BIGGLES PIONEER AIR FIGHTER
First Published in November 1954* - 216 pages
*My thanks go to Australian collectors Gary Krohn
and Kim Miles for their research and this information
The first edition has either red or blue boards (it appears both
coloured boards were issued in November 1954) a colour frontispiece and says
“Kingston Library” on the spine.
The book title is in gilt.
Internally, the book lists six W. E. Johns’ titles and then book titles
from “Son of Black Beauty” to “The Little Countess”. See pictures below.
The dust wrapper has “Kingston Library” and “The Thames Publishing
Co. London” on the spine
The original first edition dust jacket showing the price of 3
shillings and 6d
The Dean & Son edition dust jacket – There was no price
printed on this dust jacket
This contains thirteen short stories, eleven of which were
originally published in THE CAMELS ARE COMING (1932)
and two of which (The Thought Reader and Biggles Finds
His Feet) were originally published in BIGGLES OF THE
CAMEL SQUADRON (1934).
(If you click on any story title below you
will find a full and detailed description of the relevant story)
The stories are:-
ABOUT PIONEER AIR COMBAT (a short essay by W. E. Johns)
HOW BIGGLES WAS "BORN" (a short essay by W. E. Johns)
GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN THIS BOOK
Biggles' propeller kills a carrier pigeon but Biggles finds the
message and goes to rescue a spy.
Biggles and his squadron join up with some Americans for a major
air battle with the Germans.
A captured German pilot tricks Biggles, but he realises in time to
foil a German attack.
When Biggles loses one of his pilots to a German trick he goes all out to get the plane responsible.
Biggles first meets a new pilot who happens to be his cousin and
whose Christian name is Algernon.
Algy takes revenge when a German raid on the Squadron's aerodrome
destroys his garden.
Biggles discovers a German plane receiving secret signals from a
spy using corn in a field.
Engine trouble forces Biggles down in 'no-man's-land' where he has
a taste of trench warfare.
Biggles attacks a heavily defended new German bomber and has to
devise a way to shoot it down.
Biggles is forced to take leave but manages to shoot down 2 German
seaplanes that bomb the UK.
Biggles gets lost in fog and is shocked to discover he has landed
by a German gas supply dump.
Biggles meets the love of his life, Marie Janis, only to discover
that she is a spy.
Biggles gets promoted to Major and is shot down only to discover
the armistice has been signed.
With the exception of the frontispiece, there are no story
illustrations in this book.
Biggles Pioneer Air Fighter
Publication Details - published by the Thames Publishing Co.
Frontispiece
Click on the above to see it in more detail
The book list in the first edition looks like this – only listing
books to “The Little Countess”
The spine of the first edition has the titles in gilt
The date of the first edition – hidden under the front pastedown
(in reverse) – using “rubbing alcohol” (and a mirror) you can just make out the
“Printed November 1954”
and finally here is link to a hand written letter by
W. E. Johns himself from November 1954 talking about the up and coming
publication of this book!