pp. 160 colour plates #061121/160922 (Originally published 1953) No dustjacket. Name on fep. Only “Good” condition.
“A further adventure of Detective Air-Inspector Bigglesworth and his Air Police, this time in the desert known as the Black Gobi in the heart of Asia.”
Biggles is asked by Air Commodore Raymond to travel to the middle of Asia to rescue some missionaries from Communist China. Taking Algy, Ginger and Bertie with him, plus a Chinese man by the name of Feng-tao (who speaks virtually no English), Biggles flies in an unmarked Halifax from Pakistan to the Gobi desert. The missionaries are hidden in a cave but there is nowhere suitable to land within miles, so Algy, Ginger and Feng-tao parachute down whilst Biggles flies back to Pakistan. The plan is for Algy and Ginger to organise the clearance of an area suitable for use as a runway. However, they find that the missionaries have been attacked and that only four out of eleven remain. One had already died, two were killed in the raid and four have been captured and taken prisoner. Facing constant threat from Chinese soldiers, lead by Ma Chang – known as ‘the tiger’, Algy and Ginger have to hold out. Ginger organises a rescue attempt using fierce local native warriors called Kirghiz, and manages to free the four captured missionaries. Meanwhile, Biggles and Bertie have problems of their own, having hit an eagle with the Halifax and been forced to land to repair the plane. Biggles is able to return, after shooting down a Mig plane, just as a final battle is taking place at the caves. He is able to rescue everybody and get them away.