Age of Aces » Allan R. Bosworth

Humpy & Tex in “Liberty—or Death” by Allan R. Bosworth

David — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 10:00:02 +0000

THIS week we have a story from the pen of the Navy’s own Allan R. Bosworth. Bosworth wrote a couple dozen stories with Humpy & Tex over the course of ten years from 1930 through 1939, mostly in the pages of War Aces and War Birds. The stories are centered around the naval air base at Ile Tudy, France. “Humpy” Campbell, a short thickset boatswain’s mate, first class who was prone to be spitting great sopping globs of tabacco juice, was a veteran seaplane pilot who would soon rate two hashmarks—his observer, Tex Malone, boatswain’s mate, second class, was a D.O.W. man fresh from the Texas Panhandle. Everybody marveled at the fact that the latter had made one of the navy’s most difficult ratings almost overnight—but the answer lay in his ability with the omnipresent rope he constantly carried.

Humpy and Tex were out on liberty, When they couldn’t get that they preferred death, but the reaper has a funny way of choosing its victims.

Download “Liberty—or Death” (October 1930, War Aces)

Humpy & Tex in “Jawbone of an Ace” by Allan R. Bosworth

David — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 11:00:39 +0000

Humpy & Tex find themselves in the brig, busted down for their shenanigans. They volunteer to dive down and unfoul the anchor seeing it as a chance to retrieve the cognac they had dropped in the harbor the night before, but end up abandoned without air on the ocean floor—definitely not the place for two airman! “Jawbone of an Ace” by the Navy’s own Allan R. Bosworth is one of the duo’s later adventures from the pages of the January 1935 War Birds.

Humpy And Tex, Flying Fish Of The Azores, In A Mad Scramble From Ocean Floor To Sky-Top For Cognac And Krauts!

Download “Jawbone of an Ace” (January 1935, War Birds)

Humpy & Tex in “Seagull’s Luck” by Allan R. Bosworth

David — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 10:00:20 +0000

Humpy & Tex find themselves down in the ocean after deflecting a torpedo with a bomb. Unfortunately, the devious Krauts find them and seize on this as an opportunity to use the I-30 as a means of destroying any destroyer that may come looking for the duo! “Seagull’s Luck” by the Navy’s own Allan R. Bosworth is from the pages of the March 1931 War Aces.

Humpy and Tex couldn’t decide about an insignia for their crate until a U-Boat commander showed them the hot spot—and how to fill it. Then paint and Heinies got spattered all over the Channel.

Download “Seagull’s Luck” (March 1931, War Aces)

Humpy & Tex in “Washed Out” by Allan R. Bosworth

David — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 10:00:42 +0000

THIS week we have a story from the pen of the Navy’s own Allan R. Bosworth. Bosworth wrote a couple dozen stories with Humpy & Tex over the course of ten years from 1930 through 1939, mostly in the pages of War Aces and War Birds. The stories are centered around the naval air base at Ile Tudy, France. “Humpy” Campbell, a short thickset boatswain’s mate, first class who was prone to be spitting great sopping globs of tabacco juice, was a veteran seaplane pilot who would soon rate two hashmarksâ€”his observer, Tex Malone, boatswain’s mate, second class, was a D.O.W. man fresh from the Texas Panhandle. Everybody marveled at the fact that the latter had made one of the navy’s most difficult ratings almost overnightâ€”but the answer lay in his ability with the omnipresent rope he constantly carried.

Caught in a sudden squall, Humpy & Tex find themselves down in the ocean and starting to sink! Their rescue puts them smack in the middle of a German plot to blow up the port at St. Nazaire. They may be down, but they’re not “Washed Out!” By the Navy’s own Allan R. Bosworth from the pages of the December 1930 War Aces.

One of them chewed tobacco and the other sang, but it wasn’t until they were pulled over the side of that mystery ship that Humpy and Tex sang “Hallelujah, I’m a bum.”

Download “Washed Out” (December 1930, War Aces)

“Squadron of the Snows” by Allan R. Bosworth

David — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 11:00:42 +0000

THIS week we have a story from the pen of the Navy’s own Allan R. Bosworth. This time Bosworth gives us a tale of war in the Alps! Bart Mason, American pilot of Native-American desert is attached to the British squadron posted at the Italian army post west of Treviso. The sector has been terrorized by Paul Katz and his Squadron of the Snows. The problem is, Katz’ Staffel flies all-white planes which seem invisible against the snowy backdrop of the Alpsâ€”that is until Bart dons some warpaint!

Somewhere in the ice-covered heights of the Alps that deadly Snow Squadron had its lairâ€” and none could challenge their invisible menace, until a yelling, fighting Indian had a yen to paint the town red.

From the pages of the April 1932 issue of War Birds, it “Squadron of the Snows!”

Download “Squadron of the Snows” (April 1932, War Birds)

“Little Orphan Danny” by Allan R. Bosworth

David — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 10:00:56 +0000

THIS week we have a story from the pen of the Navy’s own Allan R. Bosworth. Being a Navy man, Bosworth’s stories primarily dealt with the Navy. However, this week’s story from the pages of War Birds, Bosworth gives us something differentâ€”the Steenth Squadron has a German spy in their midst. Dizzy Donovan exists the help of a local orphan the squadron has taken a shine to to help ferret out the hidden Boche agent. But the pilots are the ones in for a surprise at Little Orphan Danny’s birthday Party! From the pages of the December 1932 it’s “Little Orphan Danny!”

Dizzy Donovan, premier poet of the air, took an orphan to raise. When the pilots of the Steenth tried to celebrate Little Dannyâ€™s birthday they learned about the war from him!

Download “Little Orphan Danny” (December 1932, War Birds)

“Hell in the Heavens” by Allan R. Bosworth

David — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 10:00:57 +0000

THIS week we have a story from the pen of the Navy’s own Allan R. Bosworth. Being a Navy man, Bosworth’s stories primarily dealt with the Navy. In this week’s story from the pages of War Aces, Bosworth gives us something differentâ€”the story of The Slasher!

Old-timers told of Boche pilots who flew low over marching infantry during the first year of the war, and tossed out handful after handful of these steel darts. Needle sharp, weighted at the lower portion before tapering to a deadly point, they would plummet downward to strike the helpless foot-sloggers. Now The slasher had revived the flechettes and was making hell in the heavens for the Umpty-third. Six fine men lost, four of them down over the trenches or enemy soil. Two others who managed to land their planes near the home tarmac, with cruel steel flechettes piercing their bodies, dying before they could tell how it had happened! From the pages of the April 1931 issue of War Aces, it’s “Hell in the Heavens!”

The “Slasher” scorned guns! His victims felt the deadly bite of steel darts. The hands of all men were against him but only one dared to attack.

Download “Hell in the Heavens” (April 1931, War Aces)

“McClarnin Shoots a Natural” by Allan R. Bosworth

David — Fri, 27 Dec 2019 11:00:05 +0000

THIS week we have a story from the pen of the Navy’s own Allan R. Bosworth. Being a Navy man, Bosworth’s stories primarily dealt with the Navy. In this week’s story from the pages of War Novels, Bosworth gives us the story of some sailors who try to get a game of Craps in and get caught below deck when the ship is torpedoed by a German sub!

Stealthily the four men entered that water-tight storeroom and dogged down the door. Yet they soon found a fifth one among them, grimly smiling at their little game.

From the pages of the June 15th, 1929 issue of War Novels, it “McClarnin Shoots a Natural!”

Download “McClarnin Shoots a Natural” (15 June 1929, War Novels)

Humpy & Tex in “Flight of the Goofus Bird” by Allan R. Bosworth

David — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 11:00:12 +0000

THIS week we have a story from the pen of the Navy’s own Allan R. Bosworth. Bosworth wrote a couple dozen stories with Humpy & Tex over the course of ten years from 1930 through 1939, mostly in the pages of War Aces and War Birds. The stories are centered around the naval air base at Ile Tudy, France. “Humpy” Campbell, a short thickset boatswain’s mate, first class who was prone to be spitting great sopping globs of tabacco juice, was a veteran seaplane pilot who would soon rate two hashmarksâ€”his observer, Tex Malone, boatswain’s mate, second class, was a D.O.W. man fresh from the Texas Panhandle. Everybody marveled at the fact that the latter had made one of the navy’s most difficult ratings almost overnightâ€”but the answer lay in his ability with the omnipresent rope he constantly carried.

Humpy & Tex find themselves down in the ocean with a dead motor, their only hopes of rescue depend upon their beloved Goofus Bird! From the pages of the une 1930 issue of War Aces it’s Allan R. Bosworth’sâ€””Flight of the Goofus Bird!”

Down with a dead motor on the cold waters of the Atlantic they were at the mercy of the U-boat that lay in wait. Humpy and Tex faced a terrible death, but then there was their beloved Goofus birdâ€”

Download “Flight of the Goofus Bird” (June 1930, War Aces)

Humpy & Tex in “Hell and Highwater” by Allan R. Bosworth

David — Fri, 31 Aug 2018 10:00:38 +0000

THIS week we have a story from the pen of the Navy’s own Allan R. Bosworth. Bosworth wrote a couple dozen stories with Humpy & Tex over the course of ten years from 1930 through 1939, mostly in the pages of War Aces and War Birds. The stories are centered around the naval air base at Ile Tudy, France. “Humpy” Campbell, a short thickset boatswain’s mate, first class who was prone to be spitting great sopping globs of tabacco juice, was a veteran seaplane pilot who would soon rate two hashmarksâ€”his observer, Tex Malone, boatswain’s mate, second class, was a D.O.W. man fresh from the Texas Panhandle. Everybody marveled at the fact that the latter had made one of the navy’s most difficult ratings almost overnightâ€”but the answer lay in his ability with the omnipresent rope he constantly carried.

Humpy & Tex find themselves in “Hell and Highwater” when they find themselves heading toward the front in a seaplane looking for some water to land in! From the pages of the May 1930 issue of War Acesâ€”

Action was slow over the English Channel and the demon sea plane pilots had a yen for the Front and hot combat. When their gas ran out there was only one river to land on, and that was lined with machine guns. They couldn’t land, and they couldn’t fly, soâ€”

Download “Hell and Highwater” (May 1930, War Aces)