The fuselage of the plane is marked with the ID number 6-T-14. That designation is also used by the crew during their radio calls. However, the actual number of the lost aircraft was 6-T-6 (aircraft number 6 of Torpedo Squadron 6).
Although the crew spent 34 days in the raft, their hair length at the end of the film is the same as at the beginning.
After 34 days at sea none of the men grow a beard or significant facial hair.
After the crew has been drifting for several weeks, CPO Dixon (the pilot) admits that he had fallen asleep while he and his crew were trying to locate their carrier, and that this was the reason they got lost and had to ditch. He says the reason for his dozing off was that that cockpit was too hot. Left unexplained is why he didn't simply slide his canopy open to let the heat out and let cool air in.
Shortly after the plane ditches in the ocean, it is shown sinking while two crew members are swimming to the surface. Yet even though the aircraft is already well under water, a fire still burns brightly in the front cockpit.