USS Arizona colour's.

[Mr. Church]

Battleship Row on December 7th must have been quite a kaleidoscope of colours.

 

Between all the aerial recognition colours on the battleship turret roofs and all the ships being in various camouflage schemes or even transitioning between them as Arizona was most likely doing at the time.

 

There are numerous examples of this when you think about it, which if not photographed people likely would not believe it had happened.

 

I have seen a photo of HMS Howe in 1944 with a light grey British Pacific Fleet hull with the blue rectangle, but simultaneously sporting her old Admiralty Disruptive scheme on all her superstructures.

 

Also there is a photo of the Italian Battleship Littorio in 1942 where her hull is in her old medium grey and green 'double fishbone' splinter type camouflage, while her superstructure has her new light and dark grey disruptive scheme. 

 

Presumably orders to sail came mid way through the repaint and fighting the war took preference over appearances.