"Normandy LSTs - camoflauged, or just Gray?" Topic

I always thought these had some camo colors on them, but in looking at images on Google (granted, not the easiest, since most of the pics are black and white), the ones at the Normandy D-Day landings seem to be just the plain, generic, blue-gray color.

I've seen a few with darker colorations partway down the sides, but it appears those are draped nets for boarding the landing craft.

So, any thoughts on whether these were camo'd, or not?

Was there any color/camo. differentiation between the American LSTs, and those used (I assume they used them) by the British?

I've run across one page with color plates of a few of them, but there isn't any text to go with them. From other photos, it appears these may be from the late, Pacific War period.

One restored LST shows a couple of shades of green, and a sand color, but again, I suspect that may be for the tropical Pacific Theater scheme.

British LST(2) were camouflaged from Normandy onwards by a disruption stripe of a different colour.

before then they were plain.

Yes the British used LSTs, in fact they were using them from 1940 and commissioned them to be built in the US in mid 1941 as British shipbuilding capacity was full. I do not know if US LSTs were the same as British ones though.

I believe that Normandy Brits were pale grey with a dark blue disruptive pattern (wavy bands, approx 40% of the ship, 4 or 5 over an LST, 2 or 3 on an LC).

Not sure about the US.

Many of the D Day pics I have for British ones show 2 thick bands per side. 1 even have a bannana shape running 2/3rds of the ship as its only pattern.

USN LSTs were in Measure 21 camouflage: overall 5-N Navy Blue with 20-B Deck Blue decks. I have found no pics of RN LSTs in patterned camouflage, only in an overall medium grey that looks to be MS.2. Smaller RN landing craft--LCIs on down--were in Admiralty camouflage for landing craft: White and B.15 Blue.

LST's Sir Winston Churchill prsented s plsn for the LST to FDR. Quickly the sketch was firmed up and th Type II LST was born. About 60% of the US made T's were made on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers at various inland shipyards. LST 325 is displayed at vansville, Indiana. I build (from scratch) in several scales most amphibious assault ships and landing craft. These modles are suitable for miniature gaming.