Great Women in Aviation #2 -Florence "Pancho" Lowe Barnes

by Henry M. Holden

Overview

One of the most colorful characters in aviation history was "Pancho" Barnes. Florence Lowe Barnes was born on July 29, 1901 and she lived at full throttle until she died in 1976.
She traveled alone and in 1927, signed on a banana boat, as a crew member. That boat, she found out after signing on, was also running guns to Mexican revolutionaries. When she got to Mexico she found herself in the middle of a revolution. It was there where she earned her nickname "Pancho." When the shooting got too close for her (a man, standing beside her in the street was shot dead) she decided to hobo across Mexico and ended up on the seacoast where she got a job on an American vessel. She cut her hair, wore men's clothes and successfully disguised herself as a seaman.
In a 1969 interview she was asked what her husband thought of her travels. She replied, "I don't know...I didn't worry about what he thought."

Product Details

BN ID:	2940013457027
Publisher:	Black Hawk Publishing Co.
Publication date:	12/05/2011
Series:	Great Women in Aviation , #2
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	54 KB

About the Author

Henry M. Holden is an aviation historian and author.
In 1994, Mr. Holden was cited in the United States Congressional Record for his work in recording the history of American women in aviation, and was the recipient of the Author's Award from the New Jersey Institute of Technology for his book Her Mentor Was An Albatross - The Autobiography of Pioneer Pilot Harriet Quimby.
In 1996, he launched the Women in Aviation Resource Center, an online repository of educational, historical, and networking resources for women interested in all aspects of aviation. In 2010 Henry was awarded the New Jersey Aviation Hall of Fame Distinguished Service Award.
He is the author of over 900 magazine and newspaper articles appearing in national magazines such as Private Pilot, Plane & Pilot, Airport Journals, World Airnews, USAir, In-Flight-USA, American Aviation Historical Society's Journal, Women in Aviation, Woman Pilot, Airport Press and Aviation History, Vintage Airplane, Warbirds, Sport Aviation, and Upscale Living Magazine. He has been a commentator on the History Channel, and has published 39 books.
The original founder of the DC-3/Dakota Historical Society, Henry is a member of the Aviation Hall of Fame (New Jersey), Women in Aviation International, AOPA, and EAA.
Mr. Holden speaks at various events around the country and is available as a guest lecturer. His work has been the subject of a number of radio and cable television shows in New Jersey, Georgia, Oregon, and Washington State.
Henry Holden is formerly the News Editor East for Airport Journals and was a regular monthly contributor to the paper.