Skyroads #169 (1935) by Keaton

Skid, Hawk, and little Jerry stir up a hornet's nest when they test their new strato-ship over Mongolia. The Chinese military sends fighters to intercept them, fearing the plane is loaded with explosives and on a suicide mission. The Chinese pilots veer off when Jerry tricks them into thinking the strato-ship is demonic. 

The strato-ship is a glimpse into how the future of aviation looked in the 1930s, at least to Keaton. I like all panels feature the strato-ship or fighter aircraft. I also enjoy Keaton's hatching of the sky and planes. The care and time artists devoted to just a single daily is impressive.

The pseudo-Chinese language characters and Asian stereotypes in the story arc are typical of the era.

Skid and Hawk must have rolled down the windshield to stick their heads into the slipstream to look at the Chinese planes! Before encountering the fighters, they use an "air conditioner" to adjust the internal air pressure!! And a hat that Jerry sticks out of the flying plane on a pole to trick the Chinese pilots isn't swept away by the wind!!! The plane's also bullet-proof!!!! These humorous parts of the story are in the first panel and additional images.

Keaton's bio and background on Skyroads are in the "Hollywood" Skyroads and Flyin' Jenny strips.