Article about: Stumbled across this interesting info and photographs on the Australian War Memorial website,all circa 1942-43. Australia’s Camouflage Research Unit was based in Canberra during the Second W
Stumbled across this interesting info and photographs on the Australian War Memorial website,all circa 1942-43.
Australia’s Camouflage Research Unit was based in Canberra during the Second World War. Headed by zoologist Professor William Dakin, the unit employed a number of architects and artists, including Frank Hinder and R. Emerson Curtis. Dakin was concerned to bring the principles of design, science and art to the traditionally military skill of camouflage, an aspect of homeland defence which he felt was being neglected.
The unit carried out extensive research on camouflage techniques. Members of the Camouflage Unit were regularly seconded to military units interstate and overseas to assist and advise on camouflaging experiments.
First one shows,Four tin hats resting on grass, each covered with a different type of camouflage netting. Technical photograph taken by Lieutenant Frank Hinder while working as an artist with the Camouflage Research Unit, Dept of Home Security.Circa 1942.
Second one is a, Hand coloured poster produced using a rotary stencil duplicator known as a Roneo copier. It was designed for the Camouflage Research Section , Department of Home Security, Canberra. A humorous depiction of an ostrich in the desert is employed to encourage the use of camouflage netting for concealment. In the top half the ostrich has his head in the sand, a palm tree is visible behind him. In the lower half the ostrich is concealed using camouflage netting. Green leaves are strapped to his head.
Third one is a,Technical photograph taken by Lieutenant Frank Hinder while working as an artist with the Camouflage Research Unit, Dept of Home Security. Hinder used cut-out silhouettes of corvettes to determine the most effective method of naval camouflage. He used the pond behind the Hotel Canberra to carry out this research.
The 'lumpy' camo for one helmet reminded me of the Israeli camo policy of obscuring the outline of the helmet with a billowing camo netting.
Looks deceidedly odd, but it seems to work.
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