Pancho Barnes

Florence Lowe Barnes, born Florence Leontine Lowe but known as Pancho Barnes for most of her life, was a pioneer of women's aviation and the owner of the celebrated Happy Bottom Riding Club located on land annexed into Edwards Air Force Base in southern California's Antelope Valley in the southwestern United States.

Pancho's adventures

Having spent four months abroad, Pancho returned to San Marino and in the Spring of 1928, while driving her cousin Dean Barnes to flying lessons, decided immediately to learn to fly. Convincing her cousin's flight instructor of her desire that same day, she soloed after just six hours of formal instruction. True to her flamboyant devil-may-care spirit, she forthwith brought friends along for rides and began "buzzing" her husband's Sunday morning congregation for the fun of it. At this time in avation history, Barnes was one of only two dozen aviatrixes in the United States, a contemporary of female flyers such as Amelia Earhart.

Related Topics:
Aviatrix - Amelia Earhart

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Her passion for aviation took off, and she ran an ad-hoc barnstorming show and competed in air races. Despite a crash in the 1929 Women's Air Derby, Pancho returned in 1930 under the sponsorship of the Union Oil Company to win the race — and break Amelia Earhart's world women's speed record with a speed of 196.19 mph (315.7 km/h). Barnes broke this record in a Travel Air Model R, which she dubbed her "Mystery Ship."

Related Topics:
Barnstorming - 1929 - Women's Air Derby - 1930 - Union Oil Company

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After her contract with Union Oil expired, Pancho moved to Hollywood to work as a stunt pilot for movies. Pancho already had connections in Hollywood; her close friend George Hurrell was head of the portrait department of MGM Studios, but had got his start after Pancho introduced him to Ramon Novarro, another good friend of Pancho's. Pancho quickly formed friendships with other stars such as Susan Oliver and Richard Arlen.

Related Topics:
Hollywood - George Hurrell - MGM Studios - Ramon Novarro - Susan Oliver - Richard Arlen

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The high life treated Pancho well, but her poor money management during the Great Depression and disputes with her family were quickly draining her small fortune. By 1935, Pancho had only her apartment in Hollywood left. She sold this and in March, 1935 bought 80 acres (32.4 ha) of land in the Mojave Desert, near the Rogers dry lake bed and the nascent Muroc Field, then referred to as March Field because it was an adjunct property of March Army Air Base at this time.

Related Topics:
Great Depression - 1935 - March - Acres - Ha - Mojave Desert - Muroc Field - March Army Air Base

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