title: Bomber Aircrew of World War II: True Stories of Frontline Air Combat
author:  Bruce Barrymore Halpenny 
description: Bruce Barrymore Halpenny is an author and historian.
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  ![](index-1_1.png)
  
  
  SCAN/PROOF : AK3D
  
  
  With Kind regards to Bro V, Rob (and his lady love, The She Bitch Mwally),
  Goldy The Sulky, Joanne The Dear….
  
  
  
  
  
  BIGGLES OF 266
  
  
  _**By**_ CAPT. W. E. JOHNS
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  MADE AND PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY PURNELL AND **** SONS, LTD. PAULTON
  (SOMERSET) AND LONDON
  
  
  FOREWORD
  
  
  THESE ARE some of the earliest Biggles stories. They appeared in "The Modern
  Boy"
  
  
  about 1932, when the events of the Kaiser's war were still fresh in mind, and
  deal with that period of air combat when one could only qualify for the title
  ace by shooting down a certain number of enemy aircraft. In the French Service
  the number was five: in Germany, ten. The Air Ministry did not acknowledge the
  system, but in scout squadrons victories were counted unofficially.
  
  
  To the student of modern warfare and high-performance aircraft these stories
  will appear far-fetched. So they are. But in 1916 war-flying _was_ far-
  fetched. So were some of the incidents of Hitler'