WINGS OF MAN An Informal Biography of Captain H. T. "Dick" Merrill

King, Jack; L. H. T. "dick" Merrill

ISBN 10: 0911721916 / ISBN 13: 9780911721911

Published by Aviation Book Co, Seattle, Washington, 1981

About this Item

Very Good in a Good dust jacket. Several chips and tears to jacket. ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall.

Seller Inventory # 54082

Bibliographic Details

• Title: WINGS OF MAN An Informal Biography of Captain H. T. "Dick" Merrill
• Publisher: Aviation Book Co, Seattle, Washington
• Publication Date: 1981
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0911721916
• ISBN 13: 9780911721911
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: First Edition; First Printing.
• Seller catalogs:
  • Biography and Memoirs
  • Other

About this title

Synopsis

CAPTAIN HENRY TYNDALL “DICK” MERRILL needs little introduction to the world aviation community. His colorful life and flight records are legend. Merrill (1894 – 1982) was an early aviation pioneer. Among his feats he was the highest paid air mail pilot, flew the first round-trip transatlantic flight in 1936, was Dwight D. Eisenhower's personal pilot during the 1952 presidential elections, set several speed records, and would go on to be Eastern Air Lines' most experienced pilot with over 36,000 hours until his retirement in 1961. In total, Merrill flew over 45,000 hours as pilot in command, covering over eight million miles. At a time when record-breaking pilots were treated as celebrities, pioneer aviators like Dick Merrill gained a unique status. His most famous flight was a 1936 round-trip transatlantic flight that has gone down in the annals of flight as the "Ping Pong Flight." The following year, Merrill also completed the first commercial trans-Atlantic flight. The author, Jack L. King, was a senior aviation writer and has the distinction of also being a 20,000 hour transport pilot. In relating Merrill’s fabulous aviation career he has narrated the text for comprehension of the non-flying reader as well as the professional pilot.