Dogfight Over Guadalcanal
The Dogfight
Secrets of the Dead Cineflix for PBS, NGI and Discovery Canada
7th August 1942, Guadalcanal: In a few, frantic moments US Navy pilot James ‘Pug’ Southerland and Imperial Japanese Navy ace Saburo Sakai displayed levels of flying skill, courage and compassion, which would make them legends of the air.
However, this classic dogfight still has one enduring mystery. One of the pilots completely outfoxed and outmanoeuvred his opponent, but with the enemy dead in his sights, his guns remained silent. Just why didn’t he fire? Using the pilots own accounts, crash site forensics, and historical reconstructions, this film finally solves the mystery of the Dogfight Over Guadalcanal.
