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Uncover your potential', indeed! Once you stop ogling the girl, though, you might notice that this Australian Special Air Service (SAS) recruiting poster shows Australian Disruptive Pattern Camouflage to very good effect. [Image courtesy Brad Turner collection.]

Flecktarn B (groß)
Federal Republic of Germany

During the second half of 1976, the Bundeswehr conducted a series of 'troop trials' (Truppenversuch) in co-operation with the French army. The aim of these trials was to gauge the effectiveness of five newly developed camouflage patterns: Sägezahnmuster; Punktmuster; Flecktarn A (klein); Flecktarn B (groß); and Flecktarn C.

Of these, the first four camouflage designs were four-colour patterns, comprising black, dark green, light-green, olive grey and red earth elements; the main differences between them were the shapes and sizes of the elements. Those used in Sägezahnmuster ('saw-tooth pattern') were reminiscent of blades for a circular saw, but the other three patterns were composed of coloured clumps and dots: Punktmuster ('point camouflage') featured large clumps and small dots; Flecktarn A (klein) ('dot camouflage A, small') featured larger dots and the clumps had a more open, lacy appearance; and Flecktarn B (groß) ('dot camouflage B, large') — shown here — displayed even larger dots.

The last camouflage pattern, officially labelled Flecktarn C ('dot camouflage C') but also dubbed Schattentarn, was definitely the odd-man-out at the trials. It was a three-colour camouflage pattern of dark green, light green and olive grey, and comprised the outlines of the shapes used in Flecktarn A (klein). The contrast between the colours used is extremely low, and it seems unlikely that this design could ever offer much in the way of a camouflage effect.

Of the five patterns trialled during Truppenversuch, Flecktarn B was adjudged to be the most effective. However, the issue of this camouflage pattern was delayed until after Erprobung 1988 ('Proofing 1988') and the successful conclusion of the 1989 Truppenversuch “Kampfanzug 90” ('Troop Trials, "Battle Suit 90"').

This variant form of Flecktarn — known variously as brown Flecktarn or pale Flecktarn — appeared during the Erprobung 1988 trials. It is distinguished by the substitution of earth brown for red earth, but it is not clear whether this were an accidental colour change or if it were an experimental variation.

kamouflage.net is grateful to Dan Feldkamp, for his invaluable contributions to this article. Please visit Dan's Web site, Truppenversuche der Bundeswehr 1976–1994.

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