vintage collectable item:  vintage paperback

BIGGLES DEFIES THE SWASTIKA

"Suffering rattlesnakes! What am I getting into?" murmered Biggles, a ghost of a smile softening his face. "First I'm sworn into the German Air Force; now, of all things, I'm a full-blown Gestapo agent."

May Fair Books (division of Armada Books), number C12 on spine,  4 b/w illustrations (unattributed) different to Oxford editions. Book list after title page lists 17 Biggles books.  Price 2/6 on front cover only.

Paperback;  18 x 11 cm;  159 pages;   95g

Condition:  DD* vintage condition;  paper browned;  spine has splits;  crease on front cover;  binding fragile;  some foxing on first few pages

* Please see "seller’s condition rating for vintage books" at end of this listing to help evaluate each book’s condition.

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* Seller’s Condition rating for vintage and collectable books:

*AA down to *BB – cover and pages are mostly clean and unmarked. There may be some minor rubbing or minimal creasing on spine. Binding is tight.   No apparent writing or scribbling.   Some older books may have page yellowing or browning.  Excellent collectable quality.   

*CC – cover and pages may have minor marks, blemishes and/or creasing. There may be some rubbing or creasing on spine. All pages are intact and binding is tight.   Previous owner’s name or gift inscription may be written and/or covered by bookplate.    Some older books may have age yellowing, browning and foxing.   Still very good collectable quality.

*DD – visible signs that the book has had good pre-loved life. Cover, pages and spine will have noticeable marks, blemishes and or creasing, including writing on front or back pages.   Endpapers may have been removed.   Pages may be browned and foxed.

*EE significant visible signs of wear and tear.    There may be writing or scribbling within the text.  Pages may be loose or torn. Cover, pages and or spine will have major noticeable marks, blemishes and or creasing.

*FF:- There may be missing pages, tears or other significant defects as noted.   Binding may be loose or have parts missing. Books are only sold in FF condition due to scarcity or are highly collectable.

William Earl Johns (1893-1968) was an English pilot and writer of adventure stories, usually written under the name Captain W. E. Johns.   In 1913 he enlisted in the Territorial Army as a private in the King's Own Royal Regiment (Norfolk Yeomanry). The Norfolk Yeomanry fought at Gallipoli until December when they were withdrawn to Egypt.    In September 1916 Johns transferred to the Machine Gun Corps.   He was commissioned into the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) in September 1917 and posted back to England for flight training.   Johns served as a flying instructor until August 1918 when he transferred to the Western Front.   He only performed six weeks of active duty as a bomber pilot before he was shot down, his observer was killed and Johns was taken prisoner on 16 September 1918, he remained imprisoned until the end of the war.    After the war, Johns remained in the Royal Air Force until 1927, retiring with the rank of Flying Officer.     After leaving the RAF, Johns became a newspaper air correspondent, as well as editing and illustrating books about flying. At the request of John Hammond Ltd, he created the magazine Popular Flying which first appeared in March 1932. It was in the pages of Popular Flying that Biggles first appeared.   The first Biggles book, The Camels are Coming, was published in August 1932.  He wrote nearly 100 Biggles books all of which are now collectors items.

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