BUMP silhouette of the Japanese battleship Yamashiro in November 1943

Bump-silhouette

Fuso, twice modernized between 1930-941 including superstructure in pagoda mast style

Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

The Coast Artillery School developed for shore-based observation posts the bump-method for spotting and recognizing a ship hull down over the horizon. The method was applying to a ship from the top down and the top third of the superstructure first appearing over the horizon and this reducingto a simplified silhouette, in fact just a rough outline of the characteristic upper portions of the superstructure.

Part of Fuso-class preceded by Kawachi-class succeeded by Ise-class, laid down by Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on 20 November 1913, launched on 3 november 1915, commissioned on 31 Marh 1917,  sunk in the Battle of Surigao Strait against an American-Australian force on 25 October 1944 and stricken on 31 August 1945.

Sources

John D. Neill, “The Bump Charts” in: Coast Artillery Journal, Jan-February 1944, p. 31-33.

“Bumps. Warships are quickly recognized by new Coast Artillery Bump Silhouettes” in: U.S. Army-Navy Journal of Recognition, November 1943, No. 3., p. 21-25.

ONI. FM 30-50. Recognition pictorial manual of naval vessels, 15 September 1943.