Aluminum-dope

[Wayfarer]

Looking at pictures of aluminum-doped Nieuport 17s made me wonder, was this covering considered to have any particular virtue that other coverings didn't have, or were there any other considerations dictating its use?

[StephenLawson]

The reflective potential was called "Sky Camouflage" by some pilots. Pfalz Werke also used it.

[davecww1]

It was also used on the French built Sopwith 1 1/2 strutters, or at least some of them. Advantage may have been to protect the fabric from sunlight, disadvantage may have been the lack of camouflage from above, therefore later they changed it to the 5 color camouflage scheme.
Dave

[Wayfarer]

Thanks both. It always seemed it would be highly visible, especially at certain angles to direct sunlight (although I am not sure how 'shiny' it really was), so I was never sure why they used it.