SKY HIGH
First Published in book form in February 1936 - 251 pages
The first edition cost 3/6 and the second edition cost 2/6
Originally published in AIR STORIES magazine from January
to March 1936 in a significantly edited version
Also published in THE
THRILLER magazine on 8th and 15th August 1936 in a
complete full version
with the two parts entitled ‘Calling all Cars’ and ‘Steeley
Muscles In’
(although any references to phrases such as “Good God” in
the book are changed to “Good Heavens” or “Good Lord” in the Thriller version)
The original first edition dust wrapper
showing the original price of 3/6 on the front flap
The original second edition dust wrapper
showing the now lower price of 2/6 on front flap (at a slightly higher place
than normal – making it difficult to price clip!)
The Latimer edition reprint dust
wrapper showing the price of 6 shillings on the front flap. I believe this was published on 16th
July 1951
And finally, the original French
edition dust wrapper of “Sky High” showing the title “L’Avion Noir” which
translates as “The Black Plane”
The
narrator, Eric "Tubby" Wilde, tells this story in the first person.
It starts with an introduction about how he first met Deeley Montfort Delaroy
(nicknamed "Steeley") in 1916 when he joined Tubby's Squadron in
France and how Steeley was responsible for the death of their friend and fellow
pilot, Ballantyne. Many years later, Tubby meets Steeley accidentally in London
and they go for lunch to catch up on old times. Tubby is interested in knowing
the secret of Steeley's apparent wealth, as he had heard he was at one stage
poverty stricken (Steeley had in fact given all of his army discharge money to
Ballantyne's widow). Steeley takes Tubby back to his flat to tell him in
private. Before he has a chance to, a young man who wants to give him some
information visits Steeley. He says that the police are on to Steeley after he
gave some pound notes to an ex-RAF man who was begging. The money was stolen
from a Mail plane and had been marked in advance. The mysterious man reveals
that he is Brian Ballantyne, the son of the pilot killed in the First World
War, and he is now a journalist investigating the mysterious Mr. X who steals
money from the rich and gives it to poor ex-servicemen. Suddenly, the police
raid the flat and Steeley asks both Tubby and Brian if they want to join him.
On the spur of the moment, they agree and escape to the South Surrey Flying
Club, set up by Steeley to cover his illegal operations. Here they are visited
and questioned by Inspector Wayne of Scotland Yard. Wayne was also the former
commanding officer from Tubby and Steeley's Squadron. The following morning,
Steeley and Tubby fly to France to illegally import silk stockings for a chain
of shops Steeley owns. On their return they find Wayne and officers of Customs
and Excise waiting for them, but Steeley has been too clever for them. Steeley's next job is to pick up the Guggenmayer
diamonds, which have been stolen by a thief called Dude Dale. This involves a
trip to Holland. On their return to the UK, they see a similar plane to their
own being pursued by a Hart aircraft. They watch the two aircraft fight and the
Hart is shot down, although one of the two crew is able to bail out. The
similar plane is also badly hit and goes down and crashes. Steeley lands beside it to help but they find
the pilot, called Norton, dying. He explains that he was illegally selling
weapons to a European country called Hertzovnia and that when the last shipment
is made he will get £1000. He asks our heroes to take the last shipment for him
and give the money to his wife. To comfort him, they say they will and when he
dies, they feel obliged to do it. They go to Norton's isolated house and
collect the last shipment, then using the maps referred to by Norton and found
on his body, Steeley, Tubby and Brian fly to Hertzovnia. Here they are shot
down and captured by Otto Brunheim, the man who had employed Norton. Brunheim was planning to double cross Norton
but Steeley manages to get the money and our heroes escape by stealing a new
plane. Chased by other aircraft, Tubby
does some rear gunning and fights the other aircraft off. They just have enough fuel to reach the coast
of Britain and crash land on the beach. Eventually getting back to their base
at the South Surrey Flying Club, they are surprised to find Dude Dale
there. Steeley is furious as Dale will
have led the police to him, and he has.
Things are made much worse when Dale shoots a police officer, before he
himself is shot dead. With their base
under siege, Steeley takes Tubby and Brian to an upstairs room that is open to
the sky. Here he has a hot air balloon for a quiet escape in the dark. On an airborne journey, Steeley suggests
Tubby and Brian parachute out and return to their old lives as nobody knows of
their involvement with him. They shake
hands and leave Steeley to drift on into the unknown. Tubby is later visited by
Inspector Wayne and Assistant Commissioner of Police, Colonel Raymond (a
regular character from the 'Biggles' books).
They are not after Tubby, as there is no evidence against him, they are
after Steeley. Tubby is pleased to hear
that the policeman who was shot by Dale is likely to recover and offers to tell
the complete story in exchange for a promise that his words will never be used
in evidence against Steeley. Tubby explains that Steeley would never have been
involved in the shooting of a policeman.
The thefts were to give money to ex-servicemen who fought for their
country in the war and had been left poverty-stricken. Tubby believes that
Steeley's balloon would have been blown to France and that is where he is
likely to remain.
Click here to see an
advert for this book from the May 1937 issue of ‘Popular Flying’
Sky High
Subtitle - Being the strange story of Deeley Montfort Delaroy,
told by his war-time comrade and friend, Captain Eric (Tubby) Wilde
Publication Details - originally published by George Newnes