_July_1943_cover.png) July 1943 cover ofFlying Aces | |
| Former editors | Harold Goldsmith Helen Wisner Neil Coward Herb Powell |
|---|---|
| Staff writers | Donald E. Keyhoe Joe Archibald Arch Whitehouse |
| Categories | Pulp magazine |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Publisher | Periodical House, Inc. |
| First issue | October 1928 |
| Final issue | April 1945 |
Flying Aces was a monthly American periodical of short stories aboutaviation, one of a number of so-called "flying pulp" magazines popular during the 1920s and 1930s. Like otherpulp magazines, it was a collection of adventure stories, originally printed on coarse, pulpy paper but later moved to aslick format. The magazine was launched in October 1928 byPeriodical House, Inc. It featured stories written and illustrated by known authors of the day, often set against the background of World War I. Later issues added non-fiction aviation articles, as well as articles and plans for model airplanes. The latter became more prominent, and eventually the magazine was renamedFlying Models, and catered exclusively to aeromodeling hobbyists.
The period from the late 1920s through the 1930s is considered the heyday of pulp fiction, and pulps were at the peak of their popularity. Over 200 magazines were published monthly, reaching an audience of 10 million readers,[1] with the most successful titles selling up to a million copies per issue. Pulp fiction publishers employed unprecedented levels ofmarket segmentation for their titles, exploring every popular category, including love stories, western stories, detective stories, and mystery stories. Publications were highly specialized, with each category having its own set of magazines, readers, and reader expectations.[1]
This period also coincided with the golden days of aviation, highlighted by feats such asLindbergh's solo flight across theAtlantic[2] and the first extensive use of airplanes in combat inWorld War I. Pulp publishers sought to capitalize on public interest in flying, which was influenced by stories of World War Iflying aces, particularlyEddie Rickenbacker’s memoirs,Fighting the Flying Circus,[3] and Elliot Spring's book on World War I combat flying,Nocturne Militaire.[4] The revived interest in these stories was also due to films such as the 1927 release ofWings[4] andHoward Hughes' 1930 production ofHell's Angels, an epic, mega-budget movie featuring more than 100 pilots and dozens of planes, glorifying World War I American air aces. The movie led to numerous similar films, and a plethora of aviation-oriented pulp magazines followed.[5]
The magazine’sgenre was air adventure stories, some set against a war background, written by well-known authors such asLester Dent,Donald E. Keyhoe, Joe Archibald, andArch Whitehouse. With the exception of Keyhoe and Whitehouse, who were with the RAF in World War I, the authors had no personal knowledge of flying.[4] The cover art featured dramatic air battle scenes painted by notable commercial artists of the day, such asAlex Schomburg.[6]
44 Griffon stories were published between 1935 and 1942.Altus Press reprinted some of them in 2010.[7]
The magazine was launched in October 1928[8] by Periodical House, Inc.[9] It was initially published in a 7x10” format, with more than 100 pages per issue, and sold for 15 cents per copy.[10] In November 1933, the magazine moved to the so-called "slick" format — an 8½x10" format printed on glossy paper[11] and began featuring full-sized plans formodel airplanes in every issue.[5] Issue size was reduced to 74 pages.[8] The magazine was published on a monthly basis.[12] In addition to adventure stories, non-fiction aviation articles and aviation news were added, as were modeling articles. The magazine’s tagline became "Fiction, Model Building, Fact — Three Aviation Magazines in One."[13]
Many American pilots who took part inWorld War II grew up during the 1930s enthusiastically reading flying pulps such asFlying Aces, and were captivated by the adventure stories, an experience that no doubt played a part in their decision to become military aviators themselves. Joseph W. Rutter, a pilot in theArmy Air Force in 1944, recalls this vividly in his bookWreaking Havoc: A Year in an A-20,[14] as doesFirst Blue, the biography ofRoy Marlin Voris, World War II ace and two-time commander of theBlue Angels.[15]
Many have noted the uncannily accurate way that stories inFlying Aces predicted the Japaneseattack on Pearl Harbor[16] as well as the locations of other air battles of thePacific Theater.[17]
In addition to the magazine, the publishers created a fan club for readers. Members were organized into regional "squadrons," and were offered flying-themed stationery, stickers, and even uniforms mimicking those in use by the United States Army Air Forces. The club arranged meetings between readers and notable military and commercial pilots, both American and foreign.[18] Some of the "squadrons" originated by the magazine have lived on, as clubs for modeling enthusiasts. TheFlying Aces Club, a model airplane club dedicated to free-flight models, takes its name from the magazine and its old clubs.[19] A Flying Aces Club squadron inConnecticut has named its airstrip 'Pinkham Field' in honor of the fictional Phineas Pinkham.[20]