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James Bigglesworth, nicknamed "Biggles", is a fictional pilot and adventurer, the
title character The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...
and
hero A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. Like other formerly gender-specific terms (like ...
of the ''Biggles'' series of adventure books, written for young readers by
W. E. Johns William Earl Johns (5 February 189321 June 1968) was an English First World War pilot, and writer of adventure stories, usually written under the pen name Capt. W. E. Johns: best known for creating the fictional air-adventurer ''Biggles''. Ea ...
(1893–1968). Biggles made his first appearance in the story ''The White Fokker'', published in the first issue of ''Popular Flying'' magazine and again as part of the first collection of Biggles stories, ''The Camels Are Coming'' (both 1932). Johns continued to write "Biggles books" until his death in 1968. The
series Series may refer to: People with the name * Caroline Series (born 1951), English mathematician, daughter of George Series * George Series (1920–1995), English physicist Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Series, the ordered sets used in ...
eventually included nearly a hundred volumes – novels as well as short story collections – most of the latter with a common setting and time. The chronology of the canon, spanning both world wars, set up certain inconsistencies over the unavoidable ageing of Biggles and his friends. Also later editions had to be somewhat edited in line with changing norms of acceptability, especially regarding race, and in view of the pre-teenage readership who increasingly favoured both the books and the comics.


Synopsis

Biggles first appears as a teenaged "scout" ( fighter) pilot in the
Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...
(RFC) during the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. He joined the RFC in 1916 at the age of 17, having conveniently "lost" his
birth certificate A birth certificate is a vital record that documents the birth of a person. The term "birth certificate" can refer to either the original document certifying the circumstances of the birth or to a certified copy of or representation of the ensuin ...
. Biggles represents a particularly British hero, combining professionalism with a gentlemanly air. Under the stress of combat he develops from a slightly hysterical youth prone to practical jokes to a calm, confident, competent leader. He is occasionally given "special" (secret) missions by the shadowy figure of
Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
(initially Major) Raymond (
Wing Commander Wing commander (Wg Cdr in the RAF, the IAF, and the PAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, formerly sometimes W/C in all services) is a senior commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and air forces of many countries which have historical ...
/ Air Commodore in later books, reflecting the creation of the
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
with its own ranks), who is already involved with the
intelligence Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. More generally, it can b ...
side of operations. Biggles is accompanied by his cousin Algernon ('Algy') Lacey and his mechanic Flight Sergeant Smyth, who accompany Biggles on his adventures after the war. Added to the team in 1935 is the teenager Ginger Hebblethwaite.


Biggles and his creator

W. E. Johns was himself a First World War pilot, although his own career did not parallel that of Biggles particularly closely. The author's initial war service was as an infantryman, fighting at
Gallipoli The Gallipoli peninsula (; tr, Gelibolu Yarımadası; grc, Χερσόνησος της Καλλίπολης, ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles ...
and on the
Macedonian front The Macedonian front, also known as the Salonica front (after Thessaloniki), was a military theatre of World War I formed as a result of an attempt by the Allied Powers to aid Serbia, in the autumn of 1915, against the combined attack of German ...
. He was commissioned as a
second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
in September 1917, seconded to the Royal Flying Corps and posted back to England for flight training: Johns served as a flying instructor in England until August 1918, when he transferred to the Western Front. On 16 September 1918 his De Havilland DH4 was shot down on a bombing raid. His observer, Lieutenant Amey, was killed (in two of the stories in ''Biggles Learns to Fly'' observers flying with Biggles are killed or badly wounded) but Johns survived to be taken prisoner of war. Johns remained with the RAF until 1927, latterly as an administrative officer rather than a pilot: his final rank was Flying Officer (equivalent to Lieutenant in the RFC) rather than the "
Capt. Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
" that formed part of his
pen name A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen na ...
. While the purpose of the Biggles stories was to entertain adolescent boys, in the First World War stories Johns paid attention to historical detail and helped recreate the primitive days of early air combat, when pilots often died in their first combat and before devices such as pilot's oxygen supply and
parachute A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag or, in a ram-air parachute, aerodynamic lift. A major application is to support people, for recreation or as a safety device for aviators, who ...
s had become practical. Various models on which the Biggles character might have been based have been suggested, including rugby player and WWI flying ace
Cyril Lowe Cyril Nelson "Kit" Lowe, (7 October 1891 – 6 February 1983) was an English rugby union footballer who held England's international try scoring record for over sixty years, a First World War flying ace credited with nine victories, and suppose ...
, fighter pilot
Albert Ball Albert Ball, (14 August 1896 – 7 May 1917) was a British fighter pilot during the First World War. At the time of his death he was the United Kingdom's leading flying ace, with 44 victories, and remained its fourth-highest scorer b ...
and air commodore
Arthur Bigsworth Air Commodore Arthur Wellesley Bigsworth & Bar, AFC (27 March 1885 – 24 February 1961) was a pioneer aviator who had a distinguished military career in the service of the British armed forces. Early life Arthur Wellesley Bigsworth was bor ...
. Johns stated that the character was a
composite Composite or compositing may refer to: Materials * Composite material, a material that is made from several different substances ** Metal matrix composite, composed of metal and other parts ** Cermet, a composite of ceramic and metallic materials ...
of many individuals in the RFC (including himself). The bulk of the Biggles books are set after the First World War, and after Johns' flying career was over. Biggles has an unusually lengthy career, flying a number of aircraft representative of the history of British military aviation, from
Sopwith Camel The Sopwith Camel is a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter aircraft that was introduced on the Western Front in 1917. It was developed by the Sopwith Aviation Company as a successor to the Sopwith Pup and became one of the b ...
s during the First World War,
Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness by ...
s and
Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Grif ...
s in the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, right up to the
Hawker Hunter The Hawker Hunter is a transonic British jet-powered fighter aircraft that was developed by Hawker Aircraft for the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was designed to take advantage of the newly developed Rolls-R ...
jet fighter in a postwar adventure ''Biggles in the Terai''. In these later books geographic and historical accuracy is less evident and the grim detail of the first stories is moderated for an increasingly younger readership. The books were successful and were translated into Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Flemish, German, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish.


Fictional biography


Early life

According to stories in ''The Boy Biggles'' and ''Biggles Goes to School'', James Bigglesworth was born in
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
in May 1899, the son of an administrator in the
Indian Civil Service The Indian Civil Service (ICS), officially known as the Imperial Civil Service, was the higher civil service of the British Empire in India during British rule in the period between 1858 and 1947. Its members ruled over more than 300 million ...
and his wife. James was the younger of two sons, Charles being the elder by five years. The young James had little contact with
European culture The culture of Europe is rooted in its art, architecture, film, different types of music, economics, literature, and philosophy. European culture is largely rooted in what is often referred to as its "common cultural heritage". Definition ...
and commenced a lifelong affection for India, befriending the local Indian boys, exploring the countryside and learning to speak fluent
Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
. He retained a lifetime gift for languages and as an adult spoke French and German fluently, with a "fair command" of other languages. He spent holidays in England, under the custody of "Dickpa", an eccentric uncle and inventor who lived in rural
Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
. When Biggles, now an adult, visits Dickpa, his father's brother, again, an adventure begins that takes both men to Brazil (the Cruise of the Condor). Biggles then attended Malton Hall School in Hertbury, England. His first encounter with an aircraft was with a Blériot that landed on the school cricket ground.


First World War

Biggles left school and initially joined the army as a subaltern in the
Rifle Regiment A rifle regiment is a military unit consisting of a regiment of infantry troops armed with rifles and known as riflemen. While all infantry units in modern armies are typically armed with rifled weapons the term is still used to denote regiments t ...
in 1916. He transferred to the
Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...
and learned to fly in the summer of 1916, at No. 17 Flying Training School, which was at Settling, Norfolk, flying solo after two hours of instruction. He then attended No. 4 'School of Fighting' in Frensham, Lincolnshire. Posted to France with under 15 hours, dual and solo, he first flew in combat in September 1916 with 169 Squadron, RFC, (commanded by Major Paynter). His observer was another youth named Mark Way, a New Zealander. Biggles began flying the F.E.2b " pusher" and later the
Bristol F2B The Bristol F.2 Fighter is a British First World War two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft developed by Frank Barnwell at the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter, ''"Brisfit"'' or ''"Bif ...
. In late summer 1917, he was transferred to 266 Squadron RFC, commanded by a
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
er, Major Mullen. With 266 Squadron, Biggles flew the
Sopwith Pup The Sopwith Pup is a British single-seater biplane fighter aircraft built by the Sopwith Aviation Company. It entered service with the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps in the autumn of 1916. With pleasant flying characteristi ...
and the famed
Sopwith Camel The Sopwith Camel is a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter aircraft that was introduced on the Western Front in 1917. It was developed by the Sopwith Aviation Company as a successor to the Sopwith Pup and became one of the b ...
, developing a friendly rivalry with 'Wilks' (Captain Wilkinson) and the
S.E.5 The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 is a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. It was developed at the Royal Aircraft Factory by a team consisting of Henry Folland, John Kenworthy and Major Frank Goodden. It was one of the ...
s of 287 squadron and forming a close friendship with his young cousin Algy (the Hon. Algernon Montgomery Lacey). A study of the short stories featuring his First World War exploits, suggests that he had a 'score' of 49 aircraft, three balloons and one submarine, while himself being shot down or crash-landing eight times. He was awarded the
Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typ ...
and the
Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC i ...
and bar.


Between the Wars

After the Great War, Biggles' adventures as a freelance charter pilot, took him around the world in an unidentified amphibian named the "Vandal" (often illustrated on covers, anachronistically, as either a
Supermarine Walrus The Supermarine Walrus (originally designated the Supermarine Seagull V) was a British single-engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft designed by R. J. Mitchell and manufactured by Supermarine at Woolston, Southampton. The Walrus f ...
or
Supermarine Sea Otter The Supermarine Sea Otter was an amphibious aircraft designed and built by the British aircraft manufacturer Supermarine. It was the final biplane flying boat to be designed by Supermarine; it was also the last biplane to enter service with bot ...
). The nearest "real" aircraft that fits W. E. Johns description of the "Vandal", is a
Vickers Viking The Vickers Viking was a British single-engine amphibious aircraft designed for military use shortly after World War I. Later versions of the aircraft were known as the Vickers Vulture and Vickers Vanellus. Design and development Resear ...
Mk 4. His team grows when he and Algy meet young Ginger Hebblethwaite in ''The Black Peril'', while foiling a possible plot against Britain. Post-Second World War editions of the book change this plot from a German to a Russian plot. Ginger brings the energy and daring of youth to these and many of their later adventures. Between the wars Biggles and his friends mix their own escapades with ventures on behalf of British Secret Service.


Second World War

Biggles returned to service in the Second World War, initially with a Supermarine S6B type machine in the
Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain. The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from ...
and then to defy the
Nazis Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...
and their allies in
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
. He then took up his post as Commanding Officer of 666 Squadron, RAF, a Special Duties squadron that fought in the
Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...
before being sent around the world on specific assignments. Biggles, Algy, Smyth and Hebblethwaite are joined by a new companion, the
monocle A monocle is a type of corrective lens used to correct or enhance the visual perception in only one eye. It consists of a circular lens, generally with a wire ring around the circumference that can be attached to a string or wire. The other ...
-wearing Lord Bertram 'Bertie' Lissie. The changed setting forced Johns to update his material with references to new flying slang and aeroplanes, unsuccessfully at first but later with more realism. Biggles' new squadron includes a diverse cast, including the American 'Tex' O'Hara (from
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
), the Welshman 'Taffy' Hughes, the
Cockney Cockney is an accent and dialect of English, mainly spoken in London and its environs, particularly by working-class and lower middle-class Londoners. The term "Cockney" has traditionally been used to describe a person from the East End, or b ...
'Tug' Carrington, the
Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
graduate Henry Harcourt and George 'Ferocity' Ferris from the streets of
Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
.


Special Air Police

After the Second World War Johns reinvents Biggles' career yet again, with his former boss Air Commodore Raymond hiring him as a "flying detective" for
Scotland Yard Scotland Yard (officially New Scotland Yard) is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the territorial police force responsible for policing Greater London's 32 boroughs, but not the City of London, the square mile that forms London's ...
. Biggles returns to his rooms in Mount Street, Mayfair and assumes a role as head of the new Special Air Police division with Algy, Ginger and Bertie making up the flying squad. The group takes on criminals who have taken to the air, both at home in
Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
and around the globe, as well as battling opponents behind the
Iron Curtain The Iron Curtain was the political boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1991. The term symbolizes the efforts by the Soviet Union (USSR) to block itself and its s ...
. The team fly a wide variety of machines, with
Auster Auster Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer from 1938 to 1961.Willis, issue 122, p.55 History The company began in 1938 at the Britannia Works, Thurmaston near Leicester, England, as Taylorcraft Aeroplanes (England) Limited, ma ...
and
Percival Percival (, also spelled Perceval, Parzival), alternatively called Peredur (), was one of King Arthur's legendary Knights of the Round Table. First mentioned by the French author Chrétien de Troyes in the tale ''Perceval, the Story of the G ...
types doing much of the work. Johns continued writing Biggles short stories and novels up until his death in 1968; in all, nearly 100 Biggles books were published. A final unfinished novel ''Biggles Does Some Homework'' shows Biggles at last preparing to retire and meeting his
mixed-race Mixed race people are people of more than one race or ethnicity. A variety of terms have been used both historically and presently for mixed race people in a variety of contexts, including ''multiethnic'', ''polyethnic'', occasionally ''bi-ethn ...
replacement; Johns died while writing this novel. The 12 completed chapters were issued privately in 1997.


Characters


Algernon Montgomery Lacey

The Honourable ''The Honourable'' (British English) or ''The Honorable'' (American English; see spelling differences) (abbreviation: ''Hon.'', ''Hon'ble'', or variations) is an honorific style that is used as a prefix before the names or titles of certain ...
Algernon Montgomery Lacey or "Algy" is a cousin who is posted to Biggles' flight in 266 Squadron by the influence of his aunt. Despite initial misgivings, the two soon become very close friends and eventually Algy adopts the role of Biggles' second in command. In the books set in the 1930s, Algy, Ginger and Smyth become Biggles' regular companions.


Ginger Hebblethwaite

Ginger (his real first name is never revealed) first appears in ''The Black Peril'' (1935) as a teenage runaway found hiding in a railway shed. Ginger left his father, a mineworker in Smettleworth, after an argument about Ginger's determination to become a pilot. When he first meets Biggles, he tells him he is on his way to London to join the RAF. Biggles immediately calls him Ginger because of his red hair. He proves his worth by rescuing Biggles from some enemy agents. He becomes one of the regular team and is often Biggles's chosen companion. He is a talented mechanic and his speech is peppered with youthful slang and Americanisms, learned from the cinema.


Flight Sergeant Smyth

Flight Sergeant Smyth is Biggles' trusty mechanic and logistic organiser since they first worked together in 266 Squadron during the First World War. Smyth, aside from being a mechanic in both world wars in Biggles's squadron, also joins them on some journeys to act as mechanic, like ''Cruise of the Condor'' and ''Goes to War''. Smyth is a talented Mechanic.


Lord Bertie Lissie

First appearing in ''Spitfire Parade'' (1941), Lord Bertie is a pilot in 666 Squadron. An eccentric former racing driver, who flies with a
hunting horn A horn is any of a family of musical instruments made of a tube, usually made of metal and often curved in various ways, with one narrow end into which the musician blows, and a wide end from which sound emerges. In horns, unlike some other br ...
and a
monocle A monocle is a type of corrective lens used to correct or enhance the visual perception in only one eye. It consists of a circular lens, generally with a wire ring around the circumference that can be attached to a string or wire. The other ...
, Bertie joins Biggles in the Air Police in most of the post-war stories. He is a brave and talented fighter, an expert shot and he has a lot of handy knowledge on a range of unusual subjects.


Tug Carrington

A counterpoint to Lord Bertie, Tug is a boxer from the slums of London. His parents being killed in the war, Tug is out for revenge and can be a very risky person to have around. He scorns alcohol, much to the amusement of his fellow squadron members. In return for Biggles setting him up for a job as a London cabby, he occasionally helps Biggles and his gang on their missions after the Second World War.


Erich von Stalhein

Biggles' greatest opponent is the German intelligence officer Erich von Stalhein, a member of an old
Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an em ...
n family of soldiers. They first meet in ''Biggles Flies East'', in which Biggles is a spy in the Middle East during the First World War, having some narrow escapes. Stalhein returns as an adversary in numerous other adventures: in ''Biggles & Co.'' he is the leader of a group of smugglers based in a medieval castle somewhere in Germany. As the
Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
begins, Stalhein enters the services of the
Communist bloc The Eastern Bloc, also known as the Communist Bloc and the Soviet Bloc, was the group of socialist states of Central and Eastern Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America under the influence of the Soviet Union that existed du ...
, until his new masters imprison him on the island of
Sakhalin Sakhalin ( rus, Сахали́н, r=Sakhalín, p=səxɐˈlʲin; ja, 樺太 ''Karafuto''; zh, c=, p=Kùyèdǎo, s=库页岛, t=庫頁島; Manchu: ᠰᠠᡥᠠᠯᡳᠶᠠᠨ, ''Sahaliyan''; Orok: Бугата на̄, ''Bugata nā''; Nivkh: ...
, from where Biggles helps him to escape in ''Biggles Buries a Hatchet''. Stalhein then settles in London and he and Biggles remain in touch. It is from Stalhein that Biggles learns that Janis (see "Female characters" below) survived the Second World War and was imprisoned in
Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...
, from where Biggles rescues her and goes on to support her in England.


William Raymond

First appears as a major (later colonel) in the British Intelligence service during the First World War, in which capacity he organises secret ("special") missions in which Biggles takes part. In later books, he reappeared as an air commodore.


Female characters

In the Biggles stories, female characters appear infrequently. Despite brief affairs, Biggles and his chums remain steadfastly single. Biggles suffers a disappointment in the First World War, when he falls in love with German spy Marie Janis in the short story "Affaire de Coeur" set in 1918. Rather than being considered asexual or a repressed homosexual, Biggles' relationship with Janis suggests he is a
romantic hero The Romantic hero is a literary archetype referring to a character that rejects established norms and conventions, has been rejected by society, and has themselves at the center of their own existence. The Romantic hero is often the protagonist in ...
, "tragically loyal to the only woman he ever really loved". In ''Biggles & Co.'' Stella Carstairs, the daughter of the man Biggles helps, turns up. A pilot herself, she is concerned for Biggles's safety and tells him more than once not to take on her father's request. In ''Biggles Flies Again'' (1934), Algy becomes close to Consuelo, the daughter of the President of Bolivia, but is dissuaded from continuing the relationship by Biggles, "... unless you intend marrying her". In ''Biggles Fails to Return'' (1943), Ginger falls in love with the sister of the French pilot who has flown Biggles into France on a secret mission and at the end of the story Ginger gets to spend several weeks in her company while awaiting transport back to England. The young Ginger is also smitten by the beautiful
Polynesia Polynesia () "many" and νῆσος () "island"), to, Polinisia; mi, Porinihia; haw, Polenekia; fj, Polinisia; sm, Polenisia; rar, Porinetia; ty, Pōrīnetia; tvl, Polenisia; tkl, Polenihia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, made up of ...
n girl Full Moon, in ''Biggles in the South Seas'' (1940). There is a discussion of the issue of Biggles, sex and alcohol in ''By Jove, Biggles: The Life of Captain W. E. Johns'' (1981) by
Peter Berresford Ellis Peter Berresford Ellis (born 10 March 1943) is a British historian, literary biographer, and novelist who has published over 98 books to date either under his own name or his pseudonyms Peter Tremayne and Peter MacAlan. He has also published 100 ...
and Piers Williams. In the 1950s, a popular Australian radio version of Biggles, ''The Air Adventures of Biggles'', was made under licence. Johns did not write the scripts and apparently ended the contract after receiving complaints from young readers that the storyline had made Biggles "go soft" by taking up a blonde female lover. Another female character appears in the form of
Worrals Flight Officer Joan Worralson, better known as "Worrals", is a fictional character created by W. E. Johns, more famous for his series of books about the airman Biggles. Worrals was a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) in the Second ...
(Flight Officer Joan Worralson), eponymous heroine of a related series of books featuring this resourceful and "plucky" member of the
WAAF WAAF may refer to: * w3af, (short for web application attack and audit framework), an open-source web application security scanner * Women's Auxiliary Air Force, a British military service in World War II ** Waaf, a member of the service * WAAF (AM ...
. A further Johns creation, the
commando Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin">40_Commando.html" ;"title="Royal Marines from 40 Commando">Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin area of Afghanistan are pictured A commando is a combatant, or operativ ...
Captain Lorrington "Gimlet" King, also features in a series of books that intersect with Biggles at times.


Criticism and controversies


Time

The settings of the Biggles books are spread over more than 50 years; this produces a number of credibility difficulties, especially for older readers. Though Biggles and his friends age in the books, they do so much more slowly (and inconsistently) than is historically credible. For instance, Biggles (with some of his
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
"chums"), who by now should be well into their forties, are still relatively junior squadron officers flying
Spitfires The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Grif ...
during the
Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...
. In the stories set after the end of the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Biggles and Algy, in particular, are, by the rules of arithmetic, passing into their fifties and early sixties, while retaining levels of activity and lifestyle more typical of people at least thirty years younger. Even within a group of stories set in the same time frame, there are some chronological inconsistencies: * Algy, for instance, seems to be younger than Biggles to a degree that is impossible, at least by the ordinary calendar. * Biggles first meets Algy in ''The Camels Are Coming'', at the end of which the First World War ends. However, Algy also features throughout ''Biggles in France'', so the whole of ''Biggles in France'' must be set during the second half of ''The Camels Are Coming''. * Biggles seems to receive the same
promotion Promotion may refer to: Marketing * Promotion (marketing), one of the four marketing mix elements, comprising any type of marketing communication used to inform or persuade target audiences of the relative merits of a product, service, brand or i ...
more than once. It is doubtful whether a careful rearrangement of the various First World War stories could result in a coherent sequence. When W. E. Johns started the Biggles series, he can hardly have anticipated that he would be called on to write so many Biggles stories to short editorial deadlines, so that such inconsistencies are perhaps inevitable. The author succeeds reasonably well in chronicling developments in aviation technology, but social and cultural changes are much more difficult. The cultural and social world of Biggles (whether in the 1930s or some earlier period) does not persist completely unchanged through the whole series – for instance, in an early book, the evidence points to an English nobleman as the perpetrator but Biggles dismisses this out of hand as the gentry would never commit a crime; in a later novel, one of the gentry is the villain. Nonetheless, the social context of the books, viewed in chronological order, does become increasingly old-fashioned, even anachronistic, especially in those works set after the Second World War.


Allegations of racism

Since the Biggles books were first published, attitudes to race and ethnicity have changed. A perception of Biggles during the 1960s and 1970s as unacceptably racially prejudiced, especially considered as children's literature, led to the removal of the Biggles books from the shelves of many public and school libraries. Historian
Marika Sherwood Marika Sherwood (born 1937) is a Hungarian-born historian, researcher, educator and author based in England. She is a co-founder of the Black and Asian Studies Association. Biography Sherwood was born in 1937 into a Jewish family living in Budap ...
objected to Johns' use of "
chink ''Chink'' is an English-language ethnic slur usually referring to a person of Chinese descent. The word is also sometimes indiscriminately used against people of East Asian, North Asian and Southeast Asian appearance. The use of the term des ...
s" and "
coolie A coolie (also spelled koelie, kuli, khuli, khulie, cooli, cooly, or quli) is a term for a low-wage labourer, typically of South Asian or East Asian descent. The word ''coolie'' was first popularized in the 16th century by European traders acros ...
s" to describe people of Chinese origin in ''Biggles Hits the Trail'' (1935). Biggles' enemy is a group called the Chungs who "chatter monkey-like".
Jeff Sparrow Jeff Sparrow (born 1969) is an Australian left-wing writer, editor and former socialist activist based in Melbourne, Victoria.The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' in 2014, commented: "the later books, in particular, manifest all the racism you’d expect from an Empire loyalist writing in the sour era of British decline." Dennis Butts, in a 2000 essay, suggested Johns' Biggles stories had to be viewed historically and he was not a "deliberate racist". Biggles was raised in
British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...
, speaks fluent
Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
and has Indian friends and colleagues. In ''Biggles Goes to School'', on one occasion when told to write lines in Latin, he remarks that he would rather do so in Hindi. On another occasion the adult Biggles asserts to Air Commodore Raymond that "while men are decent to me I try to be decent to them, regardless of race, colour, politics, creed or anything else". While individually developed
non-white The term "person of color" ( : people of color or persons of color; abbreviated POC) is primarily used to describe any person who is not considered "white". In its current meaning, the term originated in, and is primarily associated with, the U ...
characters are infrequent, according to David Milner in ''Children and Race'' (1975), when they are part of the story, they are usually "positive", from the Oxford-educated " Chinaman", Li Chi, in ''Biggles Flies Again'' and ''Biggles Delivers the Goods'' and the perky Polynesian girl, Full Moon, in ''Biggles in the South Seas'', to Alexander MacKay, a part " Red Indian" nicknamed "Minnie" who joins "the chums" as a valued colleague and is even set to inherit Biggles' job in ''Biggles Does Some Homework''. Milner observed that the positive characteristics of these characters include relatively light complexions, Western education and general usefulness to the white hero and his friends and allies. There are instances in which unpleasant "foreigners" are mixed race, and Johns has been accused of stereotyping non-whites. With the already mentioned "Chungs" of ''Biggles Hits the Trail'', and the Aboriginals of ''Biggles in Australia'', in particular, Johns applies stereotypes typical of his time to non-white opponents of his hero. ''No Rest for Biggles'', set in
Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean ...
, where he encounters descendants of
Jean-Jacques Dessalines Jean-Jacques Dessalines (Haitian Creole: ''Jan-Jak Desalin''; ; 20 September 1758 – 17 October 1806) was a leader of the Haitian Revolution and the first ruler of an independent First Empire of Haiti, Haiti under the Constitution of Haiti, 1 ...
and Henri Cristophe plotting to set up a black empire, is another novel some might consider racist. In ''Biggles in Borneo'', Dayak headhunters are stereotyped as barely human "savages", even though they are Biggles' allies against the Japanese. The portrayals of non-whites in these books (and others in the ''Biggles'' canon) is typical of a once common genre of fiction for young people.


"Adult" themes

The early Biggles stories and novels, especially those set in First World War, were apparently written mainly for older adolescents. Death is a frequent theme, sometimes treated in quite a grim fashion. Other "adult themes" are also touched on: more than once Biggles sets out on a mission in a "red mist", inspired by the death of a comrade. The emotional strain of combat is also realistically described, as Biggles becomes a "highly-strung" fidgeting pale youth, lacking his usual sense of humour. In these stories, in particular, alcohol is mentioned occasionally and cigarettes are much in evidence. The early First World War books were reprinted in the 1950s, when the Biggles books had acquired a younger readership and were
bowdlerised Expurgation, also known as bowdlerization, is a form of censorship that involves purging anything deemed noxious or offensive from an artistic work or other type of writing or media. The term ''bowdlerization'' is a pejorative term for the practi ...
. In the short story ''The Balloonatics'', as republished in ''Biggles of the Special Air Police'', the prize for capturing a German observation balloon was altered from a case of
Scotch whisky Scotch whisky (; sco, Scots whisky/whiskie, whusk(e)y; often simply called whisky or Scotch) is malt whisky or grain whisky (or a blend of the two), made in Scotland. All Scotch whisky was originally made from malted barley. Commercial distil ...
to a case of
lemonade Lemonade is a sweetened lemon-flavored beverage. There are varieties of lemonade found throughout the world. In North America and South Asia, cloudy still lemonade is the most common variety. There it is traditionally a homemade drink using le ...
. The reprint also removes all references to drinking and swearing. Even the original editions contain no explicit sexual content and the traditional values of bravery, honesty and fair play are stressed. Romantic stories, which would have bored Johns' younger readers and embarrassed his older ones, are on the whole avoided, with the odd exception, such as in ''Biggles Looks Back'', where he and Stalhein rescue Marie Janis (with whom Biggles was briefly in love in an earlier story) from her prison in Bohemia.


List of Biggles books

# ''The
Camel A camel (from: la, camelus and grc-gre, κάμηλος (''kamēlos'') from Hebrew or Phoenician: גָמָל ''gāmāl''.) is an even-toed ungulate in the genus ''Camelus'' that bears distinctive fatty deposits known as "humps" on its back. C ...
s Are Coming'' (1932) # ''The Cruise of the Condor'' (1933) # ''Biggles of the Camel Squadron'' (1934) # ''Biggles Flies Again'' (1934) # ''Biggles Learns to Fly'' (1935) # ''The Black Peril'' (1935) # ''Biggles Flies East'' (1935) # ''Biggles Hits the Trail'' (1935) # ''Biggles in France'' (1935) # ''Biggles & Co'' (1936) # ''Biggles in Africa'' (1936) # ''Biggles – Air Commodore'' (1937) # ''Biggles Flies West'' (1937) # ''Biggles Flies South'' (1938) # ''Biggles Goes to War'' (1938) # ''The Rescue Flight'' (1939) # ''Biggles in Spain'' (1939) # ''Biggles Flies North'' (1939) # ''Biggles – Secret Agent'' (1940) # ''Biggles in the Baltic'' (1940) # ''Biggles in the South Seas'' (1940) # ''Biggles Defies the Swastika'' (1941) # ''Biggles Sees It Through'' (1941) # ''Spitfire Parade'' (1941) # ''Biggles in the Jungle'' (1942) # ''Biggles Sweeps the Desert'' (1942) # ''Biggles – Charter Pilot'' (1943) # ''Biggles in Borneo'' (1943) # ''Biggles Fails to Return'' (1943) # ''Biggles in the Orient'' (1945) # ''Biggles Delivers the Goods'' (1946) # ''Sergeant Bigglesworth CID'' (1947) # ''Biggles' Second Case'' (1948) # ''Biggles Hunts Big Game'' (1948) # ''Biggles Takes a Holiday'' (1948) # ''Biggles Breaks the Silence'' (1949) # ''Biggles Gets His Men'' (1950) # ''Another Job for Biggles'' (1951) # ''Biggles Goes to School'' (1951) # ''Biggles Works It Out'' (1952) # ''Biggles Takes the Case'' (1952) # ''Biggles Follows On'' (1952) # ''Biggles – Air Detective'' (1952) # ''Biggles and the Black Raider'' (1953) # ''Biggles in the Blue'' (1953) # ''Biggles in the Gobi'' (1953) # ''Biggles of the Special Air Police'' (1953) # ''Biggles Cuts It Fine'' (1954) # ''Biggles and the Pirate Treasure'' (1954) # ''Biggles Foreign Legionnaire'' (1954) # ''Biggles Pioneer Air Fighter'' (1954) # ''Biggles in Australia'' (1955) # ''Biggles' Chinese Puzzle'' (1955) # ''Biggles of 266'' (1956) # ''No Rest for Biggles'' (1956) # ''Biggles Takes Charge'' (1956) # ''Biggles Makes Ends Meet'' (1957) # ''Biggles of the Interpol'' (1957) # ''Biggles on the Home Front'' (1957) # ''Biggles Presses On'' (1958) # ''Biggles on Mystery Island'' (1958) # ''Biggles Buries a Hatchet'' (1958) # ''Biggles in Mexico'' (1959) # ''Biggles' Combined Operation'' (1959) # ''Biggles at the World's End'' (1959) # ''Biggles and the Leopards of Zinn'' (1960) # ''Biggles Goes Home'' (1960) # ''Biggles and the Poor Rich Boy'' (1960) # ''Biggles Forms a Syndicate'' (1961) # ''Biggles and the Missing Millionaire'' (1961) # ''Biggles Goes Alone'' (1962) # ''Orchids for Biggles'' (1962) # ''Biggles Sets a Trap'' (1962) # ''Biggles Takes It Rough'' (1963) # ''Biggles Takes a Hand'' (1963) # ''Biggles' Special Case'' (1963) # ''Biggles and the Plane That Disappeared'' (1963) # ''Biggles Flies to Work'' (1963) # ''Biggles and the Lost Sovereigns'' (1964) # ''Biggles and the Black Mask'' (1964) # ''Biggles Investigates'' (1964) # ''Biggles Looks Back'' (1965) # ''Biggles and the Plot That Failed'' (1965) # ''Biggles and the Blue Moon'' (1965) # ''Biggles Scores a Bull'' (1965) # ''Biggles in the Terai'' (1966) # ''Biggles and the Gun Runners'' (1966) # ''Biggles Sorts It Out'' (1967) # ''Biggles and the Dark Intruder'' (1967) # ''Biggles and the Penitent Thief'' (1967) # ''Biggles and the Deep Blue Sea'' (1967) # ''The Boy Biggles'' (1968) # ''Biggles in the Underworld'' (1968) # ''Biggles and the Little Green God'' (1969) # ''Biggles and the Noble Lord'' (1969) # ''Biggles Sees Too Much'' (1970) # ''Biggles Does Some Homework'' (1997) # ''Biggles Air Ace: The Uncollected Stories'' (1999) * ''Comrades in Arms'' (1947) included one Biggles story, plus stories of Gimlet and
Worrals Flight Officer Joan Worralson, better known as "Worrals", is a fictional character created by W. E. Johns, more famous for his series of books about the airman Biggles. Worrals was a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) in the Second ...
– other creations of Johns * ''The Biggles book of heroes'' (1959) * ''The Biggles book of treasure hunting'' (1962) * Johns died while still writing ''Biggles Does Some Homework''. Although never completed, it was released in 1998 by Norman Wright Publishing as a strictly limited edition of 300 copies in paperback. A further limited print run of 300 hardback copies was printed in 2007.


In other media


Television

Biggles appeared in a TV series based on the books with Neville Whiting playing the title role. There were 44 B&W untitled episodes of 30 minutes, which were made by
Granada Granada (,, DIN 31635, DIN: ; grc, Ἐλιβύργη, Elibýrgē; la, Illiberis or . ) is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the fo ...
and ran from 1 April till 9 September 1960. Biggles was a Detective Air Inspector attached to
Scotland Yard Scotland Yard (officially New Scotland Yard) is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the territorial police force responsible for policing Greater London's 32 boroughs, but not the City of London, the square mile that forms London's ...
. Helping him were Ginger (
John Leyton John Dudley Leyton (born 17 February 1936) is an English actor and singer. As a singer he is best known for his hit song "Johnny Remember Me" (written by Geoff Goddard and produced by Joe Meek), which reached number one in the UK Singles Chart ...
) and Bertie (David Drummond) and they fought against villains like von Stalhein (Carl Duering).


Films

He was also featured in the feature film ''
Biggles James Bigglesworth, nicknamed "Biggles", is a fictional pilot and adventurer, the title character and hero of the ''Biggles'' series of adventure books, written for young readers by W. E. Johns (1893–1968). Biggles made his first appearance ...
'' (1986), directed by John Hough with
Neil Dickson Neil Dickson (born November 26, 1950) is an English actor, who has worked extensively in both American and British film and television. Biography At the age of five, Dickson contracted poliomyelitis, but he was fortunate enough to make a comp ...
in the title role. The film attempted to add appeal to the character by adding a science fiction element but it was a commercial and critical failure. Dickson reprised the character in all but name in the
Pet Shop Boys The Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of primary vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 50 million records worldwide, and were listed as the most successful duo i ...
' feature film, '' It Couldn't Happen Here''.


Video games

In 1986, a Biggles video game was released as a tie-in to movie ''Biggles: Adventures in Time'' by
Mirrorsoft Mirrorsoft was a British video game publisher founded by Jim Mackonochie as a division of Mirror Group Newspapers. The company was active between 1983 and 1991, and shut down completely in early 1992. History In the early 1980s, Jim Mackono ...
for the platforms
Amstrad CPC The Amstrad CPC (short for ''Colour Personal Computer'') is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sin ...
,
Commodore 64 The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in the Guinness ...
and
ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer that was developed by Sinclair Research. It was released in the United Kingdom on 23 April 1982, and became Britain's best-selling microcomputer. Referred to during development as t ...
. It included levels based in 1917 and other levels set in modern-day London.


Comics

Many versions of Biggles comics have been published in countries such as Australia, Great Britain, Belgium, France and Sweden. The first British
annual Annual may refer to: *Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year ** Yearbook ** Literary annual *Annual plant *Annual report *Annual giving *Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco *Annuals (band), ...
appeared in 1980. Some
albums An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records coll ...
were released in 1990 featuring the Biggles team. The titles are separate from the books though they cover the same war or after war investigation operations of Biggles.


Postage stamps

Biggles featured on a stamp issued by the
Royal Mail , kw, Postya Riel, ga, An Post Ríoga , logo = Royal Mail.svg , logo_size = 250px , type = Public limited company , traded_as = , foundation = , founder = Henry VIII , location = London, England, UK , key_people = * Keith Williams ...
on 1 February 1994, as part of the sixth issue of its Greetings Stamps series. The set comprised ten first class stamps, each portraying a character from children's literature. Aside from Biggles, the other characters featured were
Dan Dare Dan Dare is a British science fiction comic hero, created by illustrator Frank Hampson who also wrote the first stories. Dare appeared in the ''Eagle'' comic story ''Dan Dare, Pilot of the Future'' from 1950 to 1967 (and subsequently in repri ...
, The Three Bears,
Rupert Bear Rupert Bear is a British children's comic strip character and franchise created by artist Mary Tourtel and first appearing in the ''Daily Express'' newspaper on 8 November 1920. Rupert's initial purpose was to win sales from the rival ''Da ...
,
Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (commonly ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English novel by Lewis Carroll. It details the story of a young girl named Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world of anthropomorphic creatur ...
,
Noggin the Nog ''Noggin the Nog'' is a fictional character appearing in a TV series (of the same name, originally broadcast 1959–1965 and 1982) and a series of illustrated books (published 1965–1977), created by Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin. The TV seri ...
,
Peter Rabbit Peter Rabbit is a fictional animal character in various children's stories by English author Beatrix Potter. A mischievous, adventurous young rabbit who wears a blue jacket, he first appeared in ''The Tale of Peter Rabbit'' in 1902, and subs ...
,
Red Riding Hood "Little Red Riding Hood" is a European fairy tale about a young girl and a sly wolf. Its origins can be traced back to several pre-17th century European folk tales. The two best known versions were written by Charles Perrault and the Brothe ...
,
Orlando the Marmalade Cat Orlando (The Marmalade Cat) is the fictional eponymous hero of the series (of the same name) of 19 illustrated children's books written by Kathleen Hale between 1938 and 1972, issued by various publishers including '' Country Life'' and '' Puffi ...
and
Paddington Bear Paddington Bear is a fictional character in children's literature. He first appeared on 13 October 1958 in the children's book ''A Bear Called Paddington'' and has been featured in more than twenty books written by British author Michael Bond, a ...
. The stamps were designed by Newell and Sorrell, and the artist for the Biggles stamp was Alan Cracknell. Biggles is wearing a leather flying helmet and goggles, holding an '
air mail Airmail (or air mail) is a mail transport service branded and sold on the basis of at least one leg of its journey being by air. Airmail items typically arrive more quickly than surface mail, and usually cost more to send. Airmail may be the ...
' envelope addressed to him, and giving the thumbs up. A
biplane A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...
, probably a
De Havilland Tiger Moth The de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s British biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and built by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and other operators as a primary trainer aircraft. ...
is shown flying in the background. Also included in the presentation pack were labels containing greetings messages. The two related to Biggles, shown in white text on a blue background, read "Happy Birthday" and "Chocks Away". The Biggles stamp, its associated presentation pack and first day covers were described in the British Philatelic Bulletin of January 1994.


In other W. E. Johns books

Biggles, or members of his team, have appeared in the following Gimlet books * ''King of the Commandos'' * ''Gimlet Goes Again'' * ''Gimlet Mops Up'' * ''Gimlet Bores In'' Air Commodore Raymond also appeared in W. E. Johns' "Steeley Books".


Parodies of Biggles


''Monty Python's Flying Circus''

Biggles was parodied in a series of skits on the 1970s British comedy television show, ''
Monty Python's Flying Circus ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' (also known as simply ''Monty Python'') is a British surreal sketch comedy series created by and starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam, who became known ...
'', including one titled "Biggles Dictates a Letter". In the sketch, Biggles (
Graham Chapman Graham Chapman (8 January 1941 – 4 October 1989) was a British actor, comedian and writer. He was one of the six members of the surreal comedy group Monty Python. He portrayed authority figures such as The Colonel and the lead role in two P ...
) behaves in a naive and overreactive manner about the sexual orientation of his comrades, shooting Algy in the process. Other Monty Python treatments of Biggles include: * "Cardinal Biggles", complete with flying helmet and goggles, assists in the interrogations in the " Spanish Inquisition sketch". * Biggles appears as a woman's lover in the sketch "Strangers in the Night" accompanied by Algy. * Two text stories, "Biggles Is Extremely Silly" and "Biggles and the Naughty Things", are included in ''
The Brand New Monty Python Bok ''The Brand New Monty Python Bok'' was the second book to be published by the British comedy troupe Monty Python. Edited by Eric Idle, it was published by Methuen Publishing, Methuen Books in 1973 and contained more print-style comic pieces than th ...
''. * The title of a subsequent episode, "Biggles Flies Undone", was mentioned at the end of "Biggles Dictates a Letter", as if the two "episodes" were part of an ongoing adventure serial. * In the first ''
Comic Relief Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension. Definition Comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic episo ...
'' (1985),
Michael Palin Sir Michael Edward Palin (; born 5 May 1943) is an English actor, comedian, writer, television presenter, and public speaker. He was a member of the Monty Python comedy group. Since 1980, he has made a number of travel documentaries. Palin w ...
reads the skit "Biggles Goes to See
Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originat ...
". * A customer in "The Bookshop Sketch", originally from ''
At Last the 1948 Show ''At Last the 1948 Show'' is a satirical television show made by David Frost's company, Paradine Productions (although it was not credited on the programmes), in association with Rediffusion London. Transmitted on Britain's ITV network in 19 ...
'' and later found on ''
Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album ''Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album'' is the final studio album by Monty Python, released in 1980. As the title suggests, the album was put together to complete a contract with Charisma Records. Besides newly written songs and sketches ...
'', requests the fictitious "Biggles Combs his Hair".


Other parodies

*''Biggles Flies A Fokker Home'' is a 2011 play written by former cricketer
James Graham-Brown James Martin Hilary Graham-Brown (born 11 July 1951) is a former English professional cricketer and schoolteacher. He is now a playwright who writes under the pen name Dougie Blaxland. Early life and education Graham-Brown was born at Thetford ...
under the pen name, Dougie Blaxland. *In the novel ''
Good Omens ''Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch'' is a 1990 novel written as a collaboration between the English authors Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. The book is a comedy about the birth of the son of Satan and the c ...
'', a book titled ''Biggles Goes to Mars'' is mentioned, although context suggests that it may be (but is not definitely) the invention of an 11-year-old fond of outlandish adventure stories, and might not have existed previously. *The 1972 album '' Thick as a Brick '' by Jethro Tull has the line, "Where the hell was Biggles when you needed him last Saturday?" *The lead character of the play '' Bullshot Crummond'' parodies
Bulldog Drummond Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond is a fictional character, created by H. C. McNeile and published under his pen name "Sapper". Following McNeile's death in 1937, the novels were continued by Gerard Fairlie. Drummond is a First World War veteran who, ...
and Biggles.


References


External links


The Biggles Information Web Site

a forum for W E Johns, Biggles and all his other characters

Biggles Online: Bibliographic data and information site

Captain W E Johns website, Biggles and his other works

The International Biggles Association Web Site

Complete information on all of the books written by W E Johns



List of all the Biggles books and stories
{{Authority control Series of books Aviation novels Novels set during World War I Novels set during World War II British novels adapted into films Novels adapted into comics Novels adapted into radio programs British novels adapted into television shows Novels adapted into video games Fictional Royal Air Force personnel Fictional fighter pilots Fictional male detectives Literary characters introduced in 1932 Fictional World War I veterans Fictional World War II veterans Fictional British people Male characters in literature