First off, after looking at literally 1,000's of ship photos at NARA and elsewhere (NOT copies posted on-line), and knowing the variations possible in "APPEARANCE" of paints used during WWII in B&W prints due to different film types used, different settings and filters used on the camera, different exposures when making prints from those negatives, etc, interpretations of what colors are applied isn't possible with certainty. Colorization is an "ART" not science. Hence, quite literally the person entering the parameters in a model can come up with whatever result is desired.
I'm NOT posting these images as proof one way or another on how USS ARIZONA was painted on 7 December 1941, but want to show why even in B&W images there are questions about the paint applied to at least part of USS ARIZONA. Even the survivors of her sinking, can't agree on what "color" USS ARIZONA was painted on 7 December 1941. I can't remember his name, but one sailor I felt had a more creditable account, because as one of his last assigned tasks onboard his ship was to paint his section of the ship in the next day or so. He said that the hull and other parts of the ship had already been repainted. The upper superstructure had not. Given the textual records I have seen, I can believe that the order (a possible verbal order during a command level meeting a few days before the attack with a written order to follow, which was never issued because of the attack) was made the week before the attack when the Battle Fleet expected to be sailing to the Philippines as the war started there. The war alert sent out on 27 November 1941 set in motion a lot of activities seen in Deck Logs, etc. It is even possible from textual records that 5-N was ordered to be applied since the Battle Force command didn't like 5-S and preferred 5-N. I found a document dated 21 November 1941, recently stating that one of the destroyers that had been painted in 5-S in September 1941, was to be repainted to 5-N and another document stating that it had been done (in November or early December 1941) for evaluation at the direction of the Battle Force Command. That destroyer was operating from PEARL HARBOR not on the west coast, so was likely painted there. In contrast to going to 5-D, the "new" paints being used in the most recent camo schemes, used the same two components (a white base and blue tinting) mixed together in different ratios. Once Pearl Harbor had the two part supplies of paint, they could have easily mixed 5-N instead of 5-S.
Frankly, my interest in 1941 camo has more to do with the experiments done on destroyers. I have found a few images, in odd places at that, but not the evaluation photos taken for ALL the destroyers (or for that matter the other ships painted in evaluation schemes).
Last year I had finished going through all 2866 boxes in 80-G at NARA. Since then I have been returning to the first 200-800 boxes I had gone through in 2007-13, looking to see what I passed over when I didn't have the same interests I do now. One of the boxes I went through had photos taken during and post the Pearl Harbor attack. There were several images of USS ARIZONA that I had remembered seeing before, but didn't scan the first time through this box, and had views that seemed to show lighter shades to her paint than many of the images found on the internet. I wish I knew which type of film and type of print paper was used for these photos.
The first image was likely taken on 7 December 1941 while they were still fighting her fires. Note the aft turrets in the somewhat blurry image and the scorched area on the aft end of #3 turret and the vent coming out of the deck.
The second image taken at a different aspect angle, was taken after USS ARIZONA's fires were mostly put out, maybe on 8 December, but the ships alongside are applying water to the bridge area. The sun in this view puts most of the aft end of the ship in the shade.
The third and fourth images are taken taken on the same day on likely 8 or 9 December (mounting card captions varied). Actually, quite likely, the last three images could have been taken in sequence by the same photographer. But, the same vessels seen in image 2 are still applying water to the bridge area. Again, note in the fourth images her aft turrets and the same scorched area on the aft end of turret #3 can be seen.
As you can see, the various shades of "gray or blue-gray" paint varies quite a bit. In looking at these images, note the 5-L painted tops of the aft tripod (mainmast). The apparent shade of 5-L is different in each view. In the last image, the aft turrets look lighter, but also quite glossy. Further, the turrets on the NEVADA and PENNSYLVANIA classes are quite complex shapes with curves and flat faces, reflecting sunlight at different intensities. But, also the tripod legs are round as well. Some of the images of USS ARIZONA post-attack, even copies of the same as the ones I'm posting here, if made from copy negatives of these or other prints can or will appear darker due to higher contrast.
Compare to this image of USS ARIZONA in drydock at PHNY one month earlier, on 8 November 1941. Her 5-D paint is noticeable darker. I'm pretty certain USS ARIZONA wasn't repainted with a different paint scheme while in drydock to repair collision damage.
Here is a view of USS OKLAHOMA and USS MARYLAND. Just as perspective, USS MARYLAND's aft turrets have angular structure to them and reflect paints differently than is seen on other parts of the ship. Note that the boat alongside USS OKLAHOMA is as dark (likely 5-D) of shade as USS ARIZONA on 8 November 1941.
Is any of this proof, no. Will we ever know, maybe not. After USS ARIZONA was sunk, her BuShips files were purged, since she wasn't going to be salvaged for service. Her December Deck Logs were destroyed. Records on paint supplies are scant. What paint she was to be painted, just weren't important to anyone at that point. A memo issues just days after the attack (on 16 December 1941 and had clearly been in coordination and review before that date) clearly stated that ALL Pacific Fleet ships were to be painted with 5-N ASAP within operational demands.