SS, if it was absorbed by the water why would the huge 200 foot flame have vented straight up?
It did not explode, it burned.
In Roma the main magazine actually exploded it did not burn as in Hood. Same with Yamato, filled with many holes from hits so it seems this might have more chance of venting but did not. Pictures and accounts of all these ships are remarkably similar explosions and day and night with the Hood event.
Gunpowder, somewhat similar to rocket fuel, burns and creates pressure. If confined the pressure builds and attempts to relieve itself.
In all major magazine explosions only the Hood (that I remember) burned and did not explode. That much propellant had to have a big opening straight up to do what it did and saying some official has to say it to make it credible is well, I will be polite and not finish that!
As to Arizona being lighter and therefore faster is not the case. With 33,376BHP on her trials she made 21Kts and by the time 1941 rolled around I doubt she could make 20Kts.
Now as to what we remember we are all capable of hearing and even remembering what we read wrongly.
My father was at pearl and saw the Arizona blow up although she was furthest away from his ship the gunboat USS Sacramento the second ship in from the point across from battleship row.
He described the events as he remembered to his kids many times and somehow my younger sister remembered him saying he personally destroyed many Jap warship all by himself. Being I studied what I could from the earliest of days as naval history was my biggest interest I knew full well he never said anything remotely along those lines but my sister to this day tells people our father destroyed many Jap ships and trying to explain there were no Jap ships there to destroy and how this is ridiculous well reminds me of this thread.
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Just kidding (Not about my sister, that is actually true!!)but you have to admit that is funny and I could not resist making a joke!!
Wulfmann