard rolls, in dark green, earth brown, field drab, light green, olive drab, and sand.

Netting, camouflage, wire, fabric garnished, in 72-inch wide, 50-yard rolls, in dark green, earth brown, field drab, light green, olive drab, and sand ( fig. 71).

Paint, camouflage, oleoresinous, emulsifiable, in all standard camouflage colors.

Cloth, camouflage, impregnated, in 2-inch wide, 300-foot rolls. All standard camouflage colors except white.

Cloth, camouflage, burlap, jute, 40 inches wide in bolts approximately 100 yards long. Issued in the natural color of the cloth or in olive drab.

Cloth, osnaburg, 40 inches wide, length variable. Natural color only is issued. Wire, steel, galvanized, No. 10 BWG, and No. 16 BWG.

FIGURE 70.—Net, camouflage, twine, fabric garnished.

CLASS IV CAMOUFLAGE SUPPLIES

The following types of supplies are made available upon authority of higher headquarters when the situation necessitates. Only those materials of common use are noted. If more specialized materials are required ASF Engineer Supply Catalog, section 3-2, and depot stock lists should be consulted.

Net camouflage, twine, fabric garnished, in sizes: 15' x 15', 14' x 29', 29' x 29', 17' x 35', 36' x 44'. These are available in desert, summer, and winter colors for use in different types of terrain or during different seasons (fig. 70).

FIGURE 71.—Netting, camouflage, wire, fabric garnished.