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Biggles Books In Order

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Publication Order of Biggles Books

Biggles The Camels Are Coming (1932)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles and the Cruise of the Condor (1933)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles of the Fighter Squadron (1934)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Flies Again (1934)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Learns To Fly (1935)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles and the Black Peril (1935)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Flies East (1935)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Hits the Trail (1935)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles in France (1935)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles and Co. (1936)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles in Africa (1936)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles and the Secret Mission (1937)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Flies West (1937)Description / Buy at Amazon
Air Commodore (1937)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Goes to War (1938)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Flies South (1938)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles and The Rescue Flight (1939)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Flies North (1939)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles in Spain (1939)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles In The South Seas (1940)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles in the Baltic (1940)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Spitfire Parade (1941)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Sees It Through (1941)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles defies the Swastika (1941)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles in the Jungle (1942)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Sweeps the Desert (1942)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles in Borneo (1943)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Charter Pilot (1943)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Fails to Return (1943)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles in the Orient (1945)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Delivers the Goods (1946)Description / Buy at Amazon
Sergeant Bigglesworth C.I.D. (1947)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles' Second Case (1948)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Hunts Big Game (1948)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Takes a Holiday (1949)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Breaks the Silence (1949)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Gets His Men (1950)Description / Buy at Amazon
biggles goes to school (1951)Description / Buy at Amazon
Another job for Biggles (1951)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Works It Out (1951)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Takes the Case (1952)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Scores a Bull (1952)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Air Detective (1952)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles of the Special Air Police (1953)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles In The Blue (1953)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles and the Black Raider (1953)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles in the Gobi (1953)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Pioneer Air Fighter (1954)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Foreign Legionnaire (1954)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles & the Pirate Treasure (1954)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Cuts it Fine (1954)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles of 266 (1955)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles in Australia (1955)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles and the Chinese Puzzle (1955)Description / Buy at Amazon
No Rest for Biggles (1956)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Takes Charge (1956)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Makes Ends Meet (1957)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles of the Interpol (1957)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles on the Home Front (1957)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles on Mystery Island (1958)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Presses On (1958)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Buries the Hatchet (1958)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles in Mexico (1959)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles at World's End (1959)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Biggles Book of Heroes (1959)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Goes Home (1960)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles and the leopards of Zinn (1960)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles and the Missing MIllionaire (1961)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Forms a Syndicate (1961)Description / Buy at Amazon
Orchids for Biggles (1962)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles sets a trap (1962)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Biggles Book of Treasure Hunting (1962)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles goes alone (1962)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Takes a Hand (1963)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Flies to Work (1963)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Takes it Rough (1963)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles' Special Case (1963)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles and the Plane that Disappeared (1963)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles And The Black Mask (1964)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles and the lost sovereigns (1964)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Investigates (1964)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles And The Blue Moon (1965)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles looks back (1965)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles and the Plot That Failed (1965)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles and the Gun Runners (1966)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles in the Terai (1966)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Sorts It Out (1967)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles and the Penitent Thief (1967)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles and the dark intruder (1967)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Boy Biggles (1968)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles and the Deep Blue Sea (1968)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles in the Underworld (1968)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles And The Noble Lord (1969)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles And The Little Green God (1969)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Sees Too Much (1969)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Rescue Flight (1969)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles, Secret Agent (1974)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles of the Royal Flying Corps (1978)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles and the Lost Treasure (1978)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles In The Antarctic (1983)Description / Buy at Amazon
Bumper Biggles Book (1983)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles And The Gibraltar Bomb (1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
Best of Biggles (1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Defends the Desert (1993)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles Flying Detective (1994)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles (2007)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles' Big Adventures (2007)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles' Dangerous Missions (2008)Description / Buy at Amazon
Biggles' Secret Assignments (2009)Description / Buy at Amazon
Flora Indica (2011)Description / Buy at Amazon

The Biggles series is a successful novel series of adventure, historical fiction, aviation, and children’s books written by a famous English novelist named W.E. Johns. This series is comprised of 98 books in total, which were released between the years 1932 and 1999. All the books of this series feature the main protagonist as James Bigglesworth or ‘Biggles’, as he is commonly referred to. Biggles is depicted in the series as an adventurer and pilot. Author Johns created this character, especially for younger readers.

The first appearance of Biggles is seen in a story called The White Fokker. It was published in the Popular Magazine’s first issue. After this, the character was seen again in the initial collection of the Biggles stories. Author Johns continued writing the Biggles novels until he breathed his last in 1968. Overall, the book series spanned nearly a 100 volumes, including the short story collections and novels. Most of the stories that Johns wrote later were based on a common period and had a common setting. Initially, Biggles is introduced in the form of a teenaged scout pilot serving in the ‘Royal Flying Corps’ at the time of the World War Ist. When Biggles joins the RFC, he is just 17 years old. The representation of Biggles is done like a typical British hero, who has the combination of professionalism and a gentleman nature.

The stress of Biggles’ combat training makes him develop into a confident, competent, and calm leader, as opposed to the hysterical youth he was before making practical jokes all the time. Throughout the series, it is seen that Biggles is ordered to carry out secret and special missions on many occasions. He is under the command of a shadowy figure named Colonel Raymond. In some of the missions, Biggles is joined by one of his cousins named Algernon Lacey and a Flight Sergeant named Smyth. In 1935, author Johns added another member in Biggles’ team in the form of a teenager named Ginger Hebblethwaite. It is mandatory for all these individuals to accompany Biggles in the adventures of the missions. Author Johns was a pilot himself during the War, which is why he was able to create the character of Biggles with so much perfection.

However, his personal career did reach the heights as that of Biggles. His main purpose behind writing the stories was to provide entertainment for the adolescent boys with the stories of the 1st World War. While writing the stories and plots, author Johns paid a great deal of attention to the historical details. He even helped himself in recreating the primitive days of the initial air combat. The descriptions date back to the period when the pilots used to die very often in the first combat and devices like parachutes and respirators had just become practical. When asked about which real character he had in mind while developing James Bigglesworth, author Johns he suggested himself many models, including the popular WWI ace and rugby player Cyril Lowe, Albert Ball, Arthur Bigsworth, etc. But, the character did not reflect a single person completely. In fact, he seems to be a mixture of real persons from the RFC, including himself. A major part of Biggles novel is set during the events that followed WWI, and after the career of author Johns had come to an end. The fighter pilot career of Biggles appears to be unusually lengthy.

He flies numerous aircrafts that represent the military aviation of Britain. Some of the aircrafts commanded by him include Sopwith Camels, Hawker Hurricanes, Supermarine Spitfires, Hawker Hunter, etc. The historical and geographical accuracies in some later books of the series look like less evident. Following the immense success of the Biggles novels throughout the world, they were translated into numerous foreign languages such as Finnish, Icelandic, Spanish, Dutch, Czech, Italian, Swedish, Danish, German, Norwegian, Hungarian, Portuguese, and Flemish.

The series is filled with many interesting supporting characters such as Algernon Montgomery Lacey, Smyth, Lord Bertie Lissie, Ginger Hebblethwaite, Tug Carrington, Erich Von Stalhein, William Raymond, etc. Not many female characters are shown in the books as Biggles remains more or less single and does not indulge in any serious relationship. However, he does fall in love with a spy from Germany named Marie Janis. Seeing the great success of the book series, a maker came forward to develop the stories in various video formats as well. A Black & White TV show was made during the 1960s by the Granada. Neville Whiting was cast in the role of James Bigglesworth. In 1986, a movie titled Biggles was made that featured actor Neil Dickson in the lead role. John Hough was the director of the film. Neil Dickson portrayed the role once again in a feature film that was released later. An adventure video game was also developed in the same year by Microsoft. It was made for the platforms or Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and Amstrad CPC.

Besides all these, several comics were also published based on the popular character. Some versions of the comics were published in countries like France, Belgium, Sweden, and Great Britain. A very famous from the Biggles series written by WE Johns is entitled ‘Biggles and The Rescue Flight’. It was released by the Red Fox publication in the year 1993, after its first release in 1939. The story features a couple of boys, who run away from their homes because of their dislike for school. They end up signing up in an RFC by lying about their age.

The boys join the 266 Squadron and come in contact with Biggles. They accompany him in one of his flights. It is only after some time that Biggles finds out their reality and story unfolds with several twists and turns. Another popular novel published in this series is called ‘Another Job for Biggles’. This book was published by Hodder and Stoughton publication in 1951. At the beginning of the story of this book, it is depicted that James Bigglesworth gets promoted to the rank of Detective Air Inspector. The first mission that he is given after his promotion is to investigate about the supply of an addictive drug named Gurra. Biggles trace the supply back to the main culprits and helps to throw them behind bars.

This novel was received very well by the masses all across the globe. The increasing number of sales with each passing day after the release helped the book become a grand success. It helped author Johns in establishing himself as a noteworthy novelist and achieving new heights in his already successful writing career.

Book Series In Order » Characters » Biggles

2 Responses to “Biggles”

  1. Priscilla: 3 years ago

    Do you know which books were translated into other languages? I am trying very hard to find any copies in Spanish, but haven’t had any luck so far. I’d really like to be able to get my hands on a Biggles book in Spanish!

    Reply
  2. Dennis Malcolm Gedye: 6 years ago

    Great series, I started reading them in grade 6, 1963, & several years later had read 90 of them! Unfortunately, the library system doesn’t seem to have many of them now!

    Reply

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