Published

1938 (January) @ 7s 6d [1xFFEP, pp256, 1xBFEP, Octavo 7.5’x5’]

Notes

First edition was published by Newnes in 1938. Captain John Everard Gurdon was a World War I flying ace.

Dustjacket priced at 7/6 to spine (white text) and front flap. Back flap lists ten other Newnes titles. Rear cover list WE Johns’ Sky High at 2/6 and Steeley Flies Again at 3/6.

The dustjacket was illustrated by ‘Drigin’ (Serge Drigin). No illustrations to text.

Deep red boards with gilt titles to spine only (cheaply done so prone to tarnish).

Undated.

The 2/6 cheap edition was published by Newnes in October 1938

(images 3 and 4).

Newnes probably reprinted for several years from an unchanged text block as copies seen remain undated.

Dustjacket repriced to spine and front flap at 2/6 (on spine a white circle covers the original 7/6 price with an updated 2/6 in red text). Rear cover text remains same as for first edition. 

Back flap lists only eight titles rather than ten; R. Simmat’s Murder on Mitcham Common and Nora Kent’s Trumpets Sound for the Victor are dropped presumably as both had gone out of stock since their first issue in 1936.