HAZE PAINT IN AUSTRALIA

F-4 Lightning 41-2156 in Haze Paint as loaned to 75 Squadron RAAF in late 1943. (Artwork: Juanita Franzi)

 

The first F-4 Lightnings delivered to Australia were painted in a special camouflage scheme that was optimised for high altitude reconnaissance aircraft. This scheme was known as Haze Paint. This paint was developed by Samuel Cabot Inc., of Boston Massachusetts drawing upon research by Lord Rayleigh whose paper on scattering of light was published by the Royal Society in 1914. In February 1940, a sample of the paint was supplied to Professor J.C. Hunsaker of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and he in turn sought advice from S.Q. Duntley of the Passive Defense Project of the Physical Measurement Laboratory. The paint was described by Samuel Cabot as a "colloidal dispersion of white mineral pigment in coal tar solvent naptha and fixative oils." Minute particles in the pigment served to scatter light, emulating the process that causes the sky to appear blue and thus light reflected by the paint appears blue. However, when applied over polished natural metal, the metal itself would reflect orange light. This would negate any camouflage advantage when applied to metal aircraft. Duntley suggested applying the paint over a matte black undercoat and this eliminated the orange reflection.

In August 1940, samples of the paint were supplied to the Naval Research Laboratory, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Army Air Corps but all reported that they were unable to find a use for it. Later, Duntley sighted drums of Haze paint in storage and initiated enquiries with Professor John Trump of the National Defense Research Committee. Given that the effect of the new paint had been described as creating the appearance of a pool of water, it should not be surprising that the paint was first tested on a ship. Trials with the minesweeper USS Puffin, the starboard side of which was painted with the new paint (with a black undercoat) while the port side remained Dark Navy Grey, showed that the new paint "markedly reduced the visibility of the boat and was vastly superior to the Navy Gray on the port side." This was a turning point for the new paint, later formulations of which were applied to the photo reconnaissance version of the Lockheed P-38 which was designated F-4.


HAZE PAINT IN AUSTRALIA - A CHRONOLOGY

02APR42   Wing Commander C. McK. Henry, Air Attache at the Australian Legation in Washington, DC wrote to the Air Board at Victoria Barracks, Melbourne to advise that a five gallon drum of Haze Paint had been despatched to No. 1 Aircraft Depot, Melbourne. Attached to the memo were three colour chips.
25APR42   RAAF HQ directed the Director of Technical Services to clear the drum of paint on arrival and forward it to No. 1 Aircraft Depot at Laverton.
30APR42   Wing Commander Henry wrote again to advise that the drum had been shipped on the S.S. Port St John.
30APR42   Note on file: "Find out what happened to the 'three colour chips'. The whole scheme depends on them."
12MAY42   Note on file: "Arrange to have the whereabouts of this paint discovered ... How far would 5 gallons go?"
30JUN42   Note on file: "Cleared and delivered to P/O McKean HQ."
02JUL42   Director of Technical Services has received drum and asks; "What action is required?"
06JUL42   DTS suggests applying the paint to a Buffalo of the Photo Reconnaissance Unit.
29JUL42   P/O McKean, RAAF HQ to DTS: "A suitable black undercoat has been found. Is it still desired to experiment on a Buffalo or would some other aircraft be preferred for initial tests? As a matter of interest, work is in hand to produce this material locally, and a certain measure of success has already been achieved."
30JUL42   Note on file: "A Kittyhawk may be available for test. Buffaloes are u/s for tank mod."
31JUL42   RAAF HQ to DTS: "The only readily available aircraft for the test is a Wackett Trainer. It is thought that useful data will be gained using this a/c from the aspect of aerial observation both when the a/c is on the ground and flying and also from the ground viewing the aircraft against the sky at various heights up to 14000 feet. A direction is requested please."
14AUG42   RAAF HQ to 1AD: Requested that Wirraway A20-536 be made available for camouflage tests on completion of a 240 hourly service. Form E/E.88 for A20-536 does not mention an allotment for these tests although the aircraft is on charge to 1AD at the time.
31AUG42   First RAAF F-4 (A55-1) received at 1AD Laverton in Haze Paint.
04SEP42   Second RAAF F-4 (A55-2) received at 1AD Laverton in Haze Paint.
05SEP42   Signal from 1AD to Air Board: "Wirraway A20-536 complete 240 hourly inspected. Aircraft now available for camouflage tests."
    By this time, 1AD had been able to physically examine two Haze painted F-4s after they had endured a long voyage from the USA, most likely as deck cargo. Probably it soon emerged that the Lightning was "cutting edge" enough for the RAAF without having to apply a similarly cutting edge paint finish. It is likely that the trials with the Wirraway did not proceed. When A55-1 and A55-2 were delivered to 1PRU, their original Haze Paint had been replaced with standard RAAF camouflage.
28OCT42   F-4 A55-1 and A55-2 were delivered to 1PRU.
20NOV42  

Note on file by F/O McKean:

(a) The paint itself was inherently defective due to bad settling of the pigment, excessive skin and aggregate formation and very slow drying (3 days). The drying rate was a big objection owing to the tacky film collecting dust, thus nullifying the effectiveness of any tests.
(b) The paint was an oil base product. This would not adhere well over the lacquer type finish used by RAAF and in addition when touching up any a/c surface coated with this finish, it would be necessary to strip down to bare metal as you cannot recover with lacquer an oil base paint. This position is obviously aggravated on fabric doped with A.W.D. (All Weather Dope)
(c) The paint could not be satisfactorily made in Australia due to the special grinding and dispersing techniques involved and the supply position of the white pigments required. (Notwithstanding his earlier advice of "a certain measure of success", see 29JUL42.)

"For these reasons it was felt that this paint had no advantages to offer over existing RAAF procedure."



 

 

 

 

 






 



 


 

 

Showing considerably more than a "slightly mottled appearance", F-4 Lightning 41-2217 of the 8th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron USAAF on a test flight over Moreton Bay soon after it was erected at Eagle Farm in November 1942. Note the patchy appearance of the Haze Paint on what is ostensibly a new aircraft. As these aircraft were transported from the USA as deck cargo, it is speculated that the removal of sealing tape may have damaged the paint finish. Picture: State Library of Queensland (#156806)

 

Instructions for the Painting of Aircraft with Haze Paint

The specifications for applying Haze Paint were very demanding. The instructions came with the comment; "It is nearly impossible to avoid a slightly mottled appearance. This is neither advantageous nor disadvantageous, since the mottled effect is invisible at a short distance." The instructions summarised the requirements as follows:

1. Make sure the black under-coat is smooth and non-glossy.
2. Keep the Haze Paint well stirred.
3. Keep the air pressure low.
4. Keep the spray nozzle within eight inches of the surface.
5. Build up the coat gradually until it matches the proper chip.

Evidently, the conclusion of a nation unprepared for war might be paraphrased as; Too hard!

 

 

SOURCES
National Archives of Australia: A705, 62/1/304
Instructions for the Painting of Aircraft with Haze Paint (Contained within the above NAA file)
Duntley S.Q., Research Paper 5, Haze Paint, Passive Defense Project, Physical Measurement Laboratory, 7 July 1941. (Contained within the above NAA file)

 

Issue Date Remarks
1 02MAR25
Original issue.


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