This was an adventure story for my youth more than half a century ago. It’s interesting technically as the author flew in World War One but to enjoy it you need to accept the limitations and anachronisms. Not for everyone but a good read for those who can enjoy period literature.

The early books by WE Johns are by far the best, since it was the war he knew best and had exposure to the stories of other people. Biggles and his friends complete many missions in this story and there is a realism to these ones missing in the later ones. I prefer to keep the stories in sequence since they make better sense than if read out of sequence. Biggles core group of friends are introduced at different times in the wars and if you are looking for particular characters to always be there, they won't. (Neither Ginger nor Bertie are in this novel)

One disappointing thing about these e versions is that the explanatory notes, of which there are many, are in the body of the text and in the same size print as the text. This would make reading them annoying and difficult for a boy. For me, I am training myself to skip over them but I have to admit that the old paper version is a more enjoyable experience.

Although fictional, the many individual flying sequences and related adventures presented in the book are amazingly accurate. The author, a pilot himself, who served in WW 1, brings to life the extra ordinary skill, dedication and camaraderie of all Air Force personnel serving in the Great War. Additionally, his accurate descriptions of the many and varied aircraft of the time, including their individual capabilities, is extremely fascinating and historically, no doubt, very valuable. A book recommended for aviation enthusiasts, as well as readers who enjoy ripping adventures!

Brand new, super quality and fast shipping. Been wanting to get this for ever. Thank You!

I think the Biggles books are GREAT, especially the ones about WWI. They are a lot of fun, well written, and an easy read. They always leave me wanting MORE. Thoroughly enjoyable!

Biggles is very much a product of his time. Revisionists have branded him racist and misogynist but that is missing the point. There were around 90 Biggles book, some of them, many of them forgettable, some of them good, some of them excellent. The early ones, this being one, try and bring to the young reader some of the excitement and horror of air combat in its infancy, and Capt. Johns does a good job of imparting that in such a way that isn't gratuitous but gritty enough to enforce the stories. I'm reminded of the dialog in the best of WW1 air fiction, Goshawk Squadron where Major Woolley is explaining to a staff Colonel the realities of aerial combat "You, you po faced runt, have no idea what we do. We go 3 miles high and try and burn the other man before he can do the same to us. You`ve never set fire to one on the ground, never mind up there.." (quote from memory but its along those lines). Of course, Biggles doesn't quite go to those lengths, but for a kids book gets a similar message across. The stories that Biggles participates in are generally based on real incidents, and I would still recommend them not just to kids, but also to adults who have an interest in early air combat. Of the later Biggles books "Biggles flies West" would make a good film, it has pirates and everything!

I wish I had known about this series years ago

Bin noch am Lesen.

Die Biggles Bücher sind fantastisch, ich liebe jedes Kapitel, aber man muss Englisch gut verstehen können.

Versuche die Bücher in halbwegs chronologischer Order zu lesen und hatte deswegen mit “Biggles learns to fly” angefangen und danach “Biggles of the fighter squadron”. Musste jedoch feststellen dass dieser Titel irgendwann nach “The Camels are coming” spielt da Biggles in “Fighter Squadron” bereits den Rang des Captain besaß. Diesen Rang erhielt er erst hier, in “The Camels are coming”.

Warum wurde er zum Captain befördert?

Einfach lesen und herausfinden!

An jeden der Interesse an Luftkämpfe ausm ersten Weltkrieg hat kann ich “Biggles” nur empfehlen.

Cheerio, laddies!

Love this stuff!

An easy read full of action. These books have a timeless quality which makes them a pleasure to read.

Biggles is probably why I became a pilot. The magic of his adventures filled shelves in my school library and from there transferred themselves into my imagination. This book took me back to the beginning and the entire experience has been exhilarating.

I used to read Biggles in college and having been raised on the staple diet of these books today my old memories were revived...