I'm trying to answer this question myself while doing my first 1/350 scale battleship. Finding correct references can be daunting since so many plans kinda scimp on these details. Pictures are a good resource, but now I'm finding myself trying to keep track of which porthole goes where while looking at a bunch of black and white, faded, pictures. I think from now on, unless it's going to the Admiralty and they are going to build a 1:1 scale from my model, I' m going just to put on enough doors and portholes to make the model look "scale".
I'll enjoy building it more.
Scott