“Crash Proud” from the April 1930 issue of Wings features Dumpy Scarth. Dumpy first appeared in a 1921 issue of Adventure—he was one of the first members of the boarder patrol Burtis introduced us to. Despite his name and matching appearance, Dumpy is one of the most skilled fliers in the patrol.

In the story Corpus Christi has been hit by a flood and the boarder patrol is out looking for and helping the isolated survivors. To make matters worse, the same flood that decimated the town also allowed a homicidal maniac to escape from prison!

Scarth admitted he was the best in the flying game. Then came the flood, and a doomed city looked to the air.

• Download “Crash Proud” (April 1930, Wings)

This story is based upon real events Burtis lived through during the four years he was an Army flyer—in the March 1924 issue of Everybody’s he recounted the experience as being his most depressing time as an aviator.

While visiting a girl he had previously met at a chateau in the French countryside, Jimmy Brill stumbles upon a Russian plot to go to the American headquarters in Froidvalle where they plan to kill the guards at the general’s office; steal all the maps and plans; blow the place up, and set it on fire to create a diversion while they get away, flying the maps and plans to Germany. Success or failure of the Russian’s plans rely on if Jimmy can stop the “Red in the Sky!” From the pages of the April 1932 Wings.

It was a quiet, peaceful meadow—a haven in the horror of war. Or so Jimmy Brill thought when he slanted down. But it proved to be the hot spot of the whole sector!

• Download “Red in the Sky” (April 1932, Wings)

As a bonus, here’s brief letter H.P.S. Greene had published in then letters pages of the December 1928 Flying Aces, wherein he gives a quick account of himself and his flying ability.

This week’s story features that crack pilot for Tip Top News, the greatest gelatine newspaper that ever flashed on a silver screen—Nick Royce! Davis wrote twenty stories with Nick for Wings magazine from 1928-1931.

After an assignment where things go from bad to worse, Nick and Art are sent out to redeem themselves by covering the big Air Derby. They find out when they get there that the lead ship is nothing but a publicity stunt for their arch competitor’s new aviation themed movie. What can they do but fulfill their assignment and hope that something goes wrong with Super-Art’s publicity ploy.

From the March 1929 Wings, it’s Nick Royce in Frederick C. Davis’ “Winged Showdown!”

The Goddess of Chance sent them into the skies with clipped wings. But Nick Royce lived by one code—and he dared all in one last cloud-gamble to get the shots!

• Download “Winged Showdown” (March 1929, Wings)

This time it’s O.B. Myer’s turn to spin this issue’s “Hangar Yarn”—a the round-table of airmen who, after flying hours, gather to yarn and smoke. All of these tales are told by airmen, in an airman’s fashion that’ll make you feel right at home in the old hangar.

“Did j’ever hear how Ab Longstreet got my Croix de Guerre?” asked Ed, flipping his cigarette butt so that it landed right next to a five-gallon can of gas.

• Download “Sudden Hardware” (April 1930, Wings)

This week’s story features that crack pilot for Tip Top News, the greatest gelatine newspaper that ever flashed on a silver screen—Nick Royce! Davis wrote twenty stories with Nick for Wings magazine from 1928-1931.

You’d think that once Tip Top News decided to acquire the Weekly News Reel, there wouldn’t be any more shenanigans when Nick and Art set out to get footage of the latest calamities—but you’d be wrong! Turns out, when you move up the ladder of success, there’s just a bigger more unscrupulous outfit making sure you don’t succeed. Maybe you expect that from the other outfit, but not from one of your own. Why that would be “Cloud Treason!”

From the February 1929 Wings, it’s Nick Royce in Frederick C. Davis’ “Cloud Treason!”

Nick Royce, sky-eatin’ newsreel pilot, is back again! And in tumbling skies he rides alone to bring traitor ships to showdown!

• Download “Cloud Treason” (February 1929, Wings)

This week’s story features that crack pilot for World News Reel, the greatest gelatine newspaper that ever flashed on a silver screen—Nick Royce! Davis wrote twenty stories with Nick for Wings magazine from 1928-1931.

Tip-Top, the biggest photoplay production corporation in the world, finally makes a choice as to which newsreel service to go with and feature in all their theaters. Will it be the double dealing Compass outfit or the square-shootin’ World News Reel service? It all comes down to a “Showdown in the Sky!” From the August 1928 Wings.

“Get those shots and the reel’s made!” And Nick Royce, World News Reel flyer, hurtles his plane into the clouds to get them. But a man must play the air-game square—even when blazing skies bring strange showdown!

• Download “Showdown in the Sky” (August 1928, Wings)

This week’s story features that crack pilot for World News Reel, the greatest gelatine newspaper that ever flashed on a silver screen—Nick Royce! Davis wrote twenty stories with Nick for Wings magazine from 1928-1931.

Tip-Top, the biggest photoplay production corporation in the world, is still planning to add a news-reel to its releases, and they intended to buy up one of the existing independents. They were almost ready to buy, and their choice had narrowed down to either the Compass outfit or the World News. The reel they bought and gave their name would become the biggest in the world; the others would simply pass out. Compass was hell-bent on landing that deal.

This time Nick is sent out to cover a balloon race in western Pennsylvania that’s back on. Thanks to a bad engine in the Compass plane, Nick and Jim manage to get superior shots of the balloons launching—but when the Compass plane goes down in the wilds of Pennsylvania on the way home, Nick has to stop and aid the stricken crew, putting his own plane in danger!

From the July 1928 Wings, it’s Nick Royce in Frederick C. Davis’ “Flying Fire!”

It was his job! But when the fallen eagles called, Nick Royce, flyer, placed the unwritten law of the air above the demands of reel rivalry!

• Download “Flying Fire” (July 1928, Wings)

This week’s story features that crack pilot for World News Reel, the greatest gelatine newspaper that ever flashed on a silver screen—Nick Royce! Davis wrote twenty stories with Nick for Wings magazine from 1928-1931.

Tip-Top, the biggest photoplay production corporation in the world, is still planning to add a news-reel to its releases, and they intended to buy up one of the existing independents. They were almost ready to buy, and their choice had narrowed down to either the Compass outfit or the World News. The reel they bought and gave their name would become the biggest in the world; the others would simply pass out. Compass was hell-bent on landing that deal.

Gordon Dugan, editor-in-chief of the weekly World News Reel, and his staff were working night and day to land the lucrative deal. Lately the Compass outfit, their keenest and deadliest competitors, had scooped them so often that Dugan was driven to desperation and wouldn’t let anything like sentiment stand between him and success.

From the June 1928 Wings, it’s Frederick C. Davis’ “Twin Flyers!”

They broke him—made him an outcast in the game he loved best. But he wasn’t through—and in the mile-high contest for a scoop, Nick Royce came back!

• Download “Twin Flyers” (June 1928, Wings)

For the August 1931 issue, Martin spins a yarn about Lieutenant Howdy Dean, a pursuit pilot for the hundred and first who was looking to get himself half a boche—poor Howdy had four and a half victories to his credit and needed that extra half to make him an Ace.

• Download “The Bobtail Ace” (August 1931, Wings)

If you enjoyed this brief taste of Franklin H. Martin’s writing, you’ll be happy to hear that we’ll be coming out with Franklin H. Martin’s Aces—a volume that collects Martin’s five stories that appeared in the pages of Aces in the fall of 1932, including the Black Hawk of Prussia duology. More information coming to this site soon!

Bert had been in France for almost two years, including two months over the front with the Lafayette, but had no Huns to his credit. He didn’t want to be known as a cloud-killer, but what can you do when the situation doesn’t present itself….. From the pages of the October 1929 issue of Wings it’s O.B. Myer’s “Cloud-Killer!”

They called him a joy-rider, a cloud-killer—and a war going on! Tremaine waited to answer the slight—and a day came when his guns didn’t jam and his motor carried him through to a winged target.

• Download “Cloud-Killer” (October 1929, Wings)

As a bonus, Obie was featured in Sergeant L.E. Jaeckel’s “American Aviators in the World War” column in The Charlotte Observer (The foremost newspaper of the two Carolinas) Friday July 22nd, 1932 (Page 17). It’s retelling of the events that led to Obie being awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

FIRST LIEUTENANT OSCAR B. MYERS.

THERE comes the time in the career of every aviator when he wants to do something that is just a little beyond the assigned mission. Patrolling in itself should provide enough excitement for any one person. The flyer never knows when he will be called upon to give account of himself, whether on an equal footing with his enemy, or whether to engage in combat with formations many times his equal. Considering all the hazards of war time flying, irrespective of the mission, it would seem that the aviator would be satisfied with the common dangers of his profession without seeking the new.

Ground straffing is an art. Successfully performed, it has been shown what a demoralizing effect it can have upon an enemy, yet it is in all likelihood one of the most dangerous of the aerial missions. Men were trained for it specially. Now and then we find one of our flyers making what might be called a noble experiment of this business on his own. Lieutenant Oscar B. Myers of the 147th Aero Squadron was a fellow who obviously preferred to secure his taste of it by the experimental method.

Near Clerges on September 28th the routine of patrol duty evidently became monotonous for him. Several hundred meters below him there were German troops that could provide him with the action and excitement he craved. Accordingly he swooped down upon them and opened fire with his machine guns. If there has ever been any doubt about the combat qualities of ground straffing, here was irrefutable evidence of its merits. The troops, on their way to the front lines, turned and ran in all directions, throwing panic into the reserves behind them who also sought, such cover as was available.

With the retreat of the troops and the incessant fire from antiaircraft artillery showering him with fusilades becoming uncomfortably close, Lieutenant Myers gained altitude to hunt more action. The little fray in which he had just participated merely whetted his appetite for more. It was not long in coming. Some distance to the northward there appeared a formation of 10 planes, one of which he immediately recognized as an observation plane. Now if there was anything Lieutenant Myers especially wanted to bag it was an observation plane, but how to get to it. It was surrounded by nine Fokkers, all determined to protect their charge at, any cost. As if in answer to his dilemma, two American planes appeared at the moment, and Lieutenant Myers drafted them to assist him. The three machines then launched a vigorous attack upon the enemy formation, Myers not forgetting his chief object.

Throughout the hot combat he did little but fight in an effort to drive away the protection planes. He maneuvered so skillfully that it was not long until he had separated three of the machines from the formation and driven them off. His companions, meanwhile, were having it tooth and nail with the other half dozen contenders. Lieutenant Myers jumped in again noticing that the other planes always closed in on their charge as their ranks were thinned. Finally, with a last great effort, the American trio opened up the enemy flight and Lieutenant Myers grasped his opportunity. He banked above the sextette and dived straight at the observation machine. For a few brief minutes it careened madly, then hurst into flames and fell.

• Download “American Aviators in the World War” (22 July 1932, The Charlotte Observer)

And if that wasn’t enough…

For all his many published stories, O.B. Myer’s didn’t really have any series characters. The few recurring characters he did have in the pages of Dare-Devil Aces, we’ve collected into a book we like to call “The Black Sheep of Belogue: The Best of O.B. Myers” which collects the two Dynamite Pike and his band of outlaw Aces stories and the handful of Clipper Stark vs the Mongol Ace tales. If you enjoyed this story, you’ll love these stories!