Age of Aces » Over The Top

“Hard-Boiled Wings” by Raoul Whitfield

David — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:32 +0000

THIS week we have a story from Raoul Whitfield. Whitfield was a prolific pulp writer primarily known for his hardboiled crime fiction published in the pages of Black Mask, but he was equally adept at lighter fair that might run in the pages of Breezy Stories. We’ve featured a number of his Buck Kent stories that ran in Air Trails, but this time we have a WWI tale!

“Bing” Burks didn’t give the new recruits sent down to the squadron much of a chance. How good could a kiwi be? But he found out when Lt. Dunning found himself at the squadron and on Bing’s bad side—but Bing found out when it counted, that the Lieutenant also wore “Hard-Boiled Wings!” From the August 1929 number of Over The Top.

It was a case of rough meet tough when “Bing” Burks and the fighting newcomer declared war.

Download “Hard-Boiled Wings” (August 1929, Over The Top)

“Sky Pictures” by Raoul Whitfield

David — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 10:00:50 +0000

What are the chances of two men from the same squadron, assigned to the same D.H. for reconnaissance photos, having the same picture of a girl from back home on their coop walls? From the June 1929 number of Over The Top, it’s Raoul Whitfield’s “The Sky Joker!”

Photographs, military and otherwise, bring trouble to a certain American flying squadron in France.

Download “Sky Pictures” (June 1929, Over The Top)

“The Sky Joker” by Raoul Whitfield

David — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 10:00:32 +0000

The Thirty-ninth was located pretty far up front, for a squadron field. The enemy had bombed them out of two fields, and the third one that Staff had assigned them was just a little worse than the other two had been. Worse for landings and take-offs, and considerably worse in the matter of camouflaging from the enemy. The Boche had already come over several times to say hi, but they didn’t do very much damage, just raised hell in general. But the morale of the outfit took a sharp drop. It was into this humorless squadron that Lieutenant Bill Roberts and his very large sense of humor was transferred and the Thirty-ninth wanted none of it!

From the February 1929 number of Over The Top, it’s Raoul Whitfield’s “The Sky Joker!”

He brought a sense of humor to a hard-boiled squadron, this laughing lieutenant, but it took the squadron a long time to appreciate his wisecracking.

Download “The Sky Joker” (February 1929, Over The Top)

“Buck Manley, Balloon Buster” by Lloyd Leonard Howard

David — Fri, 12 May 2023 10:00:35 +0000

THIS week we have another Buck Manley story by Lloyd Leonard Howard from the pages of Street & Smith’s short lived Over The Top magazine. Over The Top was a magazine featuring war stories by the likes of Arthur Guy Empey, George Bruce, Raoul Whitfield among others. One of those others being Lloyd Leonard Howard who had stories in about a dozen of the 21 issues. Several of them featured a pilot by the name of Lieutenant Buck Manley and his pal Lieutenant â€œStubbyâ€ Davis. For some reason or other, enemy craft were scarce since the St. Mihiel drive and although Boche crates were few and far between there were still Boche observation Balloons to down! From the December 1928 issue of Over The Top, it’s Lloyd Leonard Howard’s “Buck Manley, Balloon Buster!”

There are certain things you canâ€™t explain to G.H.Q.â€”sometimes you just have to show â€™em!

Download “Buck Manley Balloon Buster” (December 1928, Over The Top)

“Buck Manley Goes Home” by Lloyd Leonard Howard

David — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 11:00:46 +0000

THIS week we have a story by Lloyd Leonard Howard from the pages of Street & Smith’s short lived Over The Top magazine. Over The Top was a magazine featuring war stories by the likes of Arthur Guy Empey, George Bruce, Raoul Whitfield among others. One of those others being Lloyd Leonard Howard who had stories in about a dozen of the 21 issues. Several of them featured a pilot by the name of Lieutenant Buck Manley and his pal Lieutenant â€œStubbyâ€ Davis. Stubby doesn’t appear in this first story where Buck, separated from his flight in enemy hell skies, tries to get back to his home baseâ€”or at least friendlier skiesâ€”before his plane and his luck can go no further!

From the October 1928 issue of Over The Top, it’s Lloyd Leonard Howard’s “Buck Manley Goes Home!”

His motor going bad, ground machine guns barking at him and enemy planes swooping down. Buck had only headwork and grim courage to rely upon.

Download “Buck Manley Goes Home” (October 1928, Over The Top)