Four Colour German Lozenge camouflage aircraft fabric

Piece of pre-printed lozenge fabric from German aircraft. Lozenge fabric comprised pre-printed polygons that vary in size and are approximately 290 mm long and 150 mm wide. The polygons are irregular and printed in a distinct pattern that repeated on the bolt of fabric. This sample was doped on the upper surface and has discoloured although this may have been a colour applied to the aircraft. This has flaked off in places exposing the true colours of the underlying fabric. The sample was folded and bears crease marks but there is no evidence of rib markings, indicating that the sample may be from a fuselage. Colour comparison was made with the exposed upper colours rather than the lower surface that is lighter.
Colours Methune:-
Blue 23D7
Ochre yellow 4C7 to 5D7
Green 26E5
Red 11B5

A signature in pencil was applied to the reverse side of the fabric.

Towards the middle 1916, Germany started to adopt pre-printed colour fabric for their aircraft, making use of repeating patterns of coloured polygons. Modern researchers have termed the material 'lozenge fabric'. By April 1917 the new fabric was in general use and the Siemens Schuckert Werke was instructed in its use.

Two main schemes schemes appear to have been adopted: a daylight and a night scheme. The daylight scheme made use of a dark cloour pattern for upper surfaces and the sides of fuselages, and a light pattern, to be used on the lower surfaces of wings and the bottom of fuselages. Despite this, there were deviations. The Albatros D.Va in the AWM collection, for instance, had the lower wings covered with plain and lozenge fabric, the wings being then painted in the previous camouflage pattern for plain covered aircraft, while the under surface of the upper wing was covered in light coloured five colour lozenge fabric. The AWM’s Pfalz D.XII had the light coloured pattern fabric on both the top and bottom surfaces of the lower wings. Other captured aircraft are reported having similar use of the fabric.

Fighter Jastas would often still paint their aircraft thus negating any gains. Reconnaissance two-seater and large bomber aircraft were usually not overpainted.