BIGGLES IN THE GOBI
Book First Published on 8th October 1953 - 160 pages
This story was first published, in seventeen weekly parts, as
BIGGLES IN THE GOBI in The Eagle Volume 4, issue 17 to Volume 4 issue 33, dated
31st July 1953 to 20th November 1953
First edition dust jacket showing the original price of 7
shillings and 6 pence
CHAPTERS
Click on any chapter for a summary of the events in that chapter or
see the general story summary below
Biggles is asked by Air Commodore
Raymond to travel to the middle of Asia to rescue some missionaries from
Communist China. Taking Algy, Ginger and Bertie with him, plus a Chinese man by
the name of Feng-tao (who speaks virtually no English), Biggles flies in an
unmarked Halifax from Pakistan to the Gobi desert. The missionaries are hidden
in a cave but there is nowhere suitable to land within miles, so Algy, Ginger
and Feng-tao parachute down whilst Biggles flies back to Pakistan. The plan is
for Algy and Ginger to organise the clearance of an area suitable for use as a
runway. However, they find that the missionaries have been attacked and that
only four out of eleven remain. One had already died, two were killed in the
raid and four have been captured and taken prisoner. Facing constant threat
from Chinese soldiers, lead by Ma Chang - known as 'the tiger', Algy and Ginger
have to hold out. Ginger organises a rescue attempt using fierce local native warriors
called Kirghiz, and manages to free the four captured missionaries. Meanwhile,
Biggles and Bertie have problems of their own, having hit an eagle with the
Halifax (the picture on the dust cover) and been forced to land to repair the
plane. Biggles is able to return, after shooting down a Mig plane, just as a
final battle is taking place at the caves. He is able to rescue everybody and
get them away.
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Biggles in the Gobi
Subtitle - A further adventure of Detective Air-Inspector
Bigglesworth and his Air Police, this time in the desert known as the Black
Gobi in the heart of Asia
Publication Details - published by Hodder & Stoughton
Frontispiece
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