Flying Cold: The Adventures of Russel Merrill, Pioneer Alaskan Aviator [Paperback]

Robert Merrill MacLean (Author), Sean Rossiter (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1994

Trained as a pilot during World War I, Russel Merrill was determined to spend his life flying. His love of flight lured him from Oregon to Alaska, the far frontier of aviation, where Merrill piloted the first airplanes to fly into Petersburg, Wrangell, Kodiak, and Anchorage. FLYING COLD chronicles Merrill's daring 750-mile journey across the Gulf of Alaska in a flying boat with a single small motor, his first rescue mission by air, crash landings, and strandings. In 1928, Merrill nearly died after being forced down in the Arctic, showing up weeks later, half dead, but still carrying a cup of rice he had saved for an ""emergency.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Flying over uncharted mountain ranges, large bodies of water, and vast expanses of tundra, Russel Merrill was the space astronaut of his day . . . he brought aviation to Anchorage the same year Charles Lindberg flew the Atlantic. --Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum

About the Author

Robert Merrill MacLean, son of Thyra and Russel Merrill, retired in 1994 from the sailmaking business he began as an outgrowth of his involvement in sailboat racing. He was a naval aviator in World War II, earned a degree in industrial engineering at the University of Washington, and later worked as a manager for Todd Shipyards in Seattle. Sean Rossiter is the author of four books, including LEGENDS OF THE AIR (1990), which details the development and use of aircraft at Seattle's Museum of Flight.

Product Details

• Paperback: 178 pages
• Publisher: Epicenter Press (April 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 094539733X
• ISBN-13: 978-0945397335
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,136,667 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding book on early alaskan aviation!, August 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Flying Cold: The Adventures of Russel Merrill, Pioneer Alaskan Aviator (Paperback)

Heroic account of how Russell Hyde Merrill brought aviation to Anchorage Alaska. This book is a must read for pilots and anyone interested in Alaskan History and bush pilots. Merrill was an ex Navy pilot who was the fist man to fly into Petrsburg,Wrangell.Kodiak and Anchorage. He discovered Merrill Pass in the Alaska Range and put Anchorage on the map as the "Tranportation Hub of Alaska" He brought aviation to Anchorage in 1927 the same year that Lindberg crossed the Atlantic.He faced incredible hardships and pioneered air routes all over Alaska that are still used today. He was a true hero and a very thoughtfull and kind man whose mark on aviation and Alaska is still very evident even today. He was lost over Cook inlet on 9/16/29. He was never found, but it is evident he went down and perished in the frigid water off Tyonek Alaska. Merrill Field(very busy general aviation airport in Anchorage) and Merrill Pass(important pass to the west through the Alaska Range)bear his name.In Alaska we all stand on the shoulders of this great man.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First commercial pilot in Anchorage, May 9, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Flying Cold: The Adventures of Russel Merrill, Pioneer Alaskan Aviator (Paperback)

Trained as a pilot during World War I, Russel Merrill was determined to spend his life flying. His love of flight lured him from Oregon to Alaska, the far frontier of aviation, where Merrill piloted the first airplanes to fly into Petersburg, Wrangell, Kodiak, and Anchorage. FLYING COLD chronicles Merrill's daring 750-mile journey across the Gulf of Alaska in a flying boat with a single small motor, his first rescue mission by air, crash landings, and strandings. In 1928, Merrill nearly died after being forced down in the Arctic, showing up weeks later, half dead, but still carrying a cup of rice he had saved for an "emergency." Many photos. A great read.