William Holden agreed to do the film on the sole condition that the producers keep the original ending of the novel, in which Lt. Harry Brubaker dies, and not turn it into a happy ending.
William Holden's younger brother, Robert Beedle, was a Navy fighter pilot who was killed in action in World War II. After this film was released, he was remembered by his squadron-mates as having been very much like the character of Lt Harry Brubaker.
F9F Panther jets from US Navy squadron VF-192 were also used to film Men of the Fighting Lady. After the filming of these two movies, the squadron name was changed from "Golden Dragons" to "World Famous Golden Dragons".
For realistic close-up shots, William Holden learned how to taxi a fighter on the deck of an aircraft carrier.
Loosely based on the story of the VF-51 naval aviators, of which astronaut Neil Armstrong was a member.
The aircraft that Brubaker and his squadron fly is the Grumman F9F-2 Panther.
The Japanese resort hotel that appears in the film is modeled on the Fujiya Hotel, located in the village of Miyanoshita near Mount Fuji. This famous hotel was actually commissioned by the U.S. Army as a "rest and relaxation" hotel for American soldiers for several years after World War II, and possibly up to the Korean War. The exterior shots of the hotel are real, but the lobby scenes appear to be studio replicas of the original lobby.
The novel and film were based on actual missions flown by pilots of the U.S.S. Essex and U.S.S. Valley Forge against bridges at Majon-ni and Changnim-Ni, North Korea, in the winter of 1951-1952. The two rescue missions depicted in the film - the sea rescue of a pilot down in the Sea of Japan, and the attempted land rescue of a pilot down behind enemy lines -- both took place on the same day, February 8, 1952. However, unlike in the film, the jet pilot and rescue pilot from the U.S.S. Valley Forge who were shot down behind enemy lines both survived. They were captured by the North Koreans, taken to a prison camp, and released at the end of the war. At the time James Michener wrote his novel, the two pilots were officially listed as "Missing, presumed dead."
The shipboard scenes were filmed on the U.S.S. Oriskany, whose number CV-34 is visible when Lt. Brubaker walks out to the bow to gather his thoughts before the mission. However, during shooting, the Oriskany needed repairs, and the shooting was completed on her sister ship U.S.S. Kearsarge, CV-33. For continuity the 33 was painted out and and replaced with a 34.
The U.S. Navy's cooperation in the movie's making included the use of 19 ships.
Writer James Michener wrote the story after spending time aboard the USS Essex. One of the pilots aboard the Essex at the time was Neil Armstrong. It is not known for certain whether any of the characters in the book or movie were based on Armstrong.