Historical Query

Here is the text of Kimmel=92s order -- it is his first US FLEET letter and is =93No. 1 USL-41=94 dated March 24, 1941.

SUBJECT: Turret Markings for Identification by Own Aircraft

1. This letter replace U.S. Fleet Letter No. 13L-40, which letter is hereby cancelled, since colored tails for aircraft are being eliminated.

1. Battleships and cruisers shall paint the tops of any or all their forward turrets or enclosed mounts with the following colors for identification by their own aircraft. When stripes are involved, they shall be painted parallel to the axis of the guns.

BATTLESHIPS

Battleship Division ONE =85 Red (solid) Battleship Division TWO =85 White (solid) Battleship Division THREE =85 Blue (solid) Battleship Division FOUR =85 Black (solid) Battleship Division FIVE =85 Yellow (solid)

CRUISERS

to any degree?

Should have mentioned that there was a huge controversey on the Steel Navy boards when this article came out--see if you can see why:

There was a paper in the Nautical Research Guild Journal recently (maybe first issue of the year?) That treated this subject. The author was building an Arizona model (on commission, I believe) and need to research this and other issues about the appearance of the Arizona. Worth reading. I think the NRG has back issues on its website.

You are wading into one of the nastiest email wars I've ever seen on the net. I asked a question on this later and got a reply that - here's my opinion - but I'm out of this fight. The Pearl Harbor memorial is being redone - with models and displays in a museum. One researcher found an order from Kimmel that the tops of the turrets should be painted to indicate the Battleship and the spotting plane squadron, and that the ships were repainted blue before the attack. Others claim the turret colors were used but not then, still others claim the ships were dark grey, one researcher spent much time with photoshop morphing the B&W shots into color to prove his point. Some claim Kimmel issued the order but the paint was not available. Last I saw the Arizona model was to be in overall blue with red turret tops - not sure whats happened since then, although you could make the arguement that the red turret top made a good sighting target rfor the bomb that penetrated the magazine. This is one of the reasons many of my kits remain unfinished. Next - the caramel brown colored Zeros at Pearl Harbor.

Val Kraut

Next part 2 - Remember when you watch the films, it was SBD Dauntless' diving on Battleship Row...

I like

Last I followed this, all the carriers were in blue deck scheme by December 7. Darn, I did like that wood deck look.

Bout two, coming into the ring, turrets on the Bismarck.......

Bout three for championship, IJN colorations..