Biggles' Borrowed Plumes

Biggles' Borrowed Plumes is a short story which was first published in The Modern Boy Issue 363, 19th January 1935. The story was subsequently gathered and published in 1935 in the anthology Biggles in France where it spanned the last two chapters 24 and 25 , titled Under Open Arrest! and "The Laugh's with Us!".

The story was republished in Biggles of 266 where it appeared as the 7th chapter, under the title Reprisals. It later reappeared in the Red Fox Biggles in France and the 2009 Norman Wright edition. Both of these versions retained the chapter division and titles of the 1935 edition.

In the Modern Boy sequence, this story is preceded by Biggles' Flying Wardrobe and followed by Flying Crusaders.

Synopsis

Algy gets in trouble with pompous captain from another squadron. Biggles and Mahoney decide to put him in his place.

Plot

(may contain spoilers - click on expand to read)

Characters

• Biggles
• Algy Lacey
• Wat Tyler
• Captain Mahoney
• Major Mullen
• Major A. L. Benson
• Captain Bitmore
• Flight Sergeant Smyth
• Logan
• General Sir Martin Ashby

Aircraft

• Sopwith Camel
• Bristol Fighter

Places

Visited

• Maranique
• Cassel

Other Research Notes

• Other R.F.C. and R.N.A.S. Units mentioned:
  • 301 Squadron (R.F.C.) - Cassel, equipped with Bristol Fighters

Chronology

(see also table at Timeline of the Biggles Stories)

• From a chronology point of view, this story is from the second block of Modern Boy stories which went into Biggles in France. This block was published about 4 months after the first block. In contrast to the first block, the second block appears to be set later during the war. Biggles is obviously a flight commander, and a captain and Algy Lacey has joined the squadron.
• For some reason, when compiling the stories for the 1935 edition of Biggles in France, the editors switched this story with the story which was publishbed in Modern Boy after it (Flying Crusaders). So, in the book, Major Benson took part in the air battle in the previous story but only arrives in this one. This inversion continued in Biggles of 266 and the Red Fox edition of France.
• If the appearance of the Albatros D.V placed Flying Crusaders in September-October 1917, then this story would have taken place just before it.

Publication History

• The Modern Boy, Issue 363, 26th January 1935
• Biggles in France, Boy's Friend Library No. 501 7th November 1935 (as two chapters: Under Open Arresr! and "The Laugh's with Us!")
• Biggles of 266 1956 (as chapter 7 Reprisals)
• Biggles in France, Red Fox, 1993 and subsequent reprints
• Biggles in France, Norman Wright, 2009