USS Missouri Measure 32/22D "Dazzle" Question

[L-1011Heavy]

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting after a decent while of lurking on this forum.

I'm currently in the process of building the Trumpeter 1/200 Missouri. While currently in college, I have neither the financial means or necessary time to do the Pontos PE add-ons, so I'm going for a striking paint job instead.

I'm looking to replicate the striking 1944 Measure 32/22d dazzle scheme. So here's my question:
I've seen a version of the 1:535 Revell Missouri that shows the dazzle scheme on the box with unpainted teak decks. Were the decks ever unpainted while the ship wore this livery? I have found a few photos that look like this may be true, but I really can't tell if its just the lighting.
I would like to keep the decks unpainted teak, if possible, but I am more interested in an accurate replica.

Thank you for any help!

[Timmy C]

None of the photos I've seen suggest it to be the case, but it's theoretically possible the decks were left in bare teak while she was undergoing sea trials as part of fitting-out: they would often leave painting the deck to after everything else is done (equipment being moved, etc). They were definitely painted by the time she was doing shakedown, though. If you want to portray her in theatre, then they'd be painted.

The best way to tell in black and white photos whether the deck is painted or not is to look for photos of the bow and stern: that's where the 5-O Ocean Grey and 20B Deck Blue patterns have their demarcation, and it's quite easily visible if you're looking for it so long as the deck isn't overexposed.

[warspite63]

This might help:

http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/016383a.jpg

Missouri and Alaska worked up together - Navsource has a few pictures of them in company. Both vessel were in their disruptive schemes at this time, and the link shows them both wearing deck camouflage during this period