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Spy in the Sky is a short story which was first published in The Modern Boy Issue 326, 5th May 1934. The story was subsequently gathered and published in 1935 in the Boys' Friend Library edition of Biggles Learns to Fly where it spanned chapters 7 and 8.

The original Modern Boy short story was divided into four sections with subtitles The Lost Airman, Biggles Sets a Trap!, "I'll Blow a Hole Through You!" and Snow and Bullets!. The 1935 BFL edition split the story at the beginning of the third section and used the headings of the first and fourth sections as the chapter titles.

The story was subsequently used as the last chapter The Pilot Who Lost His Way in Biggles of 266 published by Thames in 1955. Because of this, the 1955 Brockhampton edition of Learns to Fly left it out. The story was also left out of the subsequent Armada, Knight and other editions. Even the 1992 Red Fox, which restored Knights of the Sky to the original Modern Boy text and brought it back to its proper position in the sequence, continued to leave out Spy in the Sky. It was not until the Norman Wright edition of 2010 that this story reappeared in Learns to Fly. In the Modern Boy sequence, this story is preceded by Biggles the Scout and followed by Crashed Flyers!.

Synopsis[]

A French airman, apparently lost, lands at 169 Squadron. But Biggles soon suspects that he is a spy and sets a trap for him.

Plot[]

(may contain spoilers - click on expand to read)

Characters[]

Aircraft[]

  • F.E.2b
  • Spad - at this time, probably a Spad S.VII
  • Albatros

Places[]

Visited[]

  • 169 Squadron, St. Pielle
  • Soyons des Dames

Mentioned[]

  • Auchez - Biggles said he visited 27 Squadron here.

Editorial Changes[]

Other Research Notes[]

  • Escadrille 58
  • Biggles' F.E.2b has the serial 4391.
  • This story is probably the only place where St. Pielle is mentioned as the location of 169 Squadron. It is some 50 miles north of Soyons des Dames.

References to the past[]

Incongruities[]

Chronology[]

(see also table at Timeline of the Biggles Stories)

  • Snowing. So December, 1916-February 1917.

Publication History[]

  • The Modern Boy, Issue 326, 5th May 1934
  • Biggles Learns to Fly, Boy's Friend Library 1935 (as Chapter 7: The Lost Airman! Flight, Chapter 8: Snow and Bullets)
  • Biggles of 266, Thames, 1955
  • Biggles Learns to Fly, Norman Wright, 2010

References[]

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