Born in Monticello in the US State of Wisconsin, he spent much of his education working as an electricians apprentice, before enlisting in the US Navy in 1904.
While working for the Villista forces led by General Pancho Villa, he developed one of the earliest examples of aerial bombs.
[1] In 1914, Barlow joined the insurgent Villista forces led by General Pancho Villa in the Mexican Revolution.
Barlow persuaded Pancho Villa to purchase an aeroplane, and worked developing one of the earliest examples of aerial bombs.
[3] Barlow had previously met with aviation pioneer Glenn L. Martin while in California, and the idea of using an airplane as an offensive weapon had intrigued him.
The bombs, dropped on trains carrying on Mexican Federal troops, were small and weak, but launched his career as an inventor.
[3] In 1931, wrote What Would Lincoln Do, wherein he outlined a series of policies to politically and economically rejuvenate the United States.
[6] While working at the Martin Company, Barlow created "Glmite"—an explosive made out of liquid oxygen-carbon and named after G. L. Martin—which saw a series of prominent tests.
[8][9] At least one planned test was to involve the detonation a much larger glmite explosion, with goats at varying intervals away from the charge to see if any would survive.