Stuka Sunday!

Just when you think you are the high flyer someone else has to come diving down on your parade. Stuka Sunday is never caught out by a confused or mixed metaphor and flys on regardless.

Air Ace Picture Library 349 Duel Over Malta

Why does Battler Britton brings out the best and worst in pocket war comics?

First the best. Duel Over Malta is really well drawn. This is one of those stories where the sky is full of aircraft. There are Stukas, Hamdens, Blenheims, Spitfires, Junker 88s, Me 109s, Beaufighters, Macchi 202s and Junkers 52 Trimotors. With all those aircraft there's plenty of action. Even the storyline itself is reasonable. Set during the siege of Malta the scene is set for Battler to blast some Jerries out of the sky. Battler and his squadron are assigned to fly in badly needed Spitfires and pilots to defend the embattled island. From the moment they take off from the pitching aircraft carrier to the landing on the bomb crater pocketed airfield Battler is in the thick of it. The moment he lands his aircraft it is immediately seconded by the local fighter hero, Squadron Leader Naylor, who uses the Spitfire for its designed purpose.

A cooperative and friendly rivalry develops between Naylor and Britton as they maintain the good fight against almost overwhelming odds.

So what's the worst? Battler has to go on and do something that's impossible. To most this might appear to be his most enduring quality - but not only does he bend and stretch the very laws of physics his actions are somewhat gratuitous to the plot, robbing an otherwise good story of some extra panels and pages.

There's a point in this story where everything seems to be going OK and then Battler has to pull the "Hang on - while I save the war moment". Again an endearing quality to some but not to me.

Another game of Risk in progress. While the man at the desk is clearly a German and the two guys before him are tram conductors - why does the guy in the background look British?

Rarely mentioned or pictured in pocket war comics here is a unique appearance of these two famous degenerates.

Now that does sound like trouble!

Battler looks a lot like Mr Bean.

Excellent! By that rate we should all be dead in a week and half.

Now that's an understatement.

Good mini Aagh! from the Ace of Spades.

  

What is wrong with these people? They manage to speak English most of the other times.

Air Ace Picture Library Comic Book Advertising

Just what does FROG stand for? Well when I was  growing up we thought these kits were the new kids on the block. They were new and looked better than either the standard Arifix or Revell kits.

For some reason my school cronies and I believed that FROG where made in France and it wasn't until many years later that I learnt that FROG stands for "Flies Right Off the Ground." The company originally made flying aircraft models and hence the name.

A little digging around on the internet and I've discovered that the company predates my adventures into plastic model kit making by 40 years. There's more about information about the firm and the model kits at this website http://www.frogpenguin.com/ Sadly it hasn't been updated in a number of years. However it is still well worth a look.

This particular scan is from the inside front cover of Air Ace Picture Library 483 One Moment of Glory, published January 1970.

Air Ace Picture Library 70 The Whispering Death

Danvers loves to break rules. Which is a dangerous attitude to have in the middle of a war. Then his luck almost totally abandons him while out on an unauthorised and ultimately ill-fated mission with his brother. Danvers is the only survivor.

These events turn his recklessness into dangerous determination.

After he recovers he is posted to a new squadron where he gets off to a bad start with his new C.O. by turning up late then commits the unforgivable sin of running over his dog. However Danvers worst sin is to start getting his new squadron involved progressively in more and more dangerous missions.

The C.O. loses his authority, his dog and his well trained but sheltered squadron starts getting shot up. Needless to say the other pilots in the squadron are not fond of Danvers either. However, in time, because of Danvers the C.O. and squadron gain more than self respect they gain resolve.

This story is almost ruined by the last panel. Or should that be saved by Danvers’ attitude?

Things I liked: The focke-wulf pilot who says “English Pig! Die!”; the veritable tashfest; there are several excellent agghhs; and then there’s a surprising insight to the technical aspects of flying a large aircraft.

The thing that really got up my nose? You know the sticky situation where every antiaircraft gun in Germany zeroes in on your beaufighter and you and everybody else in it should be killed - but not this time. But!!??

This story is published in 1960 – only 15 years after the fact. For those of who are a little bit older 1995 was also only 15 years ago! Aggghhhh!!

 

 

Look at that tash!

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a great picture!

A tash and a cravatt! I say!

You know if I was in a movie I would want those to be my lines.

That's a big but...

War Picture Library 467 Fire Call

Danvers loves to break rules. Which is a dangerous attitude to have in the middle of a war. Then his luck almost totally abandons him while out on an unauthorised and ultimately ill-fated mission with his brother. Danvers is the only survivor.

These events turn his recklessness into dangerous determination.

After he recovers he is posted to a new squadron where he gets off to a bad start with his new C.O. by turning up late then commits the unforgivable sin of running over his dog. However Danvers worst sin is to start getting his new squadron involved progressively in more and more dangerous missions.

The C.O. loses his authority, his dog and his well trained but sheltered squadron starts getting shot up. Needless to say the other pilots in the squadron are not fond of Danvers either. However, in time, because of Danvers the C.O. and squadron gain more than self respect they gain resolve.

This story is almost ruined by the last panel. Or should that be saved by Danvers’ attitude?

Things I liked: The focke-wulf pilot who says “English Pig! Die!”; the veritable tashfest; there are several excellent agghhs; and then there’s a surprising insight to the technical aspects of flying a large aircraft.

The thing that really got up my nose? You know the sticky situation where every antiaircraft gun in Germany zeroes in on your beaufighter and you and everybody else in it should be killed - but not this time. But!!??

This story is published in 1960 – only 15 years after the fact. For those of who are a little bit older 1995 was also only 15 years ago! Aggghhhh!!

 

 

Look at that tash!

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a great picture!

A tash and a cravatt! I say!

You know if I was in a movie I would want those to be my lines.

That's a big but...