why are battleships grey?

Answer 1

They weren't always just flat grey. The preferred color used to be black with red and white accents. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Royal Navy started experimenting with paint schemes that were resistant to detection by searchlight, harder to spot from the air, and more difficult to range by enemy guns. This was balanced by the need to also idenitfy ships in the line by fleet, squadron, etc. in an age when secure radio communications was just a fantasy. The various trials resulted in grey being adopted as the best base color.

Older ships (think First World War) had a sort of "smoky" camoflauge pattern that was in vogue. The shift to flat grey became permanent once coal was replaced by oil (far less of a signature over the horizon) then nuclear propulsion.

By the way, there are no more actual battleships afloat in the world. That class of ship was retired a while back.

Answer 2

Battleship Grey Color

Answer 3

Having served in the RFA - I can tell you that the deckies do a heck of a lot of painting. There are a number of coats applied and yes the last one is usually grey - unless you are in the far east where the last coat is then white (this is because it is harder to see with the reflection of the sun). In more moderate climates such as the atlantic the colour of the sea reflects the sky and guess what colour that is?? you got it grey!! Interestingly German ships in WW2 had black shapes painted on them to break up the colour. It is however, hard to miss a ship silhoutted against the horizon in good weather but damn difficult to spot one from the air - hope this helps

Answer 4

the colour makes them difficult to see at a distance with the naked eye.

Besides, all the battleships are in reserve mothballs or in memorials and none are currently commissioned.

And that is a shame.

Remember back in the '60 when Lebanon had trouble and one of the USS battleships ancohored off the coast and things sorta settle down.
Nothing like looking down the wrong end of a 16 inch cannon to cause a raghead to wonder if he was doing the right thing.

Answer 5

There aren't many battleships left to be grey.

Answer 6

This is camouflage...in the distance the gray blends with the sea color and the sky. If you look at a fish, the top is usually dark colored and when you look down, the bottom of the river and the fish match, but the belly is often light or white, and if you are on the bottom and look up at the fish, the belly blends with the light sky.

Answer 7

So you can't see the huge bloody great things on the horizon against the grey skies... it's like hiding the titanic in my garage... the navy appear as dim as the army.... now next I need to go and pick on the air force, then my work here on answers will be done for today!

Answer 8

Generally, the sea is a sort of grey/blue, but more grey than blue at distance, especially on a bad day.

It's called camouflage, shocking pink and lime green wouldn't be as effective.

Answer 9

Methinks two things, either may be right or wrong, I dunno.

1-metal is gray -- cheap paint is grey -- no one will notice the difference

2-from up above, a large, not-moving grey object and the water look practically identical -- cameoflauge.

Answer 10

Battleships are painted blue-gray so they blend with the color of the water, making them harder to spot from far away or in bad weather conditions.