BLACKOUT PAINT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 16, 13 February 1942, Page 5

BLACKOUT PAINT

sour, DULL GLOW EFFECT

British scientists, Avorking quietly

behind the scenes, have discovered o new paint with which they hope to beat the blackout. It is a remarkable development of the oldfashioned luminous paint, and the Government and municipa} experts are considering its uses. Tests have revealed that if a comparatively small area of an air-raid shelter roof is: treated with the ma* terial, shelterers can see quite easily in the dark. The paint gives clff a. soft, dull glow for 16 or 20 honors. Then, by switching on an electric light near it, in less than an hour the, paint is active 1 again and "recharged" with new light. Street signs, obelisks and lamp posts treated with the paint are being experimented with. They can be seen in the dark plainly at any distance up to 100 ft. They energise themselves automatically by normal exposure to daylight. „ Scientists say the paint may be used with every safety in the opert during blackout, because it is invisible at any distance from which it might be seen by aircraft. Mr Laurence Vc-sper, one of the discoverers of the sailing "It will ultimately be put to a score of uses. But., at the moment, its: main purpose seems to> be to relieve the blackout. Technically, there are few restrictions on its use. We found that the surface treated should., lie 1-120 th of the distance at which* it is expected to be seen. Thesessurfaces 'should be picked sc. that they are exposed to daylight or artificial light for at least half an hour in twenty-four. Use o/ the paint m shelters will be particularly important, because, should the light be extinguished in an air raid—either through bombs or blast—the paint, will give l sufficient light for the* shelterers to see and so avert panic.'*