USS Plunkett 1942 experimental camouflage

[Vlad]

I recently came across this passage on the ship camouflage website:

https://www.shipcamouflage.com/5_9.htm

Specifically:

Inspired partly by British Peter Scott type, used on the destroyer PLUNKETI' in early 1942. Colors: Medium Pink, Mauve (Mountbatten Pink), Blue (possibly Thayer Blue), Green (Possibly Western Approaches Green), 20B Deck Blue, White.

Vertical Surfaces - A disruptive pattern of Pink, Mauve, Blue, and Green.
Decks and Horizontal surfaces - 20B.
Counter shading - undersides of platforms and overhangs to be painted White.

I assume "Plunketi" is a typo of Plunkett which would make this DD-431, that was based in Scapa Flow in April-May 1942.

However, the only pictures of Plunkett in 1942 are from August showing a fairly normal looking Ms.12 Mod.

Does anyone have any more information about the experimental RN WA style scheme? Any speculation as to pattern? WA schemes only usually have 2 or 3 colours not 4 as listed here.

Would really love to discover more about this potential unique experiment in camouflage.

[Vlad]

Also just spotted this:

http://www.researcheratlarge.com/Ships/ ... flage.html

I assume this is confirming Plunkett had an experimental camouflage, otherwise why bother comparing to a slightly different Ms.12 Mod. ship (Lansdale).

But no mention here of colours or pattern on Plunkett.

[Rick E Davis]

I have been searching for images of USS PLUNKETT in this scheme for quite awhile. As you found, documentation exists saying this was applied and lists the colors. I even found the order to ship these paints to BosNY to be applied on PLUNKETT. But, what the pattern was is a mystery. I did find a distant view at Scapa of PLUNKETT, but it is very poor.

Also, about the comparison with USS LANSDALE is interesting since LANSDALE was also painted in an experimental camouflage scheme. She had her 5-H haze gray areas painted with a LIGHT GREEN paint. There is a B&W image of her with this scheme. Interesting is that the Ms12R(mod) scheme was a style applied by Boston NY in early 1942 (likely started being applied in December 1941) which I and the USN called the "Jigsaw" pattern (used on many of the early BENSON-GLEAVES class units with 5-H) and was soon replaced on most destroyers with a more "conventional Ms12R(mod) pattern" like seen on PLUNKETT in August 1942.

The August 1942 photos show PLUNKETT after she was repainted to a "more" conventional Ms12R(mod).

[Vlad]

Thanks Rick, guess this is indeed very elusive! Good to know someone else has also been doing some digging on it, maybe something will eventually turn up.

Could you at least share the distant Scapa Flow shot?

I can't even find any speculation or conjectural profiles. I've been researching British WA schemes to see if any have more colours that could be adapted.

[Rick E Davis]

Dang ... I completely forgot to respond. When Apple got strict about websites needed up to date security certs, I couldn't get on the Modelwarships website on my iMac. I have a Windows 10 PC which I HATE and have difficulty navigating on it (plus they seem to have THEIR idea of what I should look at) so only went on the Modelwarship website infrequently and forgot about trying to respond.

Anyway, here is the scanned image of USS PLUNKETT in her experimental scheme.

The bottom image and the cropped top image is how the original print looked. Not much detail can be made out with direct sun on her. The other two images show contrast adjustments I made to try and at least

[Vlad]

Hi Rick!

Really appreciate you remembering and posting this, and the cropping and contrast play. Can definitely make out the pattern on the forward half of the hull at least, something to go on.