A news item in the Sep 1915 Movie Pictorial stated that production was in progress at Reliance-Majestic Studios in Hollywood, CA, later known as the Fine Arts Studio. The film was referred to by its working title, The Scarlett Band. Later that month, the 18 Sep 1915 Motion Picture News reported that the company was on location in San Diego, CA, filming scenes at the harbor, where a number of U.S. Navy submarines were docked. The article claimed that actor-writer John Emerson was in the process of novelizing his scenario for commercial publication.
       The 25 Nov 1916 Motion Picture News noted that the film marked the first featured role for teenaged actress Bessie Love, who was reportedly discovered by Emerson among a group of background actors. As stated in the 2 Oct 1915 issue, additional cast members included Ralph Lewis, Alfred Paget, James Gibson, Charles I. Pearce, Bert Hadley, “Curly” Baldwin, Elliott Griffin, and Charles Gill in the respective roles of “Thomas A. Edison,” “John Hayes Hammond, Jr.,” “Dr. Charles P. Steinmetz,” “Hudson Maxim,” “Orville Wright,” “Henry Ford,” “Thomas Nixon,” and “Alexander Graham Bell,” all real-life figures who comprised the film’s fictional Department of the Navy. The article mentioned the alternate working title, In 1921.
       According to the 6 Nov 1915 Motion Picture News more than 500 members of the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserve were transported by train from San Diego to Santa Ana, CA, for a three-day shoot of battle scenes under the direction of William Christy Cabanne, with the assistance of Lt. Muirhead and other Navy Reserve officers, with some aviation duties performed by J. H. Hogan. The 16 Oct 1915 Picture-Play Weekly credited Glenn Martin as the pilot in aviation scenes. Also appearing in the film was character actor Carl Formes, Jr., as noted in the 21 Oct 1916 Motion Picture News.
       On 15 Jan 1916, Motography announced the picture’s official title as The Flying Torpedo. The premiere was scheduled for the Knickerbocker Theatre in New York City. A Los Angeles, CA, debut followed at the Burbank Theatre, which had recently been converted to a movie house, as stated in the 5 Feb 1916 Motography. The opening night was reportedly attended by prominent members of the film industry. Two nights later, the audience included several retired military officers, proceeded the next night by members of the Pacific Coast Defense League.
       A general release was scheduled for 4 Feb 1916, but it was delayed until 12 Mar 1916. Reviews were generally positive.
       Although the 25 Mar 1916 Motography suggested that the titular weapon was merely a product of the writers’ imaginations, the 2 Dec 1916 issue revealed that such a weapon had been invented in Alberta, Canada, by Ernst Edward Gerard Hedenstrom. Coincidentally, the film opened in Alberta while Hedenstrom and his associate, John Jacob Bleiler, were on trial for attempting to sell the device to the German government.
       The scenario was adapted as a short story by Robert J. Shores for the Jan 1916 Motion Picture.
       The Flying Torpedo is one of the few feature films from this period to take place in the future.