Air Stories, August 1927

Air Stories, August 1927 edition

This issue features "Jerry the Hawk," a novelet by Arthur J. Burks, the lead story. The narrative concerns Georgie Smutts, an airport manager with poor eyesight but enthusiasm for both aircraft and crime detection, who hires Loony Lewis—an exceptionally homely but confident pilot. Lewis's aggressive stunt flying in a dilapidated DeHaviland dramatically boosts the airport's business, drawing crowds with his acrobatic displays including loops, Immelman turns, and precision flying at dangerous altitudes. After Saturday morning, Lewis reappears mysteriously with a suspicious stranger and takes the old plane aloft in what appears to be an unauthorized flight while apparently intoxicated, much to Smutts's alarm. The narrative cuts off mid-sentence during this climactic sequence.