I've seen several instances on TV of a certain snippet of colour film where a fighter is firing on a Japanese ship until it explodes with an almighty flashing blast. Can anyone recall and shed some more light on this attack footage? (i.e. the name of the ship, location, date, Youtube link etc.) I think it was from the Battle of the Coral Sea or Savo Island but I could be wrong. Sorry I cant be more specific on the details of my request. thanks
I've had a brief look on Pootube but I haven't yet found it. It seems to be a popular grab in the pacific war doccos on tv though. I don't know how more accurately I can describe it other than a fighter is approaching and pounding it before a huge flash and shockwave, the plane pulls away just before you can see whats left of the ship. It's just thet the blast is so fast and has such a massive radius that it grabs attention. I couldn't see any torpedo or dive bombers in the footage so it appears magazines within the hull must have exploded.
I think I know what footage you are referring to, however, there are actually two or three similar clips. The ones I am thinking of involve what appear to be small auxiliary warships (patrol vessels) or transports. In one clip the vessel is underway, in another it is anchored or at least stopped. I think all of these clips were from late in the war when US carrier aviation was annihilating Japanese shipping in, and around, the Home Islands, although it's also possible that some of the clips could depict attacks on enemy shipping in the Philippines or South China Sea. Without further information or the clip itself, it would be impossible to positively identify the vessel. and it may be that the information was never recorded simply because the vessel involved was so insignificant.
I found the footage on youtube. It's on the WW2 in Colour series (sorry, I don't have the link or access to Youtube here at work) about 4:32 into the video. I think Devilsadvocate is right, on closer inspection it seems to be a smaller vessel so the blast wasn't as big as it might have initially appeared. Still I wouldn't think there'd be much left of anyone unlucky enough to be onboard.
