Samurai!
Saburo Sakai's autobiography
Shooting down Wildcat
Over Guadalcanal | Lae Aerodrome
April 5, 1942
Discovery
of Pug Southerland's Wildcat
Shot down by Saburo Sakai on August 7, 1942 over Guadalcanal. Discovered by Michael Claringbould / Pacific Ghosts in 1998. This
aircraft was the first American aircraft shot down over Guadalcanal,
and one of the best documented (from the accounts of both surviving
pilots) dogfights of WWII.
Saburo
Sakai Goggles and Helmet
Displayed at the Nimitz Museum, this flight helmet and goggles was
worn by Sakai on August 7, 1942 mission to Guadalcanal. On this mission he was
wounded in his eye when bullets three SBDs he attacked from the rear hit his plane. Wounded and flying a damaged fighter, he flew all the way back to Rabaul alone and landed safely. Also displayed is a silver belt buckle with a tiger given to Sakai as a good luck gift. Sakai donated these items to the museum when he passed away in 2000.
Books about Saburo Sakai
Ôzora no samurai - Saburo Sakai's autobiography (Japanese language only)
Ôzora no samurai (movie) 1976 Japanese movie based on Sakai's wartime service
Samurai! English language abridge version of Sakai's autobiography with Martin Caiden
Winged Samurai by Henry Sakaida, covers both Allied & Sakai's side of air combats
Imperial Japanese Naval Aces 1937-45 Profiles Sakai's aerial victories
Aces of the Rising Sun 1937-45 Compilation of Osprey IJN and JAAF books, profiles Sakai
Pacific Ghosts CD-ROM Discovery of F4F Wildcat Sakai shot down August 7, 1942
The Samurai Illustrated Story of the Greatest Zero Pilot Paintings by Masahiro Mino
Internet
Links
Japanese WWII Pilot Defends Military
August 10, 2000 article
Interview
with Saburo Sakai
Sakai was an historical advisor to Microsoft
during the production of Combat Flight Simulator 2, this is the transcription
of an interview with the game designers.
