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The four colors of SHIPS-2, Jan. 1941 were black, 5-D dark gray, 5-O ocean gray and 5-L light gray. With the exception of 5-L these were from the 1937 experiments detailed in C&R Handbook No. 4 and used black tinting material. The 5-L is defined in SHIPS-2 as "The "Light Gray" color is the same as that designated in Appendix 6, "Instructions for Painting and Cementing Vessels of the U.S. Navy," Edition 1939 as formula #5 "Standard Navy Gray.".

Paint for use on shipboard was mixed from 5 gallon buckets of 5-U and 5-TM, early 1941 it was black based. Paint used by yards was procured from paint manufacturing yards in 30 or 55 gallon drums premixed. This holds true through out the war. This is why we find documents complaining about not being able to manufacture some colors, 5-D in the summer of 1941, in sufficient quantities.

Manufactured 5-D per specification is the almost black seen on the hulls of Maryland, West Virginia, California and Pennsylvania. The lighter 5-D is the stop gap mixed from #5 standard navy gray and black striping paint.

Early 1941 5-O is the darker of the two 5-Os in the Snyder & Short paint chips. What the original Colour Coats and Model Master Acryl called 5-D is actually closer to the original 5-O. When SHIPS-2 Rev.1 came out the black 5-TM was replaced with the new purple blue 5-TM. For those not familiar with the nomenclature paints starting with 5- are for exterior vertical surfaces; 10- is special paint for smoke pipes (stacks, or funnels as some call them) and 20- for exterior horizontal surfaces. This nomenclature started sometime in the nineteen-aughts and carried through WWII until the FS standard was released. Thus 5-TM simply means vertical surface tinting material and has to do with the color.