WTF Images of the Day Go Fourth!

[ordnance11]

Black Aeronaut wrote:

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I think it's just a warning that the guns and their mounts are covered in lead paint and no one should be touching them. It'd be the cheapest way to effectively preserve that metal as lead paint is far superior in stopping corrosion. And these being historic artifacts I think they can get away with it. (I would always look across the bay in Yokosuka at our Japanese counterparts with envy as they exclusively used lead-based paint on their hulls. Meanwhile, our shit turns red the moment you walk away...)

That's what I also thought at first. Lead in this case means "fire ahead of the target", not the element Pb. This was taken from the USS Alabama (BB-60).  She took part in the Okinawan campaign. And I agree about the paint. They were doing renovation work up in the bridge when I toured the ship. Didn't get to see the engineering spaces. Next time, tour the ship in winter. And having seen the bunk space, I am glad I served in the army.
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