Not only that, the broken lines can also make it somewhat difficult to get an accurate range using an (optical) coincidence rangefinder (where you have to align two half images to determine the range to an object) as commonly used on many warships for aiming the guns back then.
It also probably didn’t work. The Allies were assuming that the Germans were using the same rangefinders we were in WWI. The Germans were using a more advanced rangefinder that doesn’t have any problems with “Razzle Dazzle” camo.
The rangefinders on surface warships were different indeed (Germany used stereoscopic instruments, while the Allies preferred the coincidence type), but the other purpose of confusing a submarine, which can’t have such fancy rangefinding equipment due to the limitations of having to look through a periscope, which can’t incorporate coincidence nor stereoscopic rangefinders due to its small size, did work somewhat better. However, at the short distances involved in WW1 submarine warfare, it is debatable whether the inaccuracies induced by the dazzle camouflage were large enough to ensure a miss with anything but exceptionally fast ships.
Dazzle Camo isn’t to hide the ship, per say. It’s to make it much harder to tell which way the ship is facing, and therefore what its heading is.
Not only that, the broken lines can also make it somewhat difficult to get an accurate range using an (optical) coincidence rangefinder (where you have to align two half images to determine the range to an object) as commonly used on many warships for aiming the guns back then.
I see, thanks for the clarification.
It also probably didn’t work. The Allies were assuming that the Germans were using the same rangefinders we were in WWI. The Germans were using a more advanced rangefinder that doesn’t have any problems with “Razzle Dazzle” camo.
https://youtu.be/Kw7vq_YD6JM
The rangefinders on surface warships were different indeed (Germany used stereoscopic instruments, while the Allies preferred the coincidence type), but the other purpose of confusing a submarine, which can’t have such fancy rangefinding equipment due to the limitations of having to look through a periscope, which can’t incorporate coincidence nor stereoscopic rangefinders due to its small size, did work somewhat better. However, at the short distances involved in WW1 submarine warfare, it is debatable whether the inaccuracies induced by the dazzle camouflage were large enough to ensure a miss with anything but exceptionally fast ships.