Women of the Golden Age Their airplanes, and their spirits, still live! G.W. Hyatt, EAA 522645 own Pandora’s box. It is a copy of the transient log from Davis-Monthan Field in Tucson, Arizona, often referred to as “the Field.” In mid-2000 I purchased the log in Alexandria, Virginia. In flipping through its 218 Ipages, I’m overcome by 3,679 pilots and their airplanes, thousands of destinations, dates, passengers, and events, all meticulously handwritten between February 6, 1925, and November 26, 1936. Each entry is a window into the gold- en age of aviation in the American southwest. Half the entries are by sport pilots. The others are military, with a smattering of early commercial transport activity. Remarkably, among the signatures are 40 female pilots. At the time, they represented conservatively 10 percent of all certificated female pilots in the United States. Many of Pilot Eyes by Jo-Ann Lizio is on display in the EAA AirVenture Museum until June 2004. them have since passed away, but I was curious about the Left to right, top: Amelia Earhart, Gladys O’Donnell, fate of their aircraft. In cross-referencing the facts from the Bobbi Trout. golden age with the physical clues preserved by a few dedi- Bottom: Jean LaRene, Ruth Elder, Pancho Barnes. cated historians and crafters, I discovered that nine of their All these pilots signed the Davis-Monthan log. Courtesy of Jo-Ann Lizio. aircraft are still on the FAA registry. I visited five and acquired contemporary photos of another. 48 MARCH 2004 EAA Sport Aviation 49 Nines. Flying Monocoupes, Phoebe appealing history. Built in February 12:45 p.m. With passenger Bert Then and Now landed at the Field four times; 1928, Hollywood stunt pilot Frank White, a well-known parachutist, Monocoupe NR8917 besides NR8917, there was NC5877 Hawks bought it from the factory in she was heading to Los Angeles. Phoebe Omlie (1902-1975) and NC518W (twice), which she March. Powered by a 220-hp Wright Pancho logged 618 hours on Miss Moline is a beautiful flew to victory in the 1931 Derby. J-5-C, he registered it as NX4419, NC4419 before Pacific Airmotive Monocoupe Model 113 Special, Miss Moline is now hangared flew it 156 hours for movie work, Corp. confiscated it in 1933 to sat- with a 110-hp Warner engine. among sepia wheat fields near and sold it in October to H.W. isfy a $1,649.38 material and labor Flown solo by Phoebe Fairgrave Cheney, Kansas, a long way from Lippiatt, a dealer. lien for repairs. Since then the Omlie, it arrived at the Field on a her Illinois birthplace. When Ed and Pancho Barnes bought it from Travel Air changed hands 23 hot Thursday, August 15, 1929. She Leo Saurenman recovered it in 1987 Lippiatt on November 24, 1928, for times. Today, Ohioan Mark Pinsky signed the log at 11 a.m. and depart- from a hedgerow on the Kansas- $2,500 and her old Travel Air. After owns NC4419, and David Harwell ed at 1:30 p.m. for Santa Monica to Oklahoma border, a tree had grown using the Travel Air for “photogra- and the staff of Barnstormer’s begin the 1929 Powder Puff Derby through the fuselage. They rebuilt phy and motion picture work,” in Workshop in Williamson, to Cleveland, Ohio. When it landed the fuselage, but a 1996 storm blew 1929 she registered it as NR4419 Georgia, are restoring it. at Tucson, NR8917 had logged down their hangar and bent its and entered the Powder Puff Derby. Pancho flew the curves of her about 50 hours. longerons. Without wings, Miss A collision with an automobile on airborne universe without deflec- Phoebe wove her own zodiac Moline’s fuselage and tail feathers the Pecos, Texas, runway ended tion. She raced airplanes and set throughout her flying career. await restoration to flying condition Pancho’s race on August 22. records, married and divorced sev- Competing in the women’s division at the Saurenmans’ facility outside After the factory made “changes eral husbands, founded and oper- of the 1929 National Air Races at Wichita. in fittings to correspond with ated several businesses, and made age 26, she was an aggressive and approved type,” Pancho registered and spent a couple of fortunes. In successful air racer. The first female Travel Air NC4419 the Travel Air as NC4419 on July 3, the 1940s she ran the Happy aviation mechanic (Certificate No. Florence “Pancho” Barnes 1930. She landed at Tucson on her Bottom Riding Club, a postwar 422, dated July 31, 1933), she was a (1901-1975) way home and signed the log on watering hole for Muroc test charter member of the Ninety- Travel Air 4000 NC4419 has an Wednesday, October 15, 1930, at pilots, now part of aviation lore. .Then: Phoebe Omlie with Miss Moline in 1929 at “Powder Puff Derby.” PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN UNDERWOOD PHOTO COURTESY Now: Miss Moline before wheat fields in Kansas, June 7, 2002. HARWELL. OF DAVID PHOTO COURTESY Then: This is Pancho Barnes’ Travel Air with its original NX registration, probably in mid- 1928 when owned by Frank Hawks. Now: The top left wing of NC4419 in the hangar at Barnstormer’s Workshop, November 15, 2002. LEO SAURENMAN 50 MARCH 2004 EAA Sport Aviation 51 Jean LaRene’s sporting certifi- cate for 1932, issued by the NAA. Her birth date is shown as 1904, but it’s actually 1901. COURTESY OF ROGER FREEMAN. COURTESY Then: Jean LaRene with NC592H in race configuration. Note the front cock- COURTESY OF ROGER FREEMAN. pit cover and wheel- pants. Courtesy of Roger Freeman. Jean LaRene’s portrait, colorized by Joel Harris. LARRY HAWKINS LARRY Rearwin 2000 NC592H she married early and had two sons 27, 1934, “Flew Ken-Royce for last Jean LaRene (1901-1960) and a daughter by 1925. She time today. Going to sell it.” And on Jean LaRene landed in Tucson divorced, and the children went to a June 15, “Mr. [Harman] sold Ken- twice: August 24, 1931, and August foster home, which caused her Royce to Bob Albright the other Now: NC592H in Kingsbury, 22, 1932, both Mondays. On each much discomfort. It’s not clear why day.” The Rearwin passed through Texas, June 13, 2002, with occasion she was flying Rearwin she changed her name to Jean seven more owners, until Jean and restorer Don Dickson, left, NC592H to compete in the LaRene, but it happened during the Lou bought it in 1940. In 1997 and owner Roger Freeman. National Air Races in Cleveland. In late 1920s. Roger Freeman acquired Ken-Royce Unrestored, the upper right 1931, she flew the Rearwin Ken- Jean learned to fly in 1928 at as part of Lou Foote’s estate. wing hanging on the rear wall Royce to fourth place in the 30-mile Chicago Municipal Airport and was NC592H now lives at the Old still shows a spar splice pylon race, and in 1932 she had a a founding member of the Ninety- Kingsbury Aerodrome in Kingsbury, performed in 1937. forced landing in wilderness north Nines. Until 1936 she raced, Texas. The fuselage and tail feathers of Abilene, Texas. Neither she nor hopped passengers, flew endurance are restored. The metal tube fuse- NC592H were injured, but she had events, and made friends. In her lage and cockpit aprons are original; 1931, John Nagel bought the to drive to Cleveland. address book are such famous the wooden stringers are new. It is Travel Air from the first owner’s The cream, orange, and black air- female pilots as Amelia Earhart, almost ready for fabric. The wings estate, and passed it to its current plane was manufactured in Ruth Stewart, Gladys O’Donnell, are “rough,” still showing a major owners, Lane and Jean Tufts, in February 1930 in Salina, Kansas. and Clema Granger. spar splice performed and docu- September 1978. Powered by 185-hp Curtiss After a number of relationships mented in 1937. Although there is Between August 29 and Challenger engine, Ken-Royce cost that ended in divorce, death, and no timeline for completion, the September 7 the 1931 National Air $6,500 new and is one of only three Dear John letters, one association, Rearwin will fly again. Races drew fliers from around the Model 2000-C Rearwins made. Jean with Lou Foote, endured in her life country, including Mary Charles, didn’t own the airplane; Long & and diaries. She married Foote, an Travel Air NC684K who landed NC684K at Davis- Harman Airlines at Love Field in aviation pioneer in his own right, in Mary Charles Monthan Field on Saturday, Dallas purchased it in 1931 and 1936. They operated Lou Foote Rare is the airplane that has one September 12, 1931. Departing hired Jean to fly it. Flying Service, a pilot training and owner for almost a half-century, from El Paso she was on her way to Roger Freeman now owns the air- Cub dealer in Dallas, Texas. Jean and an E4000 Travel Air, NC684K, is Santa Monica. Records from the plane and holds with great care the was the company pilot, demonstrat- one of these unusual airplanes. 99s Museum of Women Pilots in files and memorabilia of Jean’s life ing Cubs and transporting passen- Powered by a 165-hp Wright J-6, the Oklahoma City indicate that Mary in aviation. Born Florence Lorene gers in a Stinson and a Travel Air. airplane was manufactured had logged 110 flying hours as of LEE ANN ABRAMS Donohue on December 31, 1901, In her diary, Jean wrote on May September 2, 1929.