Referring to the title as Bat Two-One, the 18 Dec 1980 DV reported that the picture was being financed by the Cambridge Film Group, Ltd., with actors Dean Martin and Ben Vereen in the cast. Principal photography was set to begin in Mar 1981. Three months later, a 3 Mar 1981 HR article noted the film, referred by the working title Bat 2-1, would start filming in Arizona on 15 Apr 1981 with director John Sturges and executive producer Gen Jenson. The budget was cited as $6 million. However, an advertisement in the 15 Dec 1983 DV announced the film was to be produced by Billy Hanna and David Fisher. Fisher was listed as director, and Ben Chapman was credited as an associate producer, with C. K. Williams as executive producer.
       Four years later, a 5 May 1987 DV news item reported that the picture was scheduled to begin principal photography on 15 Jun 1987, under director Peter Markle, with Fisher attached as producer. However, a 25 Aug 1987 HR production chart stated filming began on 22 Jun 1987 in Malaysia. According to the 16 Jun 1987 HR, filming was scheduled for ten weeks in Sabah, Malaysia. A 26 Jun 1987 HR item reported that while filming on the island of Borneo, residents of a local village were angered when the production’s makeup truck “accidentally caused the untimely death of the villagers’ pet snake,” and hurled rocks at the crew. The 26 Aug 1987 Var announced completion principal photography. Reports in the 6 Jul 1987 and 20 Aug 1987 DV noted the film’s budget as being between $10 million and $10.5 million.
       The 12 May 1987 HR production chart, and reports in the 5 May 1987 HR and 27 May 1987 Var, credited Marc Norman as a writer on the screenplay along with author William C. Anderson. However, Norman is not credited onscreen. A 15 Jul 1987 Var brief and the 25 Aug 1987 HR listed actress Julie Sommars as a cast member, but she is not credited onscreen.
       According to studio publicity materials in AMPAS library files, Tri-Star Pictures held a preview screening at AMPAS in Beverly Hills, CA, on 17 Oct 1988.
       Nine years after the picture’s release, the 20 Nov 1997 LAT reported that the remains of six airmen who were part of the search-and-rescue mission for Lieutenant Colonel Iceal Hambleton were buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC. As portrayed in the film, the men were shot down in Vietnam on 6 Apr 1972.
       End credits state: “Special Thanks to: Claude K. Williams; William Hanna; Sam Oetinger; Don Otto.” End credits also state: “This motion picture was shot entirely on location in Sabah, Borneo--East Malaysia”; and, “The producers would like to thank: the Federal Government of Malaysia; the Royal Army and the Royal Air Force of Malaysia; the state government of Sabah and its people; the Malaysian Airline System; the management and the staff of the Tanjung Aru Beach Hotel, a Beaufort International Hotel Group.”
      The onscreen title card in opening credits includes a star symbol between “Bat” and “21.” The following statement precedes opening credits: “Lieutenant Colonel Iceal Hambleton was a missile intelligence expert in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. As such, he was privy to certain highly classified information. The film you are about to see is based on a true story.” Before end credits, the following statement appears: “Lt. Colonel Iceal Hambleton is now retired and resides in Arizona, near a golf course.” The credit, “Best Golfers,” is credited onscreen to “Harry & Jack.”