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Having spent four months abroad, Pancho returned to San Marino and in the Spring of 1928, while driving her cousin Dean Banks 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 aviation history, Barnes was one of only two dozen aviatrixes in the United States, a contemporary of female flyers such as Amelia Earhart.
Having spent four months abroad, Pancho returned to San Marino and in the Spring of 1928, while driving her cousin Dean Banks 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 aviation history, Barnes was one of only two dozen aviatrixes in the United States, a contemporary of female flyers such as Amelia Earhart.


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."
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."


After her contract with Union Oil expired, Pancho moved to Hollywood to work as a stunt pilot for movies. She flew in several air-adventure movies of the 1930s, including Howard Hughes' "Hell's Angels."
After her contract with Union Oil expired, Pancho moved to Hollywood to work as a stunt pilot for movies. She flew in several air-adventure movies of the 1930s, including Howard Hughes' "Hell's Angels."


Pancho had extensive 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. She also introduced Novarro to fellow aviator Moye Stephens and travel-adventure writer Richard Halliburton. Pancho quickly formed friendships with other stars such as Susan Oliver and Richard Arlen.
Pancho had extensive 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. She also introduced Novarro to fellow aviator Moye Stephens and travel-adventure writer Richard Halliburton. Pancho quickly formed friendships with other stars such as [[Susan Oliver]] and Richard Arlen.


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.
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.
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Son Bill Barnes died piloting a P-51 Mustang flying near the site of the Happy Bottom Riding Club in October, 1980. His mother Pancho founded in 1940 Barnes Aviation of Lancaster which Bill operated in his adult years. It is still in the general aviation business today.
Son Bill Barnes died piloting a P-51 Mustang flying near the site of the Happy Bottom Riding Club in October, 1980. His mother Pancho founded in 1940 Barnes Aviation of Lancaster which Bill operated in his adult years. It is still in the general aviation business today.


Her life and personality were portrayed in the 1983 epic film [[The Right Stuff]] adapted from Tom Wolfe's bestselling book of the same name. Kim Stanley played Pancho Barnes in the film which documented - as far as the history of early Space Flight goes - "How the Future Began." She was also the subject of a 1988 TV movie Pancho Barnes, in which she was portrayed by Valerie Bertinelli. A documentary film chronicling her life story is currently being produced by filmmaker Nick T. Spark and directed by Amanda Pope, in affiliation with KOCE-TV, a PBS station Orange County, California.
Her life and personality were portrayed in the 1983 epic film [[The Right Stuff]] adapted from Tom Wolfe's bestselling book of the same name. Kim Stanley played Pancho Barnes in the film which documented - as far as the history of early Space Flight goes - "How the Future Began." She was also the subject of a 1988 TV movie Pancho Barnes, in which she was portrayed by Valerie Bertinelli. A [[documentary]] film chronicling her life story is currently being produced by filmmaker Nick T. Spark and directed by Amanda Pope, in affiliation with KOCE-TV, a PBS station Orange County, California.


Pancho's Mystery Ship was for a long time located in a hangar at Mojave Airport. It was sold to a private collector a number of years ago, and is currently in the United Kingdom where it is apparently being restored.
Pancho's Mystery Ship was for a long time located in a hangar at Mojave Airport. It was sold to a private collector a number of years ago, and is currently in the United Kingdom where it is apparently being restored.


Her aviation skills earned her jobs as a Hollywood stunt pilot and a civilian test pilot. Her stunt pilot days earned her friendships with a variety of stars like Gary Cooper, Tyrone Power, and [[Errol Flynn]]. Her test pilot work for Lockheed brought her up to the high desert of the Antelope Valley where she spotted a small green jewel of an alfalfa farm locate between Rosamond and Rogers dry lakes
Her aviation skills earned her jobs as a Hollywood stunt pilot and a civilian test pilot. Her stunt pilot days earned her friendships with a variety of stars like [[Gary Cooper]], [[Tyrone Power]], and [[Errol Flynn]]. Her test pilot work for Lockheed brought her up to the high desert of the Antelope Valley where she spotted a small green jewel of an alfalfa farm locate between Rosamond and Rogers dry lakes


Taken by the limitless blue skies, Pancho bought the small farm in 1935 and relocated to the high desert. One of her first actions was to carve out a rough landing field so she could continue flying and so her pilot friends could come up to visit. The ranch was a working one, and her ranch hands were soon not only raising alfalfa, but horses, pigs and dairy cows as well.
Taken by the limitless blue skies, Pancho bought the small farm in 1935 and relocated to the high desert. One of her first actions was to carve out a rough landing field so she could continue flying and so her pilot friends could come up to visit. The ranch was a working one, and her ranch hands were soon not only raising alfalfa, but horses, pigs and dairy cows as well.
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Pancho Barnes' extraordinary life and outsized personality have been dramatized as part of the sprawling 1983 classic epic "'''The Right Stuff'''" from Tom Wolfe's bestseller, in which stage and film great Kim Stanley portrayed her.
Pancho Barnes' extraordinary life and outsized personality have been dramatized as part of the sprawling 1983 classic epic "'''The Right Stuff'''" from Tom Wolfe's bestseller, in which stage and film great Kim Stanley portrayed her.


The Pancho Barnes Trust Estate Archive contains thousands of photographs, negatives and letters, as well as film, voice recordings, pilot logs, court and legal papers, depositions, bank checks, master recordings of her songs, and other materials documenting the life and times of Pancho Barnes. As the result of more recent acquisitions, the Archive contains several hundred vintage photographs by famed Hollywood photographer, George Hurrell. The Hurrell holdings span the artist's entire career, from his days as a painter in Laguna Beach, California until his last work on a TV documentary highlighting his career. The Pancho Barnes Trust Estate Archive collection of Hurrell photography was assembled through the acquisition of the famed Chapman Collection and other collections. The Hurrell collection also contains vintage Hurrell photographs and negatives long owned by the Pancho Barnes Trust Estate.
The Pancho Barnes Trust Estate Archive contains thousands of photographs, negatives and letters, as well as film, voice recordings, pilot logs, court and legal papers, depositions, bank checks, master recordings of her songs, and other materials documenting the life and times of Pancho Barnes. As the result of more recent acquisitions, the Archive contains several hundred vintage photographs by famed Hollywood photographer, George Hurrell. The Hurrell holdings span the artist's entire career, from his days as a painter in Laguna Beach, California until his last work on a TV [[documentary]] highlighting his career. The Pancho Barnes Trust Estate Archive collection of Hurrell photography was assembled through the acquisition of the famed Chapman Collection and other collections. The Hurrell collection also contains vintage Hurrell photographs and negatives long owned by the Pancho Barnes Trust Estate.
==External Links ==
==External Links ==
[http://www.chuckyeager.com/specialfeatures/Pancho.htm Article about Pancho on the [[Chuck Yeager]] website]
[http://www.chuckyeager.com/specialfeatures/Pancho.htm Article about Pancho on the [[Chuck Yeager]] website]
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{{Palmdale Nexus}}
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{{cat|Robin's Personal Memories|Robin's History|Palmdale}}
{{cat|Robin's Personal Memories|Robin's History|Palmdale}}

Latest revision as of 20:29, 13 December 2023

 
Note to readers: This article is part of "Robin's Personal Memories Project"
 
The information on this page is from my personal history and memories
and should NOT be used for any reason other than reading enjoyment

Florence Lowe "Pancho" Barnes (July 14, 1901 - March 30, 1975), was a pioneer of women's aviation and the owner of the celebrated The Happy Bottom Riding Club located on land later annexed into Edwards Air Force Base in southern California's Antelope Valley in the southwestern United States.

Early years

She was born as Florence Leontine Lowe on July 14, 1901 to Thaddeus Lowe II (1870-1955) and his first wife Florence May (Dobbins) Lowe. The Lowes were a wealthy family in San Marino, California, and Florence Lowe was reared to become a society lady. An adventurous streak had always been present in her family, and the young Florence learned the spectrum of hunting, fishing, and camping skills from her father. She is even known to have gone horseback riding with the young George S. Patton, Jr. across the Alhambra plains. Another inspiration was her grandfather, Prof. Thaddeus S. C. Lowe, who had pioneered American aviation with the establishment of the Union Army Balloon Corps during the American Civil War. However, her upper-class upbringing and her mother's fears about her wild tendencies and tomboy-like attitude led to a 1919 marriage to Reverend C. Rankin Barnes of South Pasadena, with whom she had a son, William E. Barnes.

How Pancho got her nickname

Pancho and plane.jpg

The peaceful life of a clergyman's wife was not for Florence however. After her mother's death in 1924 and subsequently inheriting the family fortune, in early 1928 she returned to her flamboyant and headstrong ways, which caused her marriage to end in a 1941 divorce. She abandoned her family, disguised herself as a man, and stowed away on a freighter bound for Mexico, joining a banana boat crew once there. In San Blas, Mexico, she jumped ship with a fellow crewmember and began to roam the Mexican countryside with him. It was during this time in 1928 roaming the land on a donkey's back - reminding her male companion of the character he erroneously called "Pancho" who in reality was Sancho Panza from the novel Don Quixote - Florence Barnes first became known by her nickname of Pancho. She was known by it for the rest of her life.

Pancho's adventures

Having spent four months abroad, Pancho returned to San Marino and in the Spring of 1928, while driving her cousin Dean Banks 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 aviation history, Barnes was one of only two dozen aviatrixes in the United States, a contemporary of female flyers such as Amelia Earhart.

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."

After her contract with Union Oil expired, Pancho moved to Hollywood to work as a stunt pilot for movies. She flew in several air-adventure movies of the 1930s, including Howard Hughes' "Hell's Angels."

Pancho had extensive 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. She also introduced Novarro to fellow aviator Moye Stephens and travel-adventure writer Richard Halliburton. Pancho quickly formed friendships with other stars such as Susan Oliver and Richard Arlen.

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.

The Happy Bottom Riding Club

Pancho, center, and the staff of the Happy Bottom Riding Club
Fleur-12.jpg Main article: The Happy Bottom Riding Club

On her land, Pancho Barnes built the Happy Bottom Riding Club, also known as the Rancho Oro Verde Fly-Inn Dude Ranch, a dude ranch and restaurant which catered to airmen at the nearby airfield. Pancho became very close friends with many of the early test pilots, including Chuck Yeager, General Jimmy Doolittle, and Buzz Aldrin. Pancho's ranch became famous for the parties and high-flying lifestyle of all the guests. However, a change of command in 1952 contributed to her getting into a conflict with the US Air Force, and Pancho's colorful character was evicted from the base after a suspicious fire burned her ranch to the ground in 1953.

After the Rancho Oro Verde was destroyed, Pancho was so disgusted that she moved to Cantil, California, with hopes of restarting a similar ranch there. Pancho filed a law suit against the United States Air Force for having been evicted from her property on Edwards AFB. Her main contention of defense was: "My grandfather founded the United States Air Force." On that argument the court found in her favor and reinstated her property with $375,000 remuneration. Pancho once again became a commonplace figure at the base and was referred to as the "Mother of Edwards AFB". The officer's mess at Edwards was renamed the Pancho Barnes Room, and the wounds began to heal as Pancho reconnected with many old-timers.

A note about the center photo above: The four people, left to right are:

  • Brigidier General Frank Kendall "Pete" Everest Jr - a U.S. Air Force officer who is best remembered as an aero-engineer and test pilot during the 1950s.
  • Pancho Barnes - Florence Lowe "Pancho" Barnes (July 22, 1901 – March 30, 1975) was a pioneer aviator and a founder of the first movie stunt pilots' union. In 1930, she broke Amelia Earhart's air speed record. Barnes raced in the Women's Air Derby and was a member of the Ninety-Nines. In later years, she was known as the owner of the Happy Bottom Riding Club, a bar and restaurant in the Mojave Desert, Southern California, catering to the legendary test pilots and aviators who worked nearby.
  • Charles "Chuck" Elwood Yeager - a former United States Air Force officer, flying ace, and record-setting test pilot. In 1947, he became the first pilot in history confirmed to have exceeded the speed of sound in level flight.
  • Clarence Emil "Bud" Anderson (born January 13, 1922) is a retired officer in the United States Air Force, a triple ace of World War II, and the highest scoring living American fighter ace. During the war he was the highest scoring flying ace in his P-51 Mustang squadron.

Death

Pancho was scheduled to be the keynote speaker at the Antelope Valley Aero Museum's annual "Barnstormers Reunion" on April 5, 1975. However, when a friend called on March 30, she could not reach Pancho. When Pancho's son Bill went to investigate, he found Pancho dead in her home. The coroner determined that she had died of a heart attack several days earlier.

Her fourth husband "Mac" McKendry continued to live in Cantil and survived her for many years.

Legacy

Son Bill Barnes died piloting a P-51 Mustang flying near the site of the Happy Bottom Riding Club in October, 1980. His mother Pancho founded in 1940 Barnes Aviation of Lancaster which Bill operated in his adult years. It is still in the general aviation business today.

Her life and personality were portrayed in the 1983 epic film The Right Stuff adapted from Tom Wolfe's bestselling book of the same name. Kim Stanley played Pancho Barnes in the film which documented - as far as the history of early Space Flight goes - "How the Future Began." She was also the subject of a 1988 TV movie Pancho Barnes, in which she was portrayed by Valerie Bertinelli. A documentary film chronicling her life story is currently being produced by filmmaker Nick T. Spark and directed by Amanda Pope, in affiliation with KOCE-TV, a PBS station Orange County, California.

Pancho's Mystery Ship was for a long time located in a hangar at Mojave Airport. It was sold to a private collector a number of years ago, and is currently in the United Kingdom where it is apparently being restored.

Her aviation skills earned her jobs as a Hollywood stunt pilot and a civilian test pilot. Her stunt pilot days earned her friendships with a variety of stars like Gary Cooper, Tyrone Power, and Errol Flynn. Her test pilot work for Lockheed brought her up to the high desert of the Antelope Valley where she spotted a small green jewel of an alfalfa farm locate between Rosamond and Rogers dry lakes

Taken by the limitless blue skies, Pancho bought the small farm in 1935 and relocated to the high desert. One of her first actions was to carve out a rough landing field so she could continue flying and so her pilot friends could come up to visit. The ranch was a working one, and her ranch hands were soon not only raising alfalfa, but horses, pigs and dairy cows as well.

Pancho quickly established contracts to supply meat and milk to the Army's nearby Muroc Bombing and Gunnery Range, thereby beginning a long relationship with the encampment that would eventually grow over time to become Edwards Air Force Base. Demonstrating her entrepreneurial genius, Pancho obtained a contract to remove the food waste from the Army mess halls. Her ranch hands then cooked it into food for the pigs that were then slaughtered and sold back to the Army mess halls - a novel form of recycling.

Within a few years, her ranch had expanded to 368 acres and featured a swimming pool, an enlarged airstrip, restaurant, bar, dance hall, guest rooms, and rodeo arena and was known as the "Rancho Oro Verde Fly-Inn Dude Ranch."


The Happy Bottom Riding Club site is today the location for the annual Edwards Air Force Base Pancho Barnes Day celebration (established in 1980). A barbecue is held and drinks are served, along with dancing and live music to honor the remembrance of this aviation pioneer and friend. This goes on way into the night, just like in the old days when Pancho was there with her many friends.

In the "Star Trek" novel "Resistance" established that before he left the Enterprise for the Titan, Commander Riker christened this Enterprise's version of the crew lounge, or Ten Forward, as the "Happy Bottom Riding Club," a name Worf absolutely hated and refused to use under any circumstances. The name for the lounge was derived from a similar watering hole that old Earth astronauts used to frequent.


Another Bio

Pancho Barnes (1901 - 1975) is considered by many to be one of the 20th century's greatest American characters. During her lifetime, Pancho (born Florence Leontine Lowe) gained respect for her intelligence, individuality, outsized personality, creativity, entrepreneurship, humor, generosity and integrity. A legend in the aviation community, Barnes was one of the first female pilots to be licensed in the United States, and one of the most respected pilots of the Golden Age of Flight. She was also a renowned stunt pilot, performing in several major films of both the silent and sound eras, including Howard Hughes' influential 1930 epic Hell's Angels. She later founded one of the first unions in Hollywood, The Associated Motion Picture Pilots' (AMPP). Barnes also holds the distinction of being Lockheed's first female test pilot, and subsequently established several other aviation records. She became the "fastest woman on Earth" on August 4, 1930, when she beat the world's speed record set by flying ace Amelia Earhart.

Barnes is credited with discovering legendary Hollywood glamour photographer George Hurrell (1904 - 1992), who was then eking out a living as a painter and photographer in Laguna Beach, California. She initially hired him only to shoot a photo for her pilot's license application, but loved the photos he took of her - especially the ones that made her look glamorous. To boost Hurrell in his career, Barnes introduced him to all her Hollywood friends. In short time he became the most famous and in-demand photographer in Hollywood.

When Pancho saw a 1927 photograph of Ramon Navarro with her horse, she said, "If George Hurrell can make my horse look as beautiful as the most handsome man in America, then everyone should be using George Hurrell as their photographer!" George Hurrell and Pancho Barnes become lasting friends. In later years, Hurrell frequently regaled his family with stories of his major adventures with Barnes, especially delighting in how he wing-walked on her plane en route to Los Angeles for his first interview with Louis B. Mayer, the head of MGM.

In later years, Barnes gained international fame when she founded the "Happy Bottom Riding Club" at what is now Edwards Air Force Base in California. Club members could fly into her FAA approved airport, attend rodeos at her championship rodeo stadium, ride horses from her well-stocked horse corral, dance in her dance hall, have drinks at her bar, eat the best steak of their life in her restaurant, swim in her large circular pool, and then decide to do it all again the next day by checking into her hotel. Additionally, on her 380 acre ranch, she had a thriving dairy, cattle and hog business. During the height of the Happy Bottom Riding Club's success, there were over 9,000 members worldwide. It was not unusual to find heads of state, high ranking military, actors, actresses, famous writers and artists at her bar and restaurant. At Pancho's, everyone who liked to enjoy life, laugh and have a good time was welcomed. Pancho was fond of saying, "When you have a choice, choose happy!"

Pancho Barnes' extraordinary life and outsized personality have been dramatized as part of the sprawling 1983 classic epic "The Right Stuff" from Tom Wolfe's bestseller, in which stage and film great Kim Stanley portrayed her.

The Pancho Barnes Trust Estate Archive contains thousands of photographs, negatives and letters, as well as film, voice recordings, pilot logs, court and legal papers, depositions, bank checks, master recordings of her songs, and other materials documenting the life and times of Pancho Barnes. As the result of more recent acquisitions, the Archive contains several hundred vintage photographs by famed Hollywood photographer, George Hurrell. The Hurrell holdings span the artist's entire career, from his days as a painter in Laguna Beach, California until his last work on a TV documentary highlighting his career. The Pancho Barnes Trust Estate Archive collection of Hurrell photography was assembled through the acquisition of the famed Chapman Collection and other collections. The Hurrell collection also contains vintage Hurrell photographs and negatives long owned by the Pancho Barnes Trust Estate.

External Links

Article about Pancho on the Chuck Yeager website

Palmdale Nexus

A Personal Note from Robin

  • The movie The Right Stuff is about the test pilots and astronauts who lived, worked and flew from Edwards Air Force Base and Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California. Many of the people portrayed in this movie were people that I grew up with. I went to high school and spent time with their children.
  • Many of the people working at Palmdale and Edwards spent off hours time at Pancho Barnes's "Happy Bottom Riding Club" and at Two Shay Ranch in Bouquet Canyon.
  • Edwards AFB was named after Glen Edwards, a pilot killed in 1948 piloting a Northrop YB-49 Flying wing.
  • Near the end of the movie the Astronauts are moved to Texas and are welcomed with a party, "Texas style". Part of the entertainment was a dance by Sally Rand doing her famous "fan dance". During the dance, there are several cut-away scenes of Chuck Yeager's crash at Edwards Air Force Base.
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