Biggles Learns to Fly

CAPTAIN William Earl Johns (1893–1968), widely known by his pen names W. E. Johns and E. W. Johns, was a British aviator and writer. He is celebrated as the creator of the iconic fictional pilot Biggles, whose adventures defined twentieth-century adventure literature. His first-hand military experience deeply informed his narratives, bringing a distinct sense of realism to early aviation fiction.

Born in Hertfordshire, England, Johns served in the British Army before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps in 1917, where he flew bomber missions during World War I. In September 1918, he was shot down behind enemy lines and held as a prisoner of war until the armistice. These dramatic wartime experiences directly shaped his later writing, providing him with a profound understanding of aerial combat and the psychology of pilots.

After leaving active service in 1927, Johns transitioned to journalism and illustration, founding the magazine Popular Flying in 1932, which served as the launchpad for his famous character, James Bigglesworth. Over his prolific career, he authored more than one hundred books featuring Biggles, capturing the imagination of generations of young readers with tales of danger, duty, and exploration. His enduring legacy remains his contribution to children's adventure literature and the preservation of early aviation history.

Essential Reading

• Biggles in Mexico (1959): Biggles and his team travel to Mexico on a thrilling treasure hunt that quickly escalates into a dangerous confrontation with ruthless criminals.
• Biggles in the Blue (1953): This high-stakes adventure follows the heroic pilot to Jamaica as he searches for a cache of secret wartime documents hidden in the Caribbean.
• Biggles in the Cruise of the Condor (1933): Biggles embarks on a pioneering aviation expedition to South America, navigating treacherous terrain and lost civilizations in a search for treasure.
• Biggles in the Orient (1945): Set during World War II, this novel sends Biggles to Asia to investigate a mysterious force that is causing Allied planes to crash in the jungle.
• Biggles Learns to Fly (1935): This foundational prequel details young James Bigglesworth's initial training and his perilous first flights during the First World War.
• Biggles of the Camel Squadron (1934): A classic collection of wartime stories depicting the intense aerial dogfights and camaraderie of Biggles and his fellow pilots on the Western Front.