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Topic: Camouflage PT boats |
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Lew Zee

Advanced Member

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Posted on: Mar 26, 2023 - 10:47am
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How many PT boats had camo paint on them? Were any delivered from the builder with camo paint on them?
Lew
Lew Zee |
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alross2

TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Mar 26, 2023 - 10:54am
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All of them. Unless a naval vessel is painted in high visibility paint (hospital ships, for instance) they are painted in a camouflage measure. Measure 13, for instance has all Haze gray (5-H) vertical surfaces and Deck Blue (20-B) horizontal surfaces.http://ptboatforum.com/PhotoGallery/image/ptRGa
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alross2

TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Mar 26, 2023 - 12:52pm
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These are some of the various camouflage schemes in a chronological order. Most of the boats sported several schemss over their lives.
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Lew Zee

Advanced Member

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Posted on: Mar 26, 2023 - 7:49pm
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Thanks for the info. However, I need to clarify my question about camo. I meant to ask about multi-color patterns, zig-zag, blotches, etc, not solid colors. The question came up on a model boat forum. Some statements like a lot of PT boats had the camo PATTERNS in service as well as those from the factory late in the war.
Lew
Lew Zee |
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Jerry Gilmartin |

TOP BOSS

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Posted on: Mar 26, 2023 - 10:10pm
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Hello Lew,
Not sure from your question but I am guessing you are only asking about Elco boats? If your question includes Higgins, they started placing the camo pattern on the boats directly from the factory starting with the PT450 class. I am certain that the PT625 through PT660 were indeed painted in camo measure 31-20L directly from the Higgins factory.
Jerry Gilmartin
PT658 Crewman
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alross2

TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Mar 27, 2023 - 6:29am
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There were at least three patterned schemes approved by BUSHIPS - Adaptor (Zebra), 31/5P, 31/20L, Additional unofficial schemss can be seen in photos. The Adaptor drawing I have is dated Aug43 but we know it existed before that because it was applied to the RON10 boats prior to their being shipped to the Pacific in May 1943. RON23 commissioned in NOV43 and wore 31/5P. RON13 boats were repainted in 31/5P in Sep43 in Seattle prior to shipping to the western Pacific, so it was still in use at that point. 41/20L appears to have been introduced sometime in 1944. There were some unofficial patterned schemes in the Channel and Mediterranean. Most, if not all of the earlier, pre-patterned schems were overpainted as the new ones came into use.
So, there's a starting point for a research project to answer your question.
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alross2

TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Mar 27, 2023 - 6:29am
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There were at least three patterned schemes approved by BUSHIPS - Adaptor (Zebra), 31/5P, 31/20L, Additional unofficial schemss can be seen in photos. The Adaptor drawing I have is dated Aug43 but we know it existed before that because it was applied to the RON10 boats prior to their being shipped to the Pacific in May 1943. RON23 commissioned in NOV43 and wore 31/5P. RON13 boats were repainted in 31/5P in Sep43 in Seattle prior to shipping to the western Pacific, so it was still in use at that point. 41/20L appears to have been introduced sometime in 1944. There were some unofficial patterned schemes in the Channel and Mediterranean. Most, if not all of the earlier, pre-patterned schems were overpainted as the new ones came into use.
So, there's a starting point for a research project to answer your question.
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Lew Zee

Advanced Member

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Posted on: Mar 27, 2023 - 8:59am
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Thanks again for the help. The question originated on another blog and a lot of people were making uninformed guesses. Thought I would hit the experts (you on this forum).
Lew
Lew Zee |
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