tools and equipment ???

Bakelite isn’t “plastic-like”, it is the original plastic from 1907. Polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride [try saying that three times fast!] can be cast, laminated, inlaid, carved, and tinted almost any color of the rainbow, “plastic” yet oddly brittle, but most Bakelite I recall from the 40s was a rich, dark brown. [I vas dere, Sharlie.] Most of those “black” Bakelite handles were very, very dark chocolate color.

Bakelite is a plastic-type material and could be dyed or painted.  Mostly one sees it in black.  The handles of wire cutters were sometimes made of a pressed fiber material -- ended up being brownish.

You say: "In africa and at kursk tools were left on and covered with the camo overspray. "  as if it were an official policy in those theaters.  It wasn't.  I bet you can find it any where and any theater.  And I'm sure you'll find tools on vehicles that didn't have overspray as well.  You cant generalize in this instance.