US Military Aviation

In the adventures which take place during the 60s and 70s, Buck Danny and his 2 friends are first involved in a rescue mission behind the Iron Curtain. Next in an eventful mission to rescue a Mercury space craft. Then Buck, Jerry and Sonny are on duty as X-15 experimental aircraft test pilots and involved in international military/political crisis with Cental American states dictators. During this period Buck Danny becomes the leader of the famous Blue Angels, the US-NAVY flight demonstration team. The criminal spy Lady X is back in the Iron Curtain adventure as well as in the last adventure of the period where the misterous female aviator is charged by an international organization involved in drug production and trade.

BUCK DANNY "CLASSIC" #5 OPÉRATION RIDEAU DE FER (OPERATION IRON CURTAIN)
J.-M. Arroyo, F. Zumbiehl, F. Marniquet

It’s 1961. In the midst of the Cold War the situation is explosive, especially as the Russians are developing, in the greatest secrecy, a new prototype tri-sonic aircraft, flying at very high altitude and undetectable, capable of shipping an atomic bomb. The passage to the east of a Russian scientist will alert the CIA, and soon our three aces of the Navy will find themselves propelled to the center of a game of chess whose participants are the KGB, the Stasi and the CIA.

While Buck Danny and his mates Jerry Tumbler, Sonny Tuckson and Slim Holden are stationed on the USS Saratoga (CV-60) in the Mediterranean, They received the order for the assigned to the FRG to carry out border surveillance missions along the iron curtain where clashes with the MiG increased. During a mission with an F-104 Strafighter Sonny Tuckson has a forced landing in one of the countries behind the Iron Curtain, his pals intent to rescue him.

SUMMARY TO BE WRITTEN

This adventure has been also published in a special album with different cover.

BUCK DANNY "CLASSIC" #6 ALERTE ROUGE (RED ALERT)
J.-M. Arroyo, F. Zumbiehl, F. Marniquet

SUMMARY TO BE WRITTEN.

SUMMARY TO BE WRITTEN

This adventure has been also published in a special album with different cover.

BUCK DANNY#29 OPERATION "MERCURY" (OPERATION "MERCURY")
J.-M. Charlier, V. Hubinon

The aircraft carrier USS Forrestal (CV59) is moored at a quay of the largest base of the US Navy in the Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia. Usually this is for the crew a time for relax. Often there is permission to go ashore and enjoy themselves. But not this time. The crew of the Forrestal must remain at the base. And not only that. Visitors are rejected, whereby it does not matter whether these visitors themselves work in the Navy. It’s clear that something big is to happen, but what that’s still a secret.

SUMMARY TO BE WRITTEN

In Germany this story has been also translate and published in the renamed serie Rex Danny with some alternative covers.

An image from the cover of the SPIROU magazine n° 1272 probably related with the story OPERATION "MERCURY"

BUCK DANNY#30 LES VOLEURS DE SATELLITES (SATELLITE THIEVES)
J.-M. Charlier, V. Hubinon

Across America one wait tense and breathless. Many are listening to the radio or watching TV for news about the fate of the Mercury capsule. But this capsule still has not been found. In the White House president Kennedy has a meeting with his advisors. One of them informs the president about the real events. To the general public it is not told that the capsule was stolen by an international spy network. The submarine that picked up the capsule and Captain Dayton is still attacked by fighters from the USS Forrestal.
The submarine has been damaged, yet has been able to slip away. The dense fog hinders the pilots in their operations. But the search continues indefatigable. There is one pilot missing: the airplane of Captain Sonny Tuckson did not return after he had conducted a mission. One fears for the worst.

SUMMARY TO BE WRITTEN

In Germany this story has been also translate and published in the renamed serie Rex Danny with some alternative covers.

BUCK DANNY#31 X-15 (X-15)
J.-M. Charlier, V. Hubinon

There is a great joy and happiness to observe at the naval base in Norfolk. The aircraft carrier USS Forrestal (CV59) has moored to this base and the crew will enjoy a well-deserved leave. Buck Danny, Jerry Tumbler and Sonny Tuckson too are about to leave the ship. But then there is a call for Buck. Jerry decides to go with him to see what is going on. There appears to be a telegram from the Pentagon. Several hours later Buck and Jerry are on board a plane heading for Washington. It was too late to warn their pal Sonny, who is en route to a ranch in Texas.

SUMMARY TO BE WRITTEN

An image from the cover of the SPIROU magazine n° 1336 related with the story X-15

BUCK DANNY#32 ALERTE A CAP KENNEDY (ALERT AT CAPE KENNEDY)
J.-M. Charlier, V. Hubinon

Buck Danny arrives with Jerry Tumbler and Sonny Tuckson at Kennedy Space Center the NASA launch site located in the eastern coast of the US state of Florida near the Air Force Sation of Cape Canaveral used since 1957 for the launching of military rockets and early space missions.
There is great activity, because that morning a rocket of the type Saturn will be launched. The three pals arrive at one of the premises from which they can see this launch.

SUMMARY TO BE WRITTEN

BUCK DANNY#33 LE MYSTERE DES AVIONS FANTOME (THE MISTERY OF THE GHOST PLANES)
J.-M. Charlier, V. Hubinon

On a beautiful day Buck Danny and Jerry Tumbler arrive at the entrance of SACLANT, somewhere near Norfolk. The Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic (SACLANT) is the largest naval base in the United States and in the world. At the base Buck and Jerry meet their friends Captain Sonny Tuckson and Captain Slim Holden. They are stationed on the new nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN-65). After introductions and a tour Buck, Jerry and Sonny agreed with Slim to dinner that evening in a restaurant. But Slim does not show up. The trio decides to look in the Slim’s apartment where they find an almost burned note.

SUMMARY TO BE WRITTEN

In Germany this story has been also translate and published in the renamed serie Rex Danny with an alternative cover.

A couple of images from SPIROU magazines more likely related with the story LE MYSTERE DES AVIONS FANTOME

BUCK DANNY#34 ALERTE ATOMIQUE (ATOMIC ALERT)
J.-M. Charlier, V. Hubinon

One morning in the south of the Caribbean Sea. The USS Enterprise (CVN-65) is participating in a major exercise to investigate the defense of the Panama Canal. But quite suddenly the weather changes. There's a hurricane coming and some planes of the Enterprise are still in the air. That’s why there is an urgent message to all aircraft: they must find another airport to land. Only in extreme situations they may land on the deck of the Enterprise.
But Captain Sonny Tuckson’s Crusader is already very close to the aircraft carrier Enterprise and he has difficulties. Colonel Buck Danny and Captain Jerry Tumbler guide their pal Sonny to the Enterprise. But the preparations are too late: Sonny crashes with a hard blow on the deck of the Enterprise. The Crusader catches fire and Sonny is forced to use his ejection seat.

SUMMARY TO BE WRITTEN

BUCK DANNY#35 L'ESCADRILLE DE LA MORT (DEATH SQUADRON)
J.-M. Charlier, V. Hubinon

In civilian clothes and with a different identity, Buck Danny, Jerry Tumbler and Sonny Tuckson managed to get through to Gunther, the man who supplies the troops of General Diaz. The base from where this happens is in Colombia.
Gunther has brought airlift to the camp of Diaz, but deceives his client when he sees the opportunity. However, the suspicious Gunther doesn’t trust the 3 new pilots (Buck, Jerry and Sonny) at all.

SUMMARY TO BE WRITTEN

Unfortunately Victor Hubinon fell ill while drawing this story. From page 30, the moderate drawer Claude Pascal (1931-1993) continued Hubinon's work. When Hubinon fell ill more often, editor Dupuis decided not long after, to publish a story, when it was finished by the scenarist and drawer.

Back cover of the album BUCK DANNY#35 L'ESCADRILLE DE LA MORT

In Germany this story has been also translate and published in the renamed serie Rex Danny with an alternative cover.

A cover dedicated to the story L'ESCADRILLE DE LA MORT has been also published in the 1967 on the French comics magazine SPIROU

BUCK DANNY & TANGUY LA RENCONTRE (THE ENCOUNTER) F. Zumbiehl, P. Buendia, S. Philippe
SUMMARY TO BE WRITTEN

SUMMARY TO BE WRITTEN

Back cover of the album BUCK TANGUY LA RENCONTRE

BUCK DANNY#36 LES ANGES BLEUS (BLUE ANGELS)
J.-M. Charlier, V. Hubinon

Buck Danny is at the headquarters of one of the largest Naval Air Station of the USA in Pensacola, Florida. The commander informs Buck about his new assignment. He will not return on board the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). Instead Buck becomes the commander of the Blue Angels, the famous flight demonstration team of the US Navy. Obviously Buck is surprised, but the commander tells him how important the role of the Blue Angels is.

SUMMARY TO BE WRITTEN

In this story Charlier and Hubinon create the improbable situation in which three USAF pilots, including the commander of the team, are part of the group of the US Navy flight Demonstration Team ! Even considering their skill and their long exchange duty in the US Navy, the US Navy would never left the command of its aerobatic team to an USAF pilot!
Another error in this story is when is told that the Skyblazers were volunteers to replace the Blue Angels. In reality the Skyblazers Aerobatic team was specifically created as part of USAFE and it was on duty only in Europe until 1962 when the USAF team of Thunderbirds began to fly airplanes equipped with the system for air-refueling and then with possibility to perform demonstrations outside the US. So at least the correct sentence should have been that the Thunderbirds were volunteers to replace the Blue Angels, which is also very logical considering that both Buck Danny and his friends are actually USAF pilots.
Furthermore in this story a technical error is also made being the F11F Tiger equipped with an early style of ejection seat thus without zero-zero capability.

Back cover of the album BUCK DANNY#36 LES ANGES BLEUS

In Germany this story has been also translate and published in the renamed serie Rex Danny with some alternative covers.

A cover dedicated to the story LES ANGES BLEUS has been also published in the 1969 on the French comics magazine SPIROU

Another SPIROU cover dedicated to the story LES ANGES BLEUS

BUCK DANNY#37 LE PILOTE AU MASQUE DE CUIR (THE PILOT WITH THE LEATHER MASK)
J.-M. Charlier, V. Hubinon

The Pakistan Air Force celebrates it’s 15 years birthday in Karachi with a large airshow. Every country has sent a stunt team. On behalf of the United States, the Blue Angels, led by Buck Danny, are present. But there are more acquaintances. For example, the French Aerobatic team with the famous pilots Tanguy and Laverdure are in Karachi, and the Russians too. Their flight team is exclusively composed of very beautiful female pilots led by Captain Macha Samoilovna Koloviev. And that has not escaped Sonny Tuckson's attention. Besides to impress during the airshow, each country is trying to sell their aircraft to the Pakistanis.

SUMMARY TO BE WRITTEN

In some scene of this story Charlier and Hubinon make a technical error showing an inexistent two-seat version of the F11F Tiger. Because there was no two-seat version of the F11F the Blue Angels used as training aircraft the two-seat version of the Cougar (F9F-8T Cougar marked with the number 7).

Back cover of the album BUCK DANNY#37 LE PILOTE AU MASQUE DE CUIR

In Italy the Buck Danny story LE PILOTE AU MASQUE DE CUIR (IL PILOTA DALLA MASCHERA DI CUOIO) has been published by the EDITRICE CENISIO with a different cover

In Germany this story has been also translate and published in the renamed serie Rex Danny with an alternative cover.

Three covers dedicated to the story LE PILOTE AU MASQUE DE CUIR have been also published in the 1969 and 1970 on the French comics magazine SPIROU

BUCK DANNY#38 LA VALLEE DE LA MORT VERTE (THE VALLEY OF THE GREEN DEATH)
J.-M. Charlier, V. Hubinon

Sonny Tuckson's Crusader is lost in the South China Sea during a particularly brutal storm; out of fuel, he is forced to eject in extremely adverse conditions over the island of Borneo. As soon as the weather clears, Buck Danny and Jerry Tumbler take off by helicopter to lead the search and rescue party; but just as they locate Sonny, they are shot down by unidentified jet aircraft and barely survive the crash. After escaping a violent fire started by the chopper's crash and explosion, they follow the direction of the bandits, both to identify their attackers and to find supplies and a means of escape. After a day of searching, they come across the bandits' home base; an immense opium plantation, complete with an airstrip for crop dusters and the fighters that attacked them. After nightfall, they try to sneak into the base and steal one of the crop dusters, but Buck and Tumb are spotted and captured. They are brought in and meet their adversaries; General Shim, the local dictator, and Rocky Voltero, a middleman for a powerful Mafia family. Shim is allowing the Mafia to run the largest opium plantation in the world on his territory, in exchange for which they provide him with financial support and a makeshift air force of European and American mercenaries.

Buck and Tumb are imprisoned, but before their fate can be determined, Sonny breaks them out. While the Mafia personnel spreads out and searches for the escapees, the three of them sneak back onto the base, steal a crop duster and escape, neutralizing three of Shim's jets before getting away. Enraged, Shim orders the rest of his fighters after the Americans, but the arrival of Navy F-4s on the scene deters them. The three pilots make it back to their carrier (U.S.S. Ranger), and relate the situation to the admiral; however, he informs them that the United States will probably be politically unable to take action.

The main theme in this novel is the abrupt increase in drug use in the West, particularly among baby boomers, and the previous generation's subsequent concern for their children's future. This is one of several story arcs in which Charlier and Hubinon explored domestic social issues; the previous "Blue Angels" story arc had already touched upon racism and segregation, while the next one, "Nuclear Alert", followed the rise of radical left-wing terrorism in the West during the seventies and eighties.
In this story there is a big error at the beginning of the adventure when the rescue helicopter reach the point where the Sonny Tuckson's jet crashed. The aircrfat mentioned by the rescue crew was a Phantom and also the jet remains belong to an F-4 while Sonny Tuckson was actually flying and ejected from a Crusader!?
Indeed during the late 60s the Crusaders were only present on board of few small aircraft-carriers Essex class while on the larger carriers like the Ranger the F-8 were already replaced by the Phantom.

In Germany this story has been also translate and published in the renamed serie Rex Danny with an alternative cover.

A cover dedicated to the story LA VALLEE DE LA MORT VERTE has been also published in the 1972 on the French comics magazine SPIROU

BUCK DANNY#39 REQUINS EN MERE DE CHINE (SHARKS IN THE CHINA SEA)
J.-M. Charlier, V. Hubinon

The novel begins with a briefing in the op-center. The Admiral informs Buck, Tumb and Sonny that General Shim has complained before the UN General Assembly about the U.S. Navy's recent incursions into North Sarawak (his country); without absolute proof of the plantation's existence, the United States cannot intervene. Buck and Sonny volunteer to take off the following night with a stealthy YO-3A, "accidentally" drift into North Sarawak and take pictures of the plantation. The operation is a success, but Tumbler, who was escorting them in a Crusader, is shot down by enemy jets. Worse, the pictures reveal that the opium poppies will be harvested within three days, not enough time for the Pentagon to make a decision. Taking the law completely into his own hands, the Admiral orders Danny and his fighters to destroy the plantation; but a new storm delays flight operations another day, and by the time the raid is finally launched, the harvest is over. Outraged by the unauthorized raid, the Pentagon orders the Ranger to cease all operations against North Sarawak and return to Pearl Harbour. The carrier battle group pretends to comply, but turns around in the middle of the night, returns to Borneo and anchors itself in a deserted fjord, unknown to both Shim and the U.S. Their plan is to wait for the Mafia's cargo ship to come retrieve the harvest, then pursue and intercept it on the high seas.

Meanwhile, Tumb has been recaptured by the enemy. Under torture, he finally agrees to go on television and admit that there were never any poppies, and that their existence was invented by the CIA and US Navy as a pretext to invade North Sarawak and overthrow its government. However, when Voltero brings him the text he has to read, Tumb breaks free and captures him. Thanks to his new hostage, he obtains a helicopter and escapes the enemy base; contacting the US Navy by code, he is directed back to the carrier. Unknown to him, Shim had placed a transmitter on the helicopter; thanks to it, his men follow Tumbler to the fjord, where they discover the Ranger

Even if these adventures seems to be more likely placed during the middle of the 70s some of the US navy pilot equipments like the oxygen mask, flight suit and survival vest are still represented similar to the ones used during the early 50s so completelly wrong for the period and the relevat aircraft and helicopters involved in the story like the Phantom, Corsair, Intruder, Hawkeye and Sea King.

Back cover of the album BUCK DANNY#39 REQUINS EN MERE DE CHINE

A cover dedicated to the story REQUINS EN MERE DE CHINE has been also published on the French comics magazine SPIROU

BUCK DANNY#40 GHOST QUEEN (GHOST QUEEN)
J.-M. Charlier, V. Hubinon

The discovery of the Ranger has placed Shim and his Mafia allies in an awkward position. They cannot reveal the carrier's presence without calling international attention to Sarawak again, which they are not willing to do until the cargo ship Ghost Queen, carrying the opium, is safely away. To this end, they decide to ask for the help of Khum-Lan, the leader of a local pirate organization; he agrees and sends Shim his lieutenant, who is revealed to be none other than Lady X, Buck Danny's old nemesis. She explains her plan to attack the Ranger with a torpedo planted by frogmen, and neutralize it long enough for the Ghost Queen to execute a clean getaway; Shim will then be able to rally public opinion in his favor. The operation does not go as planned; the frogmen are discovered before they can reach the Ranger. However, their torpedo still detonates and, upon explosion, causes a landslide in the entrance to the fjord, trapping the ship inside. The Admiral estimates that it will take thirty-six hours to clear the passageway again. When news of this partial success reaches Shim's headquarters, he immediately orders the Ghost Queen to sail, and his last two fighters to attack the Ranger. However, both of them fail; Shim's Drakens are intercepted by the carrier's Crusader patrol, and the Ghost Queen crew discover their ship has been disabled by one of the Ranger's SEAL teams. Faced with another failure, Shim places his last hope in Lady X. She offers a plan B; the cargo will be transferred aboard one of her submarines, while her pirate associates hijack an oil tanker, sail it to the Ranger's fjord and detonate it, destroying everything within miles. The pirates' plan is again foiled when the tanker is intercepted, but they still succeed in blowing it up just as the Ranger breaks free, setting the oil-caked surface of the water ablaze for miles around.

The Admiral orders the ship into emergency nuclear alert and sails it through the inferno. Ten minutes later, the Ranger emerges still in one piece, but all of its aircraft have been rendered non-operational, except the helicopter Danny was using to guide the ship. Danny turns the chopper around and races to intercept Lady X's submarine before it can escape; the sub is located and destroyed just as it is diving, along with its deadly cargo. Once back on the Ranger, Buck, Tumb and Sonny find that the ship has finally reestablished contact with the Pentagon. While Shim's death and the evidence of the drug shipments will smooth over everything in international circles, the Admiral will almost certainly be disbarred and lose his pension on charges of mutiny. Danny promises that the entire crew will support him, if necessary by appealing to public opinion and invoking the thousands of lives saved by the destruction of the drug plantation.

This was also the last story arc illustrated by Victor Hubinon, who died in 1979, four years after the end of this novel. The editor's notes on the first page of "Ghost Queen" are a semi-eulogy dedicated to him and reporting the end of his life through the eyes of some of his closest friends, including Charlier.

A small drawing dedicated to the adventures of Buck Danny has been also published in the cover of the French comics magazine SPIROU n° 1682