THE October 1933 issue of WAR BIRDS hit the stands with Belarski’s Eagles of the Black Cross cover and a wealth of stories within lead off by William E. Barrett’s factual article that goes with the cover. There were also stories by Hogan, Myers, MacDowell and Brownestone. And in the back was a new feature for the readers—The Cockpit. This was the place where the WAR BIRDS gang and the editor could get together every month to spin the vocal prop.

The Cockpit brought with it The War Birds Club! Run by “The Adjutant” and overseen by the Editor and C.O. of War Birds, Carson Mowre, The Cockpit became a lively column where readers could voice their opinions, swap and trade stuff, find a like-minded reader to become pen pals with, as well as boast about their squadron’s achievements, see who’s received a promotion or citation and general club banter.

The first column from the October 1933 issue sets up the club, it’s particulars and how to join:

HERE is the most important announcement of the year. Sixteen years ago, the youth of America climbed out of civvies and into khaki. Overnight, we learned to substitute the bugle for the alarm clock. Our ears caught the distant thunder of the guns. We rode to them, we marched to them—and we flew to them.

We have captured much of the wild thrill in the stories that have appeared in WAR BIRDS’ stories written by veterans who lived the epic and who remember. But it isn’t enough.

The readers of WAR BIRDS are of the breed that, in another day, would have ridden flaming skies. Their selection of reading matter demonstrates it. The electric something that called their blood brothers to war calls them to the re-living of it.

And it is to their hands that the torch of ‘17 is flung. To them falls the responsibility of closing up the gaps. That flaming spirit that America took into the skies of ‘17 and ‘18 must not be allowed to die. We won’t let it.

This month a new organization comes into being—an organization with a name that was born of ‘17 and that has been preserved on the masthead of the oldest air-war magazine—WAR BIRDS.

A man must qualify for War Birds. His membership is not a gift. The war bird of yesterday won his wings. It is but fair that the war bird of 1933 do the same.

There were ships and guns that shared the glory of those by-gone years as well as men. A man who has the spirit that made the air service will know about those ships and those guns and those men. In knowing of them and remembering them, he makes them immortal; he preserves the spirit of the thing for which they stood.

No one will wear the War Birds wings or carry the War Birds card who does not know of, and respect, the things that make up the life of a sky warrior. There is an examination to be passed before you qualify—and it is not an easy examination. But, when you have passed it, you will know the glory of really “belonging.” Your wings will not be a mockery—they will stand for something tangible and you will have won the right to wear them.

APPLY FOR YOUR WAR BIRDS MEMBERSHIP NOW

Memberships in War Birds are neither sold nor given away; they must be earned!

(1) Clip the coupon from this issue and mail it to Wing Commander, War Birds, 100 Fifth Avenue, New York City, N.Y., properly and completely filled out.

(2) If you want the free booklets described below enclose five cents in coin or stamps to cover postage and handling. You do not have to order these booklets if you do not want them, but they will be helpful in passing the tests.

THE ENVELOPE the booklets and exam questions arrive in with only a 1½¢ stamp on it.

(3) The Adjutant will mail you your examination questions and problems. They will be based on information contained in the previously mentioned booklets and in current issues of WAR BIRDS. Your answers to the questions and the problems should be mailed back promptly to Headquarters.

THE EXAM. Please answer on a separate sheet of paper.

(4) If your grade in the examination is satisfactory, the Wing Commander’s adjutant will mail you a handsome card of membership certifying to the fact that you have qualified for “War Birds” and are entitled to the privileges of membership.

(5) You will be assigned to a squadron and your squadron designation will appear upon your card.

That is all there is to it but we want to emphasize the fact that War Birds is a patriotic organization solely. We have nothing to sell. For all purposes of the organization, the War Birds card is sufficient. It is the member’s identification and obtains for him all of the privileges allowed to members.

As a convenience, however, to those members who would like silver lapel wings we are making arrangements with a manufacturer to supply the War Birds emblem at a nominal price. Future issues of WAR BIRDS will contain further details on such insignia as well as on the various other plans now being formulated.

A membership in War Birds is going to mean something. Get in on the ground floor now and be one of the originals. Mail your application TODAY.

A FREE LIBRARY FOR YOU

You may have the following booklets free by mailing your request promptly to the Wing Commander, War Birds, 100 Fifth Ave., New York City, N.Y., with five cents to cover postage and packing. (The material in the booklets had previously appeared in the pages of War Birds or War Aces.)

WAR PLANES OF ALL NATIONS—a booklet containing the full dope on 135 war time planes; speed, horse-power, performance. (originally published in the May 1931 War Birds (v14n42))

MORE PLANE FACTS—a war pilot’s frank discussion of little known phases of flying in France. (originally published in the January 1932 War Aces (v8n22))

SYNTHETIC ACES—an expose of the fakers who pose as war flyers with tips on how to unmask them. (originally published in the January 1932 War Aces (v8n22))

ARCHIE—the complete story of anti-aircraft; its successes and its failures, with extracts from anarchy gunner’s dope book. (originally published in the March 1932 War Birds (v18n52))

These booklets will help you to pass your examination for admission to War Birds. Don’t delay in placing your order. Send your request today on the coupon form provided below.

They even laid out future plans for the club:

In the days ahead, qualified War Birds will share in many good things; free copies of genuine war photographs, discounts and special prices on aeronautical equipment, special rates on flying courses and a hundred and one other privileges that will cause the War Birds card to grow in value with the passing months.

There is in prospect at present a FREE distribution to members of:
(1) Genuine war pictures
(2) A special discount price list on planes and equipment
(3) A discount price on flying instruction
(4) Conventions for members
(5) Special services of a research bureau.

a WAR BIRDS CLUB timeline

OCTOBER 1933

• A new “The Cockpit” feature begins. It is the place where the WAR BIRDS gang and the editor get together every month to spin the vocal prop.
• Run by the “Wing Commander,” the Cockpit announces the Formation of the WAR BIRDS, a club for readers and lays out everything you need to know to apply to join (see above).
• Also lists future plans for the club: they want to offer members genuine war pictures, a discount price list on planes and equipment as well as a discount on flying instructions, services of a research bureau and conventions for members!

NOVEMBER 1933

• The Adjutant says applications are flooding in. News of exciting offers next month.
• A commissioned member of the WAR BIRDS can win a citation by exceptional service. This includes but is not limited to making a suggestion that will make the magazine more interesting, or a constructive criticism, or an idea for club activity, or a scheme for enrolling more members, or a plan for squadron mates in the same city getting together.
• Only a few commissions have been earned so far, and some have failed to qualify. They will provide a way for re-examination in the future, but it will be tougher.
• Every state and the District of Columbia and Canada have been give their own squadron number. These are listed.
• The four booklets—War Planes of All Nations, Plane Facts, Synthetic Aces, and Archie—are now available for 5¢ in stamps or coins.

DECEMBER 1933

• The Adjutant’s office has been snowed under and he’s been slow in mailing out the commissions.
• You qualify for the wings you wear and you can neither buy nor finagle them. To get them you must pass rigid tests that will prove or disprove the genuineness of your interest in flying and in the traditions of wartime service.
• Every qualified member of the WAR BIRDS whose commission is in good standing by midnight of December 20, the C.O. is going to send out a personal Christmas present which may be a package of genuine war photographs: aces, ships, etc., that have never been distributed before.
• Members are getting together and starting to organize their own flights with names.
• Additional Squadron numbers for foreign readers are listed: Alasks (51), England (52), Hawaii (53), Irish Free State (54), Mexico (55), Panama Canal Zone (56), Cuba (57), Philippines (58), Belgium (59)
• In the process of making arrangements with a manufacturer to supply silver wings at a nominal price

JANUARY 1934

• The Adjutant says that any notice of the change in rank will appear in the Honors List. And suggests you clip it and paste it on the back of your commission card.
• That’s the key to promotions and honors—service to the rest of the WAR BIRDS.
• The question of having a German squadron is raised. They have 2 applications. One from Berlin, the other from Hamburg.
• Australia becomes the 60th squadron. (Squadron numbers for the original 50 squadrons and Mexico (mislabled as 69) are listed.
• The lapel wings have just been designed—a beautiful set of silver wings. In the center of the wings in blue is “War Birds.” They won’t cost much—less than a quarter.

FEBRUARY 1934

• Offices have moved from 100 Fifth Avenue to 149 Madison Avenue.
• Many inquiries about the wings—all the dope on the next issue.
• A few of you are asking about the free pictures. They’ll be along. Just watch the sheet.
• H.Q. will grant a Captain’s commission to the organizer of any club reaching a membership of twenty. The qualifications are: (a) The organizer must be himself a commissioned officer in the WAR BIRDS; (b) He must turn in a list of his members when the membership reaches twenty; (c) All members must be officers in the WAR BIRDS or must have their applications in for commissions; (d) In cases where the member’s town is small, the club will be recognized with less than twenty members. Just convince us that you have done the best possible with the town or the neighborhood that is yours.
• To every WAR BIRD post so organized, we will give a WAR BIRD Charter to be hung in the club house, plus certain concessions which will enable them to buy club equipment, etc., at cost.
• News on the various posts being formed: Shelbyville, Indiana. Brooklyn. Long Island Traverse City, Michigan.
• Germany is established as 70 Squadron. Comments from other stateside WAR BIRDS are noted.
• Should there be a women’s auxiliary squadron?

MARCH 1934

• The COCKPIT gets a new header.
• The WINGS are here! Any commissioned member can have theirs for 15¢.
• The Adjutant suggests every squadron deign their own insignia if they haven’t already.
• Members who wish to correspond with one another will be listed in the next issue.
• Any group commander will rate promotion who can report six commissioned members of WAR BIRDS as assembled in one post provided the post is regularly organized, has a regular meeting schedule, an insignia and a name. His rank for a six to ten member post will be “Captain” provided that he sends in a notice of his election as Post Commander signed by each of the post members. For an eleven to twenty member post, the commander’s rank will be “Major” and he will be entitled to one Captain under his command. Lest this seem to make the higher rank available only to men in the larger towns, we wish to add that a six member post can qualify by special service as an A-l post, giving it the same rank privileges as the larger post.
• suggestions from members
• promotions from 2nd Lieutenant 1st listed for 4 officers.

APRIL 1934

• your WAR BIRDS commission earns you a salute at one of the finest air colleges in this man’s country—THE CASEY JONES SCHOOL OF AERONAUTICS at Newark, N.J. The staff will be glad to answer his questions and take him on a tour of inspection upon presentation of his WAR BIRDS card.
• Supply of the 4 booklets is nearly exhausted.
• WORDS A-WING column starts.

MAY 1934

• THE PITTSBURGH-BUTLER AIRPORT INC., at Butler, Pa. will be glad to extend courtesy of the drome to commissioned officers of WAR BIRDS who present their identification cards. Pittsburgh-Butler operate an A-l flying school at their airport.
• Likewise for THE RYAN SCHOOL OF AERONAUTICS, LTD., at Lindbergh Field, San Diego, Calif.,
• The C.O. goes over all the club aspects
• List of new posts and their organizers.
• Long list of people for WORDS A-WING
• Honor citations listed.

JUNE 1934

• Adjutant says: “Exactly 3,148 lads who have made application for membership, in WAR BIRDS, have not returned their examination papers.”
• The Adjutant plans to start a NON-COM’S MESS for those air-minded lads they are, who want to get the feel of things before going after commissions.
• Girls will be Lady Birds and their squadron numeral—no matter where they live—is “80.”
• Suggestions under consideration by the C.O.: including model plans in the magazine; covers without text all over them.
• Working on getting various airport to extend courtesies to members; discounts on equipment; and, free pictures which had become harder with the flood of members.
• a lengthy WORDS A-WING listing
• Citations and/or Promotions for 19 members.
• Coupon now included each month for signing up for the NON-COM’S MESS

JULY 1934

• The C.O. takes over the meetings while the Adjutant handles the NON-COM’S MESS which starts this issue.
• C.O. asks members to send in a postcard listing their two favorite authors (including ones not in WAR BIRDS) and they will feature the ones who get the votes.
• NON-COMS can use the Swap and Words A-Wing columns and can offer suggestions. They are also afforded the right to join a Flight, but not organize one.
• Citations and/or Promotions for 17 members.
• SWAP COLUMN starts up
• 10 more people listed in WORDS A-WING

AUGUST 1934

• C.O. measures readers that all letters are read. But it takes a while. And please print your name.
• C.O. plans on offering $5 for the best picture of a model plane sent in.
• FLIGHT PARADE. A listing of flights who have sent in their information. Listing of members and location.
• Full page on Galveston’s LUCKY SEVEN FLIGHT with member’s picture.
• Citations and/or Promotions for 10 members.
• SPARE PARTS HANGER takes the place of the SWAP column.
• more WORDS A-WING pen pals listed.

SEPTEMBER 1934

• BETTIS FIELD, located on the McKeesport-Pittsburgh Road, extends an invitation to the War Birds
• Start of PROP WASH section, a sort of grunt and growl and talk it over department.
• It’s suggested that every War Bird Flight should have a specific interest in addition to our common interest in aviation. Set a specific time to hold meetings, organize a treasury.
• General events and course of a meeting are discussed.
• Citations and/or Promotions for 11 members.
• The FLIGHT PARADE lists 9 more flights.
• more WORDS A-WING pen pals listed
• more items on offer in the SPARE PARTS HANGER.

OCTOBER 1934

• Flight insignias continue to pour in.
• That offer of Five Dollars for the best photograph of a model plane—either flying or scale model—built by a member is still open. Five dollars every month.
• Someone suggests there be a special WAR BIRDS code for members to communicate with.
• Citations and/or Promotions for 18 members and 4 non-commissioned officers
• The FLIGHT PARADE lists 13 more flights.
• more WORDS A-WING pen pals listed
• more items on offer in the SPARE PARTS HANGER.

NOVEMBER 1934

• Many members have still not adopted the military form of address yet.
• The FLIGHT PARADE lists 15 more flights.
• Citations and/or Promotions for 18 members.
• Insignias will be printed in next month’s issue.
• two flights of non-coms have been formed and several non-coms have received citations.
• A report of the SONS OF SATAN FLIGHT’s special meeting.
• no WORDS A-WING pen pals listed
• more items on offer in the SPARE PARTS HANGER.

DECEMBER 1934

• There is talk of a uniforms, stationary and honorary members.
• a page of Flight Insignias.
• Citations and/or Promotions for 18 members and 11 non-commissioned officers
• Charters have been mailed to all Flights
• The FLIGHT PARADE lists 6 more flights.
• A letter from the LUCKY SEVEN FLIGHT reports their Meeting Routine.
• more WORDS A-WING pen pals listed
• more items on offer in the SPARE PARTS HANGER.

JANUARY 1935

• The FLIGHT PARADE lists 6 more flights and updates the BATTLE ACES FLIGHT OF San Francisco.
• FLIGHT NEWS updates the latest with 8 flights and provides a letter from the MYSTERY FLIGHT.
• Citations and/or Promotions for 11 members
• more WORDS A-WING pen pals listed
• more items on offer in the SPARE PARTS HANGER.

FEBRUARY 1935

• Six new flights are listed and updates on 4 previously announced flights.
• Citations and/or Promotions for 28 members and 7 non-coms.
• A report by Dorothy Kohn on a visit to Davenport Airport, Cram Field, Iowa.
• Bouse Resolution No. 7413
• more WORDS A-WING pen pals listed
• more items on offer in the SPARE PARTS HANGER.

WITH the March Issue, WAR BIRDS changes it’s name to TERENCE X. O’LEARY’S WAR BIRDS and it’s focus. The lead story will now feature the exploits of Arthur Guy Empey’s Terence X. O’Leary, but the stories are more science-fictiony that O’Leary’s previous exploits in the magazine which were set in WWI. THE COCKPIT column continues with all it’s previous sections. And the coupon to join is still included. The Booklets can still be obtained for 5¢ and the wings are a bargain at 15¢.

MARCH 1935

• Title change due to popular demand of the readers.
• Actual Vickers machine guns on offer (rendered inoperable)
• Citations for 9 2nd Lt’s and 11 Corporals
• more items on offer in the SPARE PARTS HANGER.

APRIL 1935

• It is possible to become a Major. Two have so far. Majors can recommend three men a year for promotion.
• Still publishing coupons to join club. The wings and booklets still on offer.
• someone wrote to another magazine for the answers to the exam questions.
• strange but true aviation facts
• The FLIGHT PARADE lists 6 more flights and 10 non-com flight.
• Updates on three flights—LUCKY SEVEN FLIGHT, W.E. BARRETT AND GRIN FLIGHT, and COBRA PATROL Flight.
• many Citations and Promotions
• more WORDS A-WING pen pals listed
• more items on offer in the SPARE PARTS HANGER.

JUNE 1935

• For the first time, non-coms outnumber commissioned officers.
• One member wants to start Zeppelin Division of the War Birds. And another is into rocket propulsion.
• There is no coupon to join the club as an officer or non-com in this issue.
• Numerous Citations and Promotions listed.
• more WORDS A-WING pen pals listed

The WAR BIRDS CLUB does not continue when the magazine returns to being called WAR BIRDS again in October.

THIS Holiday Season we’re delving into a pair of scrapbooks that were created in the late 20’s and early 30’s by an industrious youth, Robert A. O’Neil, with a keen interest in all things aviation. The books contain clippings, photos and articles from various aviation pulps as well as other magazines. What has been assembled is a treasure trove of information on planes and aces of WWI.

Like many in the late 20’s and early 30’s, Robert O’Neil was fascinated with aviation and as such, a large part of both volumes of his scrapbooks is taken up with a cataloging of the many different types of planes. But amongst all the planes and air race flyers and info on Aces are some surprising items.

Turning the page, we find one of the Birdmen Club cards paired with the Sky Riders Club Card!

The Sky Riders magazine started in November 1928. A year later, in the November 1929 issue there was a brief mention in the magazine’s letters column, The Bung Bung, that they would be announcing details of a club in the subsequent issue. And sure enough, avid Sky Riders readers who had been pestering the editors for a club were granted their wish.

As the chief laid out the Sky Riders Club guidelines in the December 1929 issue:

First off, the name will be THE SKY RIDERS CLUB, and it will be open to all readers of the mag. But just being a reader of the mag is no free ticket for joining this new bunch of cloud-busters, not on your dizzy life.

The club will be divided into three squadrons. Squadron 1 includes those who have actually piloted a plane, and by piloting a plane, I don’t mean no dare-devil stunt like pushing the joystick around inside the hangar. To get into Squadron 1, the requirements are that you send in one coupon and a letter stating (a) why you are interested in aviation, and (b) one constructive idea that you have for the promotion of aviation.

Squadron 2 includes those who have been up in a plane, regardless of whether they have handled the joystick themselves or not. These members will be required to send in the coupon from two successive issues of the mag, together with the letter as explained above.

And Squadron 3 will include those modocs who have never been up in a plane, but are just feverish with the aerial itch. Membership in Squadron 3 will be given to these who send in the coupon from three successive issues of the mag and also the letter as outlined for members of Squadron 1.

If you are accepted into the club, you will receive a membership certificate, and the right to wear the silver wings of the outfit. The silver wings can be had by sending in fifty cents, but this is not a commercial organization and will make no money. As a matter of fact, there will be various contests in the future with prizes awarded to the winners. But I’m going to wait until the next issue before I get all steamed up and fiery about what this nose-diving club is going to do.

>

It was announced in the March 1930 issue that the silver wings were just being made and would be sent to people starting the next month.

Robert was listed with the new members in the June 1930 issue.
(That’s the coupon at the bottom of the page.)

By the September 1930 issue, The Sky Riders Club had been combined with those members of the short lived Flying Corp Cadets which had been formed by readers of the first and sadly only issue of Clayton Magazine’s Sky High Library published in February 1930. The increase in new memberships allowed them to drop the price of the silver wings pin from 50¢ to 25¢ (September, 1930)

Sadly, Sky Riders published their final issue in May 1931.

The Club page from the February 1931 issue with angular wings logos for both the SKY RIDERS CLUB and FLYING CORP CADETS.

Robert had also joined the Flying Aces Club. The FAC is so ubiquitous, I thought it best to cover the two clubs cards we had not seen before. Plus, the FAC itself could fill a whole month of posts to cover all they had to offer. Here is a comparison of the four cards Robert included in the scrapbooks.

The FLYING ACES CLUB card measures: 2.5″ x 4″; the SKY RIDERS CLUB card is:
2.75″ x 4.5625″; while the BIRDMEN CLUB card measures: 3″ x 5.125″.

THIS Holiday Season we’re delving into a pair of scrapbooks that were created in the late 20’s and early 30’s by an industrious youth, Robert A. O’Neil, with a keen interest in all things aviation. The books contain clippings, photos and articles from various aviation pulps as well as other magazines. What has been assembled is a treasure trove of information on planes and aces of WWI.

Like many in the late 20’s and early 30’s, Robert O’Neil was fascinated with aviation and as such, a large part of both volumes of his scrapbooks is taken up with a cataloging of the many different types of planes. But amongst all the planes and air race flyers and info on Aces are some surprising items.

Turning the page from the George Bruce letter we find a membership card and folded note from the Birdmen club!

The Birdman Club was run by Air Trails and started right from their first issue in October 1928. It was a great brotherhood of those who roam the high spaces of the air, in either fact or fancy. It was for professional and amateur flyers, and air fans who have yet to make their first flight. All were banded together in the cause of American aviation.

It was not necessary to own a plane or to be actively engaged in some branch of aviation to join the club. The Birdmen band was divided into three classes. These were: Class A: those who have piloted planes; Class B: those who have been in the air but are not pilots; and Class C: those who have not yet been aloft, but who are interested in flying and expect to go up in an airplane at the first opportunity. Readers who were applying for membership were asked to state which class they would be in.

Membership in the Birdmen Club was absolutely free to all readers of Air Trails. Prospective members only had to fill out and send in the coupon from the Birdmen Club pages in any issue of Air Trails and their membership card would be sent to them.

For those who desired a Birdmen club emblem—a handsome blue-and-gold wings pin, could be obtained from the secretary for twenty-five cents in stamps or coin.

All Birdmen were afforded the same privileges regardless of their class. All members were welcome to write in and use the Birdmen Club pages to share stories and comments on those published in the magazine; the could list themselves as someone looking to be a pen pal to a like minded reader, or list stuff for sale or trade.

Unfolding the note…

The card is a very pale blue color. For some reason he had trimmed his card down—and did a poor job of it considering his razor like precision at cutting out other items he had pasted down.

Robert reapplied for membership in the Birdmen Club in 1931. I couldn’t say why. His class had not changed, he was still Class B. Maybe he felt poorly about butchering his original card so, who knows. Either way, he did reapply and was presented with another card in 1931.

At this time he received two letters from the Secretary of the Birdmen on Air Trails stationary which he also included in his scrapbook.

The first was the letter that came with his new card…

the other in response to inquiring about the blue-and-gold wings of the club.
(Sadly, he did not paste the wings into the scrapbooks.)

The Birdmen Club officially ran until the end of the magazine with the October 1931 issue. The Bill Barnes magazine assumed it’s place on the newsstand in February 1932 and it had it’s own club—The Air Adventurers!

JUST as Popular Publications shut down their original air magazine Battle Aces in December 1932, leaving Dare-Devil Aces to shoulder the hopes and dreams of the air-minded reader, it launched a new magazine that same month—Battle Birds. Although neither Dare-Devil Aces or Battle Aces had a club associated with it, when Battle Birds started, the letters pages were already buzzing with talk of a Battle Birds Club to provide a forum for air-minded readers to share their hopes, dreams and knowledge with similar minded individuals. (Popular was quick to start a club for G-8 when Battle Aces was relaunched as G-8 and his Battle Aces in October 1933.)

The Battle Birds Club was open to all air-minded readers. Anyone could join by simply stating they wanted to and they would be sent a blue membership card. This card would display the members group-squadron-flight number, derived as follows: The country would be broken down into three regions—these three being the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Pursuit Groups—and a fourth, FL, for foreign readers classified in the ‘Foreign Legion’; each state a squadron number; and every 8 members within said state a lettered flight as they are recorded.

Several months in to the magazine’s publication, a wings pin fashioned after the letters page header was on offer. To obtain the wings pin, a member needed only to answer the question presented in the issue and send along 25¢.

a BATTLE BIRDS CLUB timeline

DECEMBER 1932

• Application for membership starts in first issue—wanting to know how air-minded the reader is and what he’d like to read about in the club pages

JANUARY 1933

• Discusses the division of the country into three groups—1st, 2nd and 3rd Pursuit groups. Your group number will be on your card.
• Foreign readers who join will be in the “Foreign Legion” and their cards will be marked with “F.L.” Each state a squadron number and every 8 members within said state a lettered flight as they are recorded.

FEBRUARY 1933

• First names of members are listed with addresses.

MARCH 1933

• The membership cards have all been printed and many have been sent out.
• More names in the honor roll of new selected members.
• Talk of figuring out a way whereby members can earn their wings!

APRIL 1933

• Membership cards are mentioned as being blue!
• A list of applicants who failed to include the town they’re from.
• More names for the honor roll.
• Still working on a way to earn your wings.

MAY 1933

• Asking the readers to write in yes or no if they’d be interested in a club pin.
• The usual listing of new members.

JUNE 1933

• Listing of new members—mostly from Cincinnati.
• Mentioned there are a lot of foreign readers from all parts of the world!

JULY 1933

• Listing of more new members.

AUGUST 1933

• The Pins are ready! They will be in the design of the club emblem (a shield with BB emblazed on it with wings) and cast from sterling silver. To earn the pin you must send in the correct answer to the question that issue along with 25¢. You can still earn your wings even if you haven’t recieved your card yet.
• First up: “What makes an airplane stay up?”
• More names on the Honor Roll of New Members.

SEPTEMBER 1933

• Earn your Wings question: “What are the principle parts of a plane and what are they used for?
• More names on the Honor Roll of New Members.

OCTOBER 1933

• Earn your Wings question: “What would be the first thing to do, and why, if your motor quit just after taking off?”
• More names on the Honor Roll of New Members.

NOVEMBER 1933

• Earn your Wings question: “What are the three axes of a plane and where are they?”
• More names on the Honor Roll of New Members.

DECEMBER 1933

• The pins are in the same design as that appearing at the top of the membership card and include a safety latch to prevent being lost.
• Earn your Wings question: “Why are superchargers used on altitude flights?”
• More names on the Honor Roll of New Members.

JANUARY 1934

• A lot of membership cards sent out have been returned due to incorrect addresses.
• Earn your Wings question: “What is the advantage of an adjustable pitch ‘prop’?”
• More names on the Honor Roll of New Members.

FEBRUARY 1934

• Still harping on the large number of returned cards due to incorrect addresses.
• Earn your Wings question: “If a man jumps from a plane going three hundred miles an hour and does not open his chute ’til he has fallen a mile (5,280 feet) how fast will he be going when he opens his chute?”
• More names on the Honor Roll of New Members.

MARCH 1934

• A mention of the price of silver has jumped up from 30¢ an ounce to over a $1.25. They DID buy quite a few of the sterling pins a few months ago when silver was a lot less than it is now so they can still give out pins for about what they cost them.
• Earn your Wings question: “Why is glider flying the ideal preliminary step to power plane piloting?”
• More names on the Honor Roll of New Members.

APRIL 1934

• “The Skipper” says he has to sign a couple thousand more membership cards for new members.
• Earn your Wings question: “How do dirigibles make up the weight lost by the gasoline being burned away in the engines?”
• More names on the Honor Roll of New Members.

MAY 1934

• The pins are described as such: “These pins are exact duplicates of the insignia that appears at the head of the department and upon your membership cards. Fitted with a safety clasp to prevent loss, and finished in the new dull manner, they are about the best looking club pins we have ever seen.”
• Earn your Wings question: “Does the breeze behind a propeller increase with its speed, no matter how fast it travels?”
• More names on the Honor Roll of New Members.

JUNE 1934

• (FINAL ISSUE) Still taking applications for membership!
• Earn your Wings question: “When, where and by whom was the first balloon used in warfare?”
• More names on the Honor Roll of New Members.

WITH the July Issue, BATTLE BIRDS changes it’s name to DUSTY AYRES and his BATTLE BIRDS and it’s focus. The lead story will now feature the exploits of Dusty Ayres and his Battle Birds and what could happen in a possible future war. The Battle Bird Club continues, but will now be known as the Hanger Flying Club although new pins will not be produced. All previous members of the Battle Birds Club are automatically members of this new club. The new club’s focus is on being prepared for any future wars that may arise. New members can still aquire a Battle Birds wings pin for 25¢ if so desired—but the feeling in your heart is more important than a pin on your chest!

JULY 1934

• The letters page now run by The Skipper (Sid Bowen) is titled HANGER FLYING (also the name of the new club)
• The first column discusses the “war in the future” which is the setting for the Dusty Ayres tales. All readers should be prepared if and when this war should come.
• “Of course, all the fellows who are members of the old Battle Birds club, automatically become members of this new club that is dedicated to national preparedness for the safety of our country If you have a B.B. pin, be sure to wear it, because it signifies that you’re a real American and ready to do all you can to preserve all the things that we Americans hold closest tour hearts. Those of you who haven’t a pin and want one, just send in your request and twenty-five cents to the skipper, and I’ll make darn sure that you’ll get one by return mail. But listen fellows, just one more thing before I close up; a pin is a pin and it doesn’t mean a thing if there isn’t the thought behind it. It’s the true feeling in your heart that counts, wether you wear the club pin or not.

AUGUST 1934

• No mention of the club or pin in the HANGER FLYING column.
• You can get the previous issue for 20¢ (with 5¢ for postage)

SEPTEMBER 1934

• Readers have been sending in requests for Mr. Blakeslee and the skipper to dope out three-view drawings of the Silver Flash and the Dart, but the request is turned back on the readers to send in their own three-view drawings of Dusty’s ships.
• Some readers have already crafted models of said planes—if you have, by all means send in a photo of your model.
• reiterates that members of the old club are definitely members of the new club. To join just let the skipper know you want to join, and if you want a club pin just send in 25¢ in cash or stamps.
• The skipper says: “Very soon I’m going to have some new HANGER FLYING CLUB membership cards printed. They will be free to whoever wants one. When they’re ready I’ll let you know, and you can then let me know if you want one.
• “But as I said at the very beginning of these meetings, a pin or a membership card does not mean a thing if the spirit isn’t right there in the old heart. We are pledging ourselves to do everything possible for ever-lasting peace, happiness and prosperity for the peoples of this wonderful country of ours—the greatest in all the wide world. And if we keep that thought close to our hearts every minute of the day, it doesn’t matter how many pins we wear, or how many membership cards we carry around.”

OCTOBER 1934

• The skipper says the lads write all the time inquiring after the club—it’s just 25¢ cash or stamps (to cover the cost of the pin) to Skipper Sid Bowen, Popular Publications, Inc., 205 East 2nd Street, New York, New York
• Says the Battle Birds club has been thriving for a long time, and anyone who joined it before Dusty Ayres yarns appeared is still a member
• Skipper says, “I’ve got swell plans for the club, that I hope to get underway tan early date.”

NOVEMBER 1934

• No real mention of the club aside from a reference to the silver wings. A reader writes in: “Why not have cloth wings of red, white and blue? Make them out of the material that high school letters are made of. Make them three inches long and two inches wide.”
• The Skipper (Sid Bowen) writes: “There it is. Do you agree with Ed, or are the silver wings we have now, okay? Mull it over and let’s hear what you think.”
• Also a mention to send in your plane designs and the Skipper and Mr Blakeslee will look them over and use one in the story—maybe even on the cover. Design credit will be given!

DECEMBER 1934

• Asks readers if they’d like to see some female characters added to the stories.
• Apologizes for the club membership cards not being ready yet!
• “It has been suggested that since the old Battle Birds club was divided up into squadrons, the same should be done with the Dusty Ayres gang. If chaps in your neighborhood want to form a Dusty Ayres Group, just send in your names, and I’ll put them in the very next Hanger Flying Department. To each Group can be attached the name of the city or town where you lads live. Or if you wish you can have a number instead of a name. Work it out thought, you lads who were in the old club—in squadrons, etc—can just simply make it a Dusty Ayres Group.”
• Reader’s three view plans of the Silver Flash

JANUARY 1935

• Some readers have expressed a desire to have a model company make models of the Silver Flash to sell. The Skipper doesn’t mind, but thinks readers would want to make their own. But he’ll look into getting it done if there’s enough interest.
• A reader inquires about a flying course in the magazine. The Skippers says he did that once (Sky Fighters) and it was even published as a book.
• Reader’s three view plans of the Silver Flash

FEBRUARY 1935

• Several lads have had their 25¢ club pins returned by the post office due to bad addresses.
• A list of readers who’d like to hear from other Dusty Ayres fans. (Pen Pals)
• The Skipper (Sid Bowen) addresses the matter of club pins and membership cards: “The membership card is free to anybody who wants to join. Simply let me know and I’ll send you one. If you want the club pin you can have one by sending in twenty-five cents in cash or stamps. But—and get this—owning a club pin does not mean you are a better member than a chap with simply the membership card. The Skipper writes Dusty yarns—he’s not in the pin business. We have pins only because a lot of the fellows wanted one to wear.”
• Reader’s three view plans of the Ships of the Future (2 pgs)

MARCH 1935

• Fred Blakeslee has just returned from a swell vacation and will resume his art duties next month.
• Please ink your plane designs for better reproduction.
• A list of readers who’d like to hear from other Dusty Ayres fans (Pen Pals)
• Reader’s three view plans of the Ships of the Future (2pgs)

APRIL 1935

• Be sure to send in your plane designs in ink—Fred Blakeslee doesn’t have the time to do it for you
• A list of readers who’d like to hear from other Dusty Ayres fans (Pen Pals)
• Reader’s three view plans of the Ships of the Future (3pgs)

MAY/JUNE 1935

• The skipper suggests writing to your local radio station if you’d like to hear Dusty in yarns written for the radio.
• A list of readers who’d like to hear from other Dusty Ayres fans (Pen Pals)
• Reader’s three view plans of the Ships of the Future (4pgs)
• a ”certificate of truth” is printed on the letters page to send in with your drawings stating you are the artist.

JULY/AUGUST 1935

• No mention of the club, cards or pins.
• A list of readers who’d like to hear from other Dusty Ayres fans (Pen Pals)
• Reader’s three view plans of the Ships of the Future (5pgs)
• The Skipper acknowledges that this is the last issue but keep those Dusty clubs going!

The club does not pick up when the magazine resumes publication as BATTLE BIRDS in 1940.

When the publishers of G-8 and His Battle Aces announced the formation of a G‑8 Club in the seventh issue (April 1934), G-8 promised that “this club is going to be different from any other magazine club in the country. It will be a secret organization.” So successful was the club that it persisted throughout the ten-year run of the magazine; So successful was the pledge of secrecy that NO evidence of its membership has turned up in the last 75 years. Until now.

Admittedly, proof of the club outside of the monthly editor’s column, “G-8 Speaks,” is rare. As G-8 explained: “There will be no cards — no buttons — no emblem of any kind. The only ones who know they are members will be the members themselves. Just as the Secret Service is run. Get it?”

But even though individual members did not receive identifying papers from the magazine, local chapters of five or more kids did, in the form of a G-8 Club Charter. In order to form a chapter of the G-8 Club in your community all you needed to do was find four friends who also bought G-8 every month, and mail in five club coupons from the same issue. (Some chapters were formed by individuals in different communities connecting through the G-8 letters column.) The June issue reported that the very first chapter of the G-8 Club mailed their coupons on February 28th — actually a day before the street date of the April issue that announced it.

Qualifying clubs received a charter, a small (7″x5″) but distinguished-looking two-color certificate with a blank for the name of the chapter (ideally to be named after a local bird) and “signed” by G-8. In addition they received the Rules and Secret Orders for the Operation of the G-8 Club Chapters a tri-fold brochure (5″x7″ folded) that consisted of one page detailing the meeting rules (including an oath) and two pages describing the club’s SECRET CODE, none of which was ever reprinted in the magazine.

Members of the G-8 Club apparently took their secrets all the way to the grave or the nursing home, because neither of these giveaways had ever been documented by collectors or pulp historians until two weeks ago, when one example of each turned up at auction. The only other known G-8 premium is equally rare …

G-8 and His Battle Aces didn’t offer any other premiums for many years following the launch of the club. Then, in the November 1939 issue, came the “Special Announcement” of the G-8 Battle Aces Club Wings — silver metal wings with a blue enamelled shield in the center, measuring 1.25″ wide. As the announcement makes clear, this is not for the secretive G-8 Club (remember, that would blow your cover) but a separate, “affiliated” Battle Aces Club.

Strangely, after this “Special Announcement” there was no mention of the badge again until the April 1941 issue, when the wings coupon became a staple of the club section of the magazine through October 1942. The wings offer reappeared for two months in the final year of G-8, with a interesting variation: golden wings. Only one example of the G-8 Wings has ever turned up and yet it sold at auction in 2007 for only $800. Like the Spider Ring, the G-8 wings were produced by Uncas Manufacturing Co. of Providence, Rhode Island, and bear the company stamp of a “U” with an arrow through it.

Silver Wings Coupon

Gold Wings Coupon

Comparison of G-8 wings with Shadow & Doc badges and (repro) Spider Ring