Editing Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (section)

==Production==
There is an error in the onscreen credits, perpetuated in many sources, including [https://variety.com/1943/film/reviews/thirty-seconds-over-tokyo-1200414194/ the ''Variety'' review]. They list Ted W. Lawson and Robert Considine as authors of both "the book" and a "story" in ''Collier's'' magazine. There was no such story. Lawson was the sole author of the book ''Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo'', and the word "Collier's" was crossed off in the credits of the copyright cutting continuity.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/24206-THIRTY-SECONDSOVERTOKYO?sid=d60f1c2e-1342-4372-b2a5-bcbbe67b228d&sr=20.36729&cp=1&pos=0|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog. Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo: History|last=|first=|date=|website=catalog.afi.com|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-02-07}}</ref>[[File:Thirty-seconds-over-tokyo.jpg|thumb|275px|The B-25s about to launch from USS ''Hornet.'' Admiral Halsey (Morris Ankrum) is saluting in the foreground.]]
[[File:30SOT trailer 15 Ruptured Duck flies over Tokyo.JPG|thumb|275px|"The Ruptured Duck" flies over a burning target in ''Thirty Seconds over Tokyo'']]

The film is known for its accurate depiction of the raid and use of actual wartime footage of the bombing aircraft. The production crew worked closely with Captain Ted Lawson and other members of the raid to make the film as realistic as possible. Filming at [[Hurlburt Field]] and [[Peel Field]] near [[Mary Esther, Florida]], and Eglin Field (the actual base where the Doolittle Raiders trained), and operational USAAF B-25C and B-25D bombers were used (closely resembling the B-25B Mitchells used in 1942). Auxiliary Field 4, [[Peel Field]], was used for the short-distance take off practice scenes.<ref>[http://video.onset.freedom.com/nwfdn/kz4hzl-eglininthemovies.pdf "Eglin in the Movies."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015070157/http://video.onset.freedom.com/nwfdn/kz4hzl-eglininthemovies.pdf |date=2013-10-15 }} ''video.onset.freedom.com.'' Retrieved: October 27, 2011.</ref>

Dean Davenport was a technical adviser and stunt flyer for the film. He flew a B-25 bomber off a pier in Santa Monica, Calif., for a scene showing the takeoffs from the Hornet.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Goldstein|first=Richard|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/21/us/dean-davenport-81-aviator-in-doolittle-raid.html|title=Dean Davenport, 81, Aviator in Doolittle Raid|date=2000-02-21|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-02-09|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Although an aircraft carrier was not available, due to wartime needs (USS ''Hornet'' itself had been sunk in the [[Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands]] on October 27, 1942 only six months after launching the raid), a mix of realistic studio sets and original newsreel footage recreated the USS ''Hornet'' scenes. Principal photography took place between February and June 1944.<ref>Orriss 1984, p. 93.</ref> {{#tag:ref|MGM's studio 15 provided room for {{convert|179|ft|m}} of carrier deck. Three actual B-25s were used on the set and the remainder were matte paintings of the deck and B-25s integrated into the background.|group=Note}}