I always thought that the above 1949 movie was the best of all the aircraft based films. It rightfully won Academy and other awards and led to a three season TV series. I still watch it every so often and after all these years I am surprised by the crackling dialogue and plot development. You can see the first five minutes, the whole movie or download it all for free at the attached link.
Twelve o'Clock High | Free Entertainment Videos - Watch Entertainment Videos Online | Veoh
Some years ago I was in the Officers Club at Fort Snelling and was introduced to a gentleman who had served in 8AAF in the wartime UK. He told me that the author Beirne Lay had been a CO at an operational station in 1943/44. It was widely thought by the veterans that some of the senior characters were based on Ira C. Eaker and his staff and the Bomb Group the Bloody 100th. He also told me that Walter Matthau was a gunner, John Ehrlichman a navigator, Paul Tibbits did a tour and Curtis Lemay led a bomb group.
The film is terrific