The Century of Flight

Episode Synopsis

The influence of aviation on maritime operations during World War II. Colour footage of Pearl Harbor in the aftermath of the Japanese 1941 attack on it. How Pearl Harbor took place - the story of the planning, including Yamamoto drawing inspiration from the British carrier strike on the Italian port of Taranto, and the attack itself. US Retaliation - the Doolittle raid on Japan, April 1942 (including colour footage). Aircraft Carriers Rule the Waves - vulnerability of ships to aircraft meant that the carrier took over from battleship as principal naval weapon. Colour graphics/diagrams to explain how carriers operated. Pacific Carrier Battles - Midway 1942, Leyte Gulf 1944, Japanese kamikaze attacks.