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The Trap is a short story which was first published in Popular Flying in May 1933 and then in The Modern Boy issue 288, 12th August 1933 where it was given the title Biggles Plays Tit for Tat!. The story was subsequently collected as the fifth short story of the third Biggles book Biggles of the Camel Squadron, published in March 1934. In the book, this story is preceded by The Bottle Party and followed by The Funk.

Synopsis[]

Biggles is suspicious of the new balloon at Duneville and believes it is a trap. He hurries to warn everybody but doesn't get through to one of his friends in time.

Plot[]

(may contain spoilers - click on expand to read)

Characters[]

Aircraft[]

Places[]

Visited[]

  • 266 Squadron, Maranique
  • Duneville
  • St. Olave

Mentioned[]

  • Amiens

Editorial Changes[]

Other Research Notes[]

  • Other R.F.C. and R.N.A.S. Units mentioned:
    • 287 Squadron (R.F.C.) - Wilk's squadron
    • 207 Squadron - Mullen mentions that he hears they are going to be equipped with the Sopwith Snipe fighter.

References to the past[]

Incongruities[]

Chronology[]

(see also table at Timeline of the Biggles Stories)

  • No specific indicators of timeframe in this story except for the mention of the Fokker D.VII and the Sopwith Snipe. If the appearance of the Fokker D.VII is not to be anachronistic, the story really ought to be set in late April or early May 1918 at the earliest as that was when the type entered service. But then, so many mentions of the D.VII in the Biggles' stories are anachronistic.
  • Secondly Mullen mentions the 207 Sqn might be getting Sopwith Snipes. The Snipe only entered service in late August 1918 but a prototype was flight tested in France from March 1918 and production began shortly thereafter. Any time after this would be plausible for the rumour mill to start grinding about which squadron would get the new aircraft. So this fits in with the April-May timeline above.
  • The other option is simply to take dressing from the previous story which is set in January-February.[1]

Publication History[]

  • Popular Flying, May, 1933
  • The Modern Boy, Issue 288, 12th Aug 1933 (as Biggles Plays Tit for Tat!)
  • Biggles of the Camel Squadron, John Hamilton, 1934 and reprints
  • Biggles Goes to War, Boys' Friend Library, 1938
  • Biggles of the Camel Squadron, Thames, 1954 and reprints
  • Biggles of the Camel Squadron, Dean and Son, 1960s and reprints
  • Biggles of the Fighter Squadron, Red Fox, 1992 and reprints
  • Biggles of the Camel Squadron, Norman Wright, 2011

References[]

  1. Ward Powers. "What Happened to Biggles in WW1?" Biggles Flies Again Vol. 3 No. 1, June 2009.
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