I posted this in the Calling All Ship Fans thread, but have subsequently found some photos on Wikipedia that better illustrate the point. The question is what colour was Vanguard's 'Y' Turret roof in 1952? And in and around then?
Upon Vanguard's completion in 1946 the roofs of the four main battery turrets were all painted a dark colour, presumably dark grey same as the steel decks. All four turret roofs remained in a dark colour during the Royal Tour to South Africa in 1947. At some point subsequent to this the roof of 'Y' Turret seems to have been painted in lighter colour (possibly the same light grey as the vertical elements of the hull and superstructure) with the other three turrets remaining in dark colour.
'Y' Turret roof looks to be either the same as the vertical elements of the hull and superstructure or perhaps very slightly darker? I have not ascertained exactly when it was changed but it was certainly light grey by January 1951 as seen in the photo on Page 95 of RA Burt's recent book on Vanguard. It was still in the lighter colour as of the Coronation Review in 1953. Was there any particular reason for this? Vanguard was a one-off so it would seem unlikely to be a Royal Navy aerial recognition feature? Of course it is not impossible that it was a NATO recognition feature of some kind to help distinguish her from the Iowa Class Battleships that would also have been active at the time?
Anyway these photos from Wikipedia from 1952 at the time of NATO Exercise Mainbrace illustrate the point clearly. Photos from Wikipedia, copyright rests with original owner:
Overall view:Attachment:
640px-thumbnail.jpg
Overall view:Attachment:
640px-HMS_Vanguard_(23)_and_USS_Midway_(CVA-41)_at_anchor_in_the_Firth_of_Clyde,_Scotland_(UK),_during_NATO_Operation_Mainbrace,_in_September_1952_(80-G-K-13032).jpg
Closeup view of 'X' and 'Y' Turrets:Attachment:
HMS_Vanguard_(23)_and_USS_Midway_(CVA-41)_at_anchor_in_the_Firth_of_Clyde,_Scotland_(UK),_during_NATO_Operation_Mainbrace,_in_September_1952_(80-G-K-13032) - X and Y turret.jpg
So again, to sum up, the question is what colour was Vanguard's 'Y' Turret roof as seen above?
I'd be interested to hear people's thoughts on it?
Or better again does anyone know for definite what colour it was or why it was painted differently to the other turrets? Thanks.