Barrett Tillman, an author and historian who appears in the film “Dogfight Over Guadalcanal,” discusses the art of the dogfight and the Guadalcanal campaign.

In this interview with Wetterhahn, learn about how his background as a crash investigator and in the US Air Force helped to uncover the truth about what happened in this historic dogfight.

While a dogfight can’t be reduced entirely to the distinctions between two machines, it’s necessary to look closely at the aircraft involved.

On August 7, 1942, the opening day of the Guadalcanal campaign, American forces began shelling Guadalcanal and neighboring Tulagi in the Solomon Islands.

“Dogfight Over Guadalcanal” examines the showdown between 30-year-old Southerland in his Wildcat, and Saburo Sakai, 25, in his Mitsubishi Zero. Watch the full episode online.