Don Hale with the Flying Squadron

In Short

This third entry in W. Crispin Sheppard’s World War I series follows young Don Hale as he leaves ambulance driving to train as a combat pilot in France. Rising through the grueling ranks of aviation instruction, he joins the elite Lafayette Escadrille to fly real missions against the German air force. Sheppard blends authentic early-flight mechanics with a light mystery involving rival pilots and ground spies. It survives as a vivid period artifact of high-spirited juvenile war fiction, capturing the romanticized yet real hazards of early aerial combat through clear, swift prose.

The Story

Don Hale arrives at an aviation training center in France, eager to exchange his Red Cross ambulance duties for a seat in the cockpits of the Allied air force. Accompanied by his friend George Glenn, Don enters a wooden barracks populated by French and American trainees. He quickly learns the unique culture of the school, where novice pilots—nicknamed "penguins"—must master ground-handling vehicles before ever leaving the earth.

Don’s early training is marked by immediate challenges and steep learning curves. He experiences erratic runs across the field, frightening near-misses, and an early crash that leaves him pinned under wooden wreckage. Undeterred by the rough-and-tumble environment and minor injuries, Don perseveres through each successive class, learning to handle real monoplanes, master dangerous vertical dives like the vrille, and land safely under pressure. Around the flight line, local innkeeper Père Goubain entertains the boys with stories while warning them that enemy spies lurk everywhere, even disguised in captured Allied planes. Meanwhile, tension brews between two American trainees, Victor Gilbert and the secretive Jason Hamlin, hinting at a hidden conflict that follows them to the front.

Upon completing his instruction, Don receives his coveted assignment to the famed Lafayette Escadrille. Outfitted with a high-powered Nieuport biplane bearing his own pilot's mark, he enters active service along the front lines near Verdun. His routine shifts to perilous combat operations: protecting twin-seater Caudron photography planes, scouting enemy positions through heavy anti-aircraft fire ("Archies"), and joining low-altitude contact patrols to support infantry ground assaults.

During a critical mission over enemy territory, Don’s squadron comes under fierce attack. Don defends a photographic plane and shoots down a German observation balloon, but a sudden storm separates him from his flight group. Trapped above a dense cloud deck, he finds himself pursued by two scarlet Albatross fighters belonging to Baron von Richthofen's dreaded Red Squadron. Using a desperate spinning nose dive, Don plunges through the clouds to escape, engaging in a dogfight against an elusive German ace beneath the tempest.

Battling air-sickness and exhaustion, Don outmaneuvers his opponent and navigates through the raging storm back to the Allied airfield, landing safely to the cheers of his squadron. Shortly after his miraculous return, Don and his friend Bobby "Peur Jamais" Dunlap become tangled in a late-night counter-espionage operation outside an empty house, which leads to their unexpected arrest by French secret service agents and resolves the mystery surrounding Jason Hamlin. With the spy plot cleared, Don receives the Croix de Guerre in a grand military ceremony for his bravery in saving the Caudron machine. His journey concludes as he prepares for his next transfer to fly alongside the newly arrived American forces.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Don Hale and his companion arrive at the wooden barracks of the aviation training school, where they are warmly greeted by French and American cadets. They adjust to rudimentary living conditions while learning about the heavy reliance on ground mechanics and repair shops.

Mastering the "penguins" Don takes his turn in the flight trainers, experiencing wild taxiing runs, unexpected spins, and a harrowing crash into structural debris. He brushes off the accident to observe his fellow classmates, remaining determined to master the controls.

Tales of enemy spies At the local Café Rochambeau, innkeeper Père Goubain warns the young pilots about Boche intelligence networks and infiltrated flight lines. News arrives of Baron von Richthofen's Red Squadron, just as a personal rivalry flares up between trainees Victor Gilbert and Jason Hamlin.

Taking to the air Don advances to powered monoplanes, managing initial solo flights, terrifying altitude drops, and gentle landings. He sharpens his maneuvers to prepare for active assignment over the fighting front.

Joining the Lafayette Escadrille Assigned to the famous unit, Don inspects his camouflaged Nieuport fighter equipped with machine guns and specialized rockets. He begins flying escort missions over Verdun, shielding photo-reconnaissance planes while dodging heavy anti-aircraft ground fire.

The storm and the Red Squadron Separated from his unit above the clouds during a mission, Don is ambushed by two scarlet enemy planes. He executes a dangerous spinning nose dive to break away, navigating through a severe thunderstorm to locate his home airfield.

Arrests and honors A nighttime reconnaissance around a suspicious country house ends with Don and Bobby being detained by French secret service officers, bringing Jason Hamlin's true assignment to light. The story closes with Don receiving the Croix de Guerre before a formal military assembly.

The People

• Don Hale: A cool-headed, courageous young American flyer. He wants to serve the Allied cause in the sky, overcoming early training crashes and dangerous dogfights through sharp instincts and self-honesty. He emerges from the war zone as a decorated combat pilot.
• George Glenn: Don’s loyal chum and fellow aviator. He offers steady encouragement during flight training and tracks Don's frontline operations from the ground, worrying constantly over his missing friend during heavy engagements.
• Bobby Dunlap ("Peur Jamais"): An inquisitive American trainee who fancies himself an amateur detective. He actively investigates the rivalries and suspicious occurrences around the camp, staying surprisingly lighthearted despite getting caught up in a secret service arrest.
• Victor Gilbert: A skilled cadet turned escadrille flyer whose past hides an intense grudge. He maintains a cold, hostile attitude toward Jason Hamlin, openly questioning Hamlin's motives for pursuing the same flight units.
• Jason Hamlin: A reserved and brooding latecomer to the flight school. He deliberately follows Gilbert through training assignments, maintaining an enigmatic demeanor until his connection to French intelligence work is revealed.
• Père Goubain: The large, jovial owner of the Café Rochambeau. He acts as a fatherly figure to the aviators, serving up hospitality, local wisdom, and dramatic stories of wartime espionage.

In Its Own Voice

“Clearly, the élèves are expected to rough it a bit,” thought Don.

Don notes the modest accommodation inside the wooden flight school barracks, accepting the makeshift sawhorse beds and worn mattresses as part of his aviation training.

“When may you go up? This afternoon. I will detail Sergeant Reynolds to accompany you in his plane. The German lines must not be crossed, under any consideration, for several days at least.”

The escadrille captain gives Don his initial flight orders, tempering the young pilot's eagerness with strict precautions regarding boundary limits.

“Make no move, Messieurs!” exclaimed a strong, firm voice. “You are under arrest!”

A French secret service agent surprises Don and Bobby with an unexpected midnight detention outside an isolated village house, halting their informal investigation.

What It's Really About

Sheppard’s novel explores the rapid maturation of young men thrust into modern technical warfare. Beneath its episodic adventure structure lies a genuine fascination with the mechanics of early aviation: the delicate balance between human skill and mechanical failure, the disorienting physical toll of aerial maneuvers, and the sheer isolation of high-altitude flight.

The story contrasts the clean, almost chivalric nature of dogfighting against the chaotic reality of ground destruction visible beneath the wings. It also highlights the bonds of international solidarity, showing how shared danger creates camaraderie across national lines. Ultimately, the book frames duty not as reckless bravado, but as a disciplined mastery over one's own fear in the face of sudden, invisible perils.

Why Read It Today

This book offers readers an engaging, period-accurate window into the romanticized pop-culture framing of World War I aviation produced immediately following the armistice. It moves at a brisk, kinetic pace, emphasizing procedural details—such as instrument displays, engine controls, and flight tactics—that give the action genuine substance. The narrative captures the youthful optimism and historical atmosphere of 1919 without resorting to graphic violence.

Modern readers should expect period-typical literary conventions: straightforward plot progression, reliance on convenient coincidences to resolve its spy subplot, and occasionally dated phrasing or phonetic renditions of non-English dialogue. The mystery element remains light, serving primarily to connect the flight training sequences to ground-level suspense. Readers who enjoy classic aviation lore, early 20th-century adventure novels, or historical youth fiction will appreciate its crisp storytelling and authentic enthusiasm for the dawn of combat flying.