 DATE: The film takes place in the months leading up to the Battle of  Midway in June, 1942, and the pilots in it fly Grumman TBF Avenger  torpedo bombers. The TBF was not introduced until just prior to  Midway and saw its first operational flights at the battle. During  the period in which the film takes place, the pilots would actually  be flying Douglas TBD Devastator torpedo bombers instead.