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J-9982 is a short story which was first published in Popular Flying in June 1932 and was subsequently collected as the third chapter of the very first Biggles book The Camels are Coming, published in September 1932. The story was subsequently republished in The Modern Boy Issue 259, 21st January 1933 where it was given the title Fighting Mad. In "The Camels are Coming", this story is preceded by The Packet and followed by The Balloonatics.

The story also appeared in Biggles of the Special Air Police published in 1953.

Synopsis[]

Biggles and his squadron mates go after an enemy pilot who has been using a captured British Sopwith Camel.

Plot[]

(may contain spoilers - click on expand to read)

Characters[]

Aircraft[]

Places[]

Visited[]

  • 266 Squadron, Maranique
  • Berniet

Mentioned[]

Editorial Changes[]

Other Research Notes[]

  • Other R.F.C. and R.N.A.S. Units mentioned:
    • 231 Sqn - flying Sopwith Camels, C.O. Major Sharp.
  • Mullen mentions the Richthofen staffel (squadron). None of the pilots there would do such a dishonorable thing as to fly a captured British aircraft and fight under false colours. At least this is not anachronistic as Richtofen's JG1 was formed in June 1917 which fits the timeline fairly well.
  • the Inspiration for this story may have come from Germans capturing and repainting Aircraft for their own use. A captured Sopwith Camel F.1 of 3 Sqn(RN) was captured in April 1918, and was repainted and flown by the Fighter Ace Otto Kissenberth of Jagdstaffel 23.

References to the past[]

Incongruities[]

  • See Chronology below for anachronisms.

Chronology[]

(see also table at Timeline of the Biggles Stories)

  • This story belongs to the time period when Biggles has just become a flight commander but Algy has not arrived yet - so June-July 1917. This makes the appearance of the Fokker Dr.I anachronistic.

Publication History[]

  • Popular Flying, Jun 1932
  • The Camels are Coming, John Hamilton, 1932
  • The Modern Boy, Issue 259, 21st Jan 1933 (as Fighting Mad)
  • Biggles in the Camels are Coming, Boys' Friend Library, 1938 (as Chapter 3: Fighting Mad)
  • Biggles of the Special Air Police, Thames, 1953 and reprints (as Chapter 9: J-9982)
  • Biggles: The Camels are Coming, Red Fox, 1993 and subsequent reprints and editions
  • The Camels are Coming, Norman Wright, 2010

References[]

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