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[[stamped]] FROM THE FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE [[/stamped]]

George E. "Eddie" Barnhart   13

25 Pioneer Plane Builder - Aviator - Aeronautical Engineer

[[image - photograph of George E. Barnhart]] 

George E. Barnhart was born at Pasadena, California July 31, 1893, son of a forest ranger. He attended local schools and a a boy made kites and model planes, becoming very interested in aeronautical things, an interest to which his parents objected. He was a hustler and to earn money he delivered papers, ran errands and did odd chores.

In the spring of 1909, unknown to his parents, Barnhart made a glider in the loft of a neighbor's barn. When the glider was finished, school chums helped him take it to some nearby slopes where he made a few short glides before wrecking it. He then made [[strikethrough]]one[[/strikethrough]] a larger and more elaborate one with a seat, controls and  bicycle wheel landing gear. With this [[strikethrough]] plane [[/strikethrough]]model he made several quite successful[[strikethrough]]gliding. flights without mishap.[[/strikethrough]] glides.

After this, aviation was really in his blood and he wanted to build a power machine, but knew this would take money, so, in a hurry to continue this work, he quit school after the eighth grade [[strikethrough]],[[/strikethrough]]and got a job [[strikethrough]] and started to work[[/strikethrough]] in a woodworking shop. With his earnings he started building his first power plane. It was [[strikethrough]]to be[[/strikethrough]] a double-surfaced pusher biplane with front and rear elevators. [[strikethrough]]Barnhart[[/strikethrough]] He completed this plane, less engine, in December [[strikethrough]],[[/strikethrough]]1911, and had it taken to Dominguez Aviation Field where he hoped to get an engine for it.

He was able to house the plane in a shed with planes owned by Frank Stites

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