BIGGLES - AIR DETECTIVE
Book First published in May 1950 by Latimer House for Marks and
Spencer* (in a large "annual" style
format) - 93 pages
* This information is taken from letters from A. P. Watt & Son to W. E. Johns
in my collection
These stories were serialised in either the “The Melbourne
Herald” or “The Sun Pictorial” in
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between July and December 1950
Later this book was published in standard book format by Latimer
House on 7th July 1952 - 142 pages
The boards of the annual like first
edition – note the “Stead” signature cleverly hidden in the waves
From correspondence between Johns’ literary agent and W. E. Johns, I
know that Johns agreed to write six stories EXCLUSIVELY for this
publication. The six stories that Johns
wrote were “THE CASE OF THE UNKNOWN AIRCRAFT”, “THE CASE OF THE BLACK SHEEP”,
“THE CASE OF THE WOUNDED AGENT”, “THE CASE OF THE STOLEN AIRCRAFT”, “THE CASE
OF THE UNREGISTERED OPERATOR” and “THE CASE OF THE MYSTERIOUS GUNSHOTS”. Of these six stories, three were then sold to
the BBC to be dramatised for radio. Those three stories were - “THE CASE OF THE
UNKNOWN AIRCRAFT”, “THE CASE OF THE STOLEN AIRCRAFT” and “THE CASE OF THE
MYSTERIOUS GUNSHOTS”.
On 12th September 1949, the BBC broadcast “The Case of
the Unknown Aircraft” on the radio and they changed Johns’ original title to
“The Case of the Lump of Metal”.
Marks and Spencer then said
that they didn’t want the ones which had been dramatised
for radio as they wanted only original, previously unknown, stories. They were then sent two more short stories
which Johns had already written - “THE CASE OF THE MURDERED APPRENTICE” and
“THE CASE OF THE BRILLIANT PUPIL”. He
then wrote another to make up the agreed six - “THE CASE OF THE VISITING
SULTAN”. When the book was FINALLY
published it included a seventh story, which had been one of the three stories
initially rejected as it was on the radio - “THE CASE OF THE STOLEN
AIRCRAFT”. The two missing stories
were then published by Odhams Press Ltd elsewhere - “THE CASE OF THE MYSTERIOUS
GUNSHOTS” in an edited form in the “Golden Book of Comics” in 1950 and “THE
CASE OF THE UNKNOWN AIRCRAFT” in “Adventure Stories for Boys” in 1956. Both of those stories were then collected
together in the Biggles book BIGGLES
TAKES THE CASE. It is certainly the case that the stories in
this collection were subject to change.
In Biggles
Follows On
(published 14th June 1952 but written by 17th July 1951
as that is the date of the covering letter by which the original manuscript was
sent to his agent), on page 119, there is reference to the story “The Case of
the Mandarin’s Treasure Chest”.
Johns has written a footnote saying that this story was in “Biggles
– Air Detective”, whereas in fact, it was published in Biggles
of the Special Air Police in September 1953. Clearly,
that story was written well before June 1952.
Was that story also destined for this book? Or did Johns’ recollection as to where the
story was to be published just fail him?
The ‘Case of the Mandarin’s Treasure Chest’ hadn’t been published when
Johns made the reference to it.
If you want to know how ENID
BLYTON was partially
responsible for the publication of this book by Marks & Spencer, just click
on her name.
Biggles – Air Detective contains seven short stories. They are all
Air Police stories. They are as follows:-
THE CASE OF THE BLACK SHEEP
(Pages 5 to 16)
An ex-RAF Officer is using his aircraft to smuggle nylons into the
UK, picking them up from a ship.
THE CASE OF THE VISITING SULTAN
(Pages 17 to 28)
A notorious US gangster is planning to attack a Sultan's aircraft
in order to steal his diamonds.
THE CASE OF THE UNREGISTERED OPERATOR
(Pages 29 to 41)
Biggles goes to prison in order to uncover an illegal air
transportation operation for criminals.
THE CASE OF THE WOUNDED AGENT
(Pages 42 to 53)
Biggles is sent on a special assignment to save a secret agent,
and his information, from Bulgaria.
THE CASE OF THE BRILLIANT PUPIL
(Pages 54 to 64)
An excellent flying pupil, who already knows how to fly, is using
his solo flights for illegal reasons.
THE CASE OF THE MURDERED APPRENTICE
(Pages 65 to 80)
Biggles uncovers a smuggling operation from Holland when
investigating why a man was murdered.
THE CASE OF THE STOLEN AIRCRAFT
(Pages 81 to 93)
A man who has designed a new plane is stealing aircraft for the
aviation fuel they contain.
(The book cover shows a portrait of
Biggles in his flying gear with a seaplane behind him)
Click here to see the story illustrations from this book
Biggles - Air Detective
Publication Details - published in the style of an annual by
Marks and Spencer
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Front Endpiece and Title Page
The Latimer House Reprint Edition 1952 (click to enlarge)
The cover picture is the same as the first edition and is by Leslie Stead. You can see his signature cleverly hidden in
the waves!