"Pancho" Barnes - a stunnng story of a stunning woman

[Deleted]

Florence Lowe "Pancho" Barnes was a pioneer aviator and a founder of the first movie stunt pilots' union. In 1930, she broke Amelia Earhart's air speed record and raced in the Women's Air Derby. 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.

Some days ago I reactivated Nigel Mason's FS2002 "Barnes" scenery he released in 2006 and showing the said riding club.







I agree, the scenery isn't very spectacular. But, the story behind this location and its owner, Florence Barnes, is really stunning. I don't want to go into detail about it. It would go beyond the scope. Nigel Mason related extensively her live in his readme, and there are several sites commemorating this curious woman.

Nevertheless, at least I should mention that she met a lot fo personalities like movie stars and legendary aviators - so Chuck Yeager amoung many others. By the way, the "Happy Bottom Riding Club" was also seen in the remarkable movie "The Right Stuff" of 1983. The role of Pancho Barnes was played by Kim Stanley.

Bernard

[Tom/CalClassic]

A very touching aviation story indeed. In the movie the "astronauts" got all the glory, versus the "real pilots" at Edwards.

[herkpilot]

There was a great documentary about her a few years ago. On PBS I think.