Camouflaging the US-based industrial buildings during WWII

[Gregory]

Hello,

 

This time I am interested in less typical subject. Why the Americans camouflaged their US-based plants by huge camouflage nets during WWII? What was expected then as an enemy air observation or attack? Was there a kind of "civil manual" of the camouflaging industrial objects?

 

Below camouflaging of the Vultee Aircraft Corporation plant can be seen.

 

NARA

 

 

Thank you in advance for all voices in the discussion.

 

Best regards

 

Greg

[dustin]

Well early on the USA anticipated an invasion from the japanese we were quite spooked after the bombing of pearl harbor.Fatcories were vital to the war effort and to protect them from a pending japanese invasion they were camouflaged from aerial bombing.many factories especially aircraft were on the west coast (california/arizona etc..)and within reach of carrier aircraft.Invasion was quite real to the US government and they were certain it would come.The war with germany had nothing to do with it it was all the threat the japanese pended and since are pacific fleet was severly crippled there was nothing to really stop an invasion.I believe there was a LIFE article on camouflage of factories obviously a lte war issue after the USA settled down and no longer feared the japanese.

[JBFloyd]

Some of the camouflage work in California was done by movie studio artists and was quite spectacular (ground scenery painted atop buildings, etc). As a defense against air attack, camouflage is effective when it causes even momentarily hesitation or confusion on the part of the bombardier. Looking at a still photo gives a bit of a false impression about the effectiveness of camouflage. For the bombardier at 200 knots (or better) a dazzle pattern or garden shrubbery where his aim point is supposed to be can put his bombs downrange by hundreds of yards.

[Gregory]

Thank you very much for all the replies.

 

And how do you think, what about "manual" or the other civil instructions of camouflaging industrial buildings? Was there a booklet on such a subject or not?

 

Best regards

 

Greg