Ww2 camo and white star markings

[Daren]

Hi all,
I am getting to the stage of painting my gpw and I was just wondering why the allied forces never really used camo paint schemes (other than the british mickey mouse pattern) on their vehicles and uniforms (other than British airborne and far east theatre), the Germans quite often used camo patterns on vehicles and uniforms. Also why were vehicle markings in white which presented a beautiful target?
Regards

[GI.]

JMO...It's a lot faster to paint all vech's one color, it takes longer to paint camo. and paint Mickey Mouse and other art on vech's, the Germans were big on all that fancy paint and nose art [they lost the war, remember.]
As far as the white paint on US vech's, org. I think it was blue intill later on in the war, the large white star on the hood was to keep your vech. from being destroyed and your a$$ from being killed by friendly aircraft from above, the same thing as the stars on the side was to let the good guys on the ground know who's side you were on and not to destroy your vech. and kill you.
From the air all vech's look the same, good guy's or bad, same with uniform's,..."unless of course you name tag is spelled out in German" and the pilot has really good eye's. .

[Farrell Fox]

[Post Deleted By Author]

[wreckless]

Planes are also faster when kept "clean". Paint adds weight and increases drag. Fuel consumption also goes down with a clean airframe increasing range. Speed and range were the major consideration with leaving aircraft unpainted.

[Daren]

Thanks guys, that actually makes a lot of sense now I come to think about it.
Regards

[70th Division]

Hello Daren,

I believe that the USA did deploy camouflaged vehicles during the war.
The 45th Division shipped out from scratch to North Africa from a US port with camouflaged painted vehicles.

You can see pics every now and then with that pattern.
Likely changed out by Italy, but not sure.

Here is a link to pics, scroll sown to see the Camo 45th Division trucks picture.


http://olive-drab.com/idphoto/id_photos_cckw.php


Best Regards,


Ray

[70th Division]

Here are some other pics of camo USA vehicles !


http://militarymashup.com/halftrack-m15.htm



Best Regards,

Ray