Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 171 170 Broadway musical casting for DC-3 purchase rights

Fang Wen wanted to see how the aircraft produced by Douglas was before deciding whether to exchange the purchase rights.

The president of TWA Airlines was very pleased with this.

St. Louis is the headquarters of TWA, and the airport there is also controlled by TWA. Most of the company's planes are parked on the nearby company's tarmac.

There, Fang Wen saw several Douglas aircraft, including the T2D and BT transport models, as well as the DC-1 produced this year.

Fang Wen took a ride on the DC-1 to experience the aircraft's performance and chatted with the president of Trans World Airlines about the plane.

This aircraft is both a competitor to the Boeing 247 from Douglas Aircraft Company and its first commercially customized aircraft.

The cause was still the Boeing 247.

Last year, Boeing launched the Boeing 247, an aluminum twin-engine monoplane, which became the most advanced commercial aircraft of the year.

Because its performance far surpassed that of other passenger aircraft of the same period, American Airlines ordered 60 of them, which put Boeing's production and assembly lines at full capacity. Other airlines, no matter how envious they were, could not get Boeing to squeeze out more production capacity to produce for them.

In order not to lose out in the competition, Trans World Airlines decided to commission other aircraft manufacturers to develop a passenger plane that could rival the Boeing 247.

The tender requirements for Trans World Airlines at the time were: "All-metal monoplane design, three supercharged engines, each with a power of no less than 500 horsepower. Pilot and co-pilot seats, with a capacity of at least 12 passengers. It also stipulated a range of no less than 1800 kilometers, a maximum speed of no less than 300 kilometers per hour, a cruising speed of no less than 240 kilometers per hour, a climb rate of 366 meters per minute, and a normal flight altitude of no more than 3000 meters."

These requirements are entirely benchmarked against the Boeing 247, and are better than the Boeing 247 in every aspect.

Several major aircraft manufacturers, besides Boeing, participated in this tender: General Aviation, Martin, United, Curtiss, and Douglas.

Ultimately, Douglas's DC-1 model was selected by Universal.

Although the DC-1 did not meet the requirement of three engines, it only had two 700-horsepower Wright Cyclone SGR-1820-F air-cooled radial engines.

However, its performance in all aspects is excellent, and it can be said to be the best among the competing products.

He roughly summarized the advantages and disadvantages of the Douglas DC-1.

advantage:

The wing structure of the DC-1 is a single piece, located at the bottom of the entire aircraft.

The engine is located at the junction of the wing frame and the fuselage.

This integrated wing and centralized engine nacelle allow for a larger interior space on the aircraft.

Therefore, the DC-1 is one of the few passenger planes that allows passengers to stand up and walk inside the cabin.

Furthermore, due to the increased cabin space, Douglas has incorporated several innovative designs, such as lavatories, soundproofing facilities, and cabin heating, to enhance passenger comfort.

In terms of performance, the DC-1 has a maximum range of over 1600 kilometers, a maximum speed of 330 kilometers per hour, and a cruising speed of 300 kilometers per hour.
These performance parameters were all leading at the time, better than the Boeing 247 but worse than the D.332.

Things to note:

The cost is too high.

In order to compete with American Airlines, TWA placed an order for 20 Douglas DC-1 aircraft.

Each DC-1 costs approximately $81, and the selling price will not be lower than that.

That's why Trans World Airlines wanted to add another type of aircraft, and the affordable and high-quality D.332 became their target.

After watching DC-1, Fang Wen made a judgment in his mind.

This aircraft is flashy but impractical, and it's not suitable for Taishan Airlines. Even if they bought it, they might not be able to recoup their investment by the time the War of Resistance against Japan broke out.

However, Douglas's aircraft research and manufacturing capabilities are undeniable.

Even if you don't buy the DC-1, you can consider getting a better aircraft when they come out in the future.

Fang Wen vaguely felt that the right to purchase Douglas's aircraft should be more valuable than the right to purchase D.332.

In addition, the production capacity issues of the Boeing 247 made Fang Wen realize that with the outbreak of war, high-performance aircraft would become increasingly sought after, and the right to purchase would definitely be a good insurance policy.

Therefore, Fang Wen decided to play hard to get.

He said regretfully, "The DC-1 is very good, but such an expensive aircraft is not something Taishan Airlines can afford. Relatively speaking, the D.332 is more suitable for my company."

The president of TransAsia Airways could not possibly give up, and persuaded him, "Given the speed of Taishan Airlines' development, it will definitely need better aircraft in the future, and Douglas is definitely a good choice."

“It’s hard to say what the future holds. How about this: I’ll exchange my near-term purchase rights for two D.332s for long-term purchase rights for ten future Douglas models.”

Fang Wen stated his requirements.

The president of Trans World Airlines is considering it.

He understood that this was an option transaction for the right to purchase.

The value of a near-term call option is definitely higher than that of a long-term call option, since it can be used immediately after acquisition.

The question is, in the long term, how far in the long term?
He asked, "How far in advance do you want the forward purchase option?"

Fang Wen replied without hesitation, “In 1937, I want to purchase 10 high-performance Douglas aircraft that year.”

This was the goal he set for himself: high-performance aircraft could play a better role in war. In 1937, when the War of Resistance against Japan broke out in full force, it was also the time for him to fully support the war effort.

The president of Trans World Airlines thought about it for a moment, and since that was four years from now, it was a good deal, so he agreed.

The purchase rights exchange agreement has been signed.

The agreement, drafted by John Harvey and the lawyers for Trans World Airlines, stipulated that Taishan Airlines would transfer the purchase rights to two Devatina D.332 aircraft to Trans World Airlines for the development of long-haul routes; and Trans World Airlines would transfer the purchase rights to 10 high-performance commercial airliners in 1937 from its long-term purchase rights held by Douglas Aircraft Company to Taishan Airlines.

At the same time, the two parties also signed a dedicated flight agreement.

The dedicated flight agreement stipulates that:
1) TWA will provide two to three dedicated aircraft to be stationed at Las Vegas Airport for picking up and dropping off tourists to major cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Chicago, and New York.

2) Taishan Casino Company needs to collect passenger information for the destination in advance. Only when the number of passengers reaches 10 and is reported to the Global Airlines command personnel at Las Vegas Airport can a dedicated air route be arranged.

3) All passenger tickets, whether the first free ticket or subsequent paid tickets, are managed by Taishan Casino Company. Trans World Airlines charges a comprehensive fee of US$15 per aircraft per year.

The dedicated flight agreement stipulates the rights and responsibilities of both parties, and aircraft and crew members can be deployed as soon as the airport is completed.

Everything is ready now, we're just waiting for those cities to take action.

Lin Shuiwang is in charge of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Salt Lake City. He is flexible and good at talking. He has already contacted the local Latino gangs in Los Angeles, and the Chinese gangs in San Francisco. He is currently in Salt Lake City.

Fang Wen planned to travel between Chicago and New York on his own, and also take Indiana to handle his return home.

Using TWA's aviation system to connect Chicago and New York airports, D.332 took off again.

The first place we went was Chicago.

Chicago is only 400 kilometers from St. Louis, and the flight takes an hour and a half.

Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, along with neighboring Detroit and Cleveland, this city was one of the birthplaces of early American industry.

However, due to the Great Depression, the business environment in these cities deteriorated, crime became rampant, and they gradually began to decline. After landing, Fang Wen and his group decided to visit the most chaotic place in the city: the prison.

As the car drove out of the airport, Fang Wen asked, "Which prison will Al Capone be in?"

John Harvey replied, "He was arrested for tax evasion, which violated federal law, so he'll definitely be in federal prison."

"So, if you break Illinois law, you'll end up in a state jail?" Fang Wen asked.

“Yes. But we need to visit some people before we can see Al Capone,” John Harvey replied.

“I have a better way. I’ll go to Michigan Avenue first; I have a friend there.”

Indiana has its own way.

On Michigan Avenue, he found a friend who worked at a federal prison, but received some bad news.

Because Al Capone wielded too much power in Chicago, the local federal prison, fearing trouble, transferred him to Alcatraz in San Francisco.

My trip to Chicago has now fallen through.

Fang Wen did not intend to find someone else to replace Al Capone. He planned to go to New York and then go directly to Alcatraz prison in San Francisco.

Since they couldn't see Al Capone, the three of them went straight back to the airport, and the plane took off for New York.

During their trip to New York, Indiana left alone with a suitcase, while Fang Wen and John Harvey went to Mott Street near Wall Street to discuss some business at Chun Nian Zhai.

At Chunianzhai, the short Zang Chunian, accompanied by the tall Ma San, received Fang Wen and his companion.

Fang Wen got straight to the point:

"I want to know about the Chicago mob."

"You're asking this?" Zang Chunian was a little surprised, but still replied, "New York is now controlled by the Mafia, with five major mafia families."

Zang Chunian was talking about the situation of the New York mob, which was public information.

The first family was the Lucchese family. During Prohibition, they dominated the alcohol smuggling industry in New York, accumulating immense wealth and power as a result.

The second family is the Bonanno family, which controls many industries, including cheese, clothing, and funeral services.

The third family is the Genovese family, which is mainly involved in industries such as construction, shipping, freight, and retail.

The fourth family is the Colombo family, which ostensibly makes olive oil and tomato sauce, but secretly engages in illegal businesses such as smuggling, gambling, and extortion.

The fifth family is the Gambino family, which controls dock transportation in New York and New Jersey, and also runs casinos and engages in kidnapping and extortion.

After listening, Fang Wen asked, "Of these five casinos, who should I contact as a casino agent?"

"A casino agent?" Zang Chunian asked, puzzled.

After Fang Wen explained it clearly, his eyes lit up. He realized that this was a great business opportunity. Although he was not able to get involved, he could take this opportunity to curry favor with one of the families.

He asked, “The Gambino and Colombo families are both suitable, but once they set their sights on your casino company, they will use various means to force you to withdraw or hand over some of your shares. I suggest you choose a more principled family, the Corleone family. The Corleone is the most principled godfather I have ever met.”

A principled mafia boss means that he will not engage in dangerous behavior that crosses the line as long as the profit is sufficient.

This is exactly the kind of person Fang Wen wants.

He agreed to Zang Chunnian's proposal and, through him, arranged a meeting with the godfather of the Corleone family.

During the Spring Festival, an agreement was reached between the two parties, with the Corleone family acquiring the agency rights for the New York Hall. All guests from New York would be led by the Corleone family to Las Vegas by plane.

While making profits, the Corleone family also needs to protect the company's interests and ensure the safety of passengers.

These two requests are, firstly, to maintain a stable state, and secondly, to protect the reputation of the Corleone family, which is something they are willing to do.

The trip to New York did not end after the negotiations with the Corleone family concluded.

Indiana hasn't returned yet, and he seems to have quite a few people to visit.

Fang Wen also came up with an idea to make Las Vegas more entertaining.

That's a musical on Broadway in New York.

In America during that era, people's entertainment consisted mainly of newspapers, print comics, sound movies, and musicals.

Newspapers, print comics, and sound movies are accessible to ordinary people, while musicals are a more sophisticated and expensive form of entertainment.

Especially Broadway musicals in New York.

If this kind of musical were brought back to Las Vegas and performed in theaters, combined with acrobatics, clowns, circus acts, and other performances, it would definitely be something the people of the American West would love to see.

He then drove to Broadway theaters, American theaters, Olympia theaters, and other venues in search of suitable targets.

Fang Wen parked the car and entered several theaters with John Harvey.

Musicals and dance dramas are all performed at night. At this time, some theaters are rehearsing, while others are selecting candidates for the plays.

Along Broadway, between 41st and 53rd Streets, there are numerous musical theater companies eager to perform on stage. With so many people and only a few stages, the selection process is fierce, with even the best teams facing elimination in the next round of auditions.

As an observer, Fang Wen witnessed this process, where one song and dance troupe after another was eliminated, not because their performance skills were poor, but because the competition was too fierce and the involution was too severe.

He instructed John Harvey to contact the theater manager and have the manager make the announcement on his behalf.

The theater manager paused the repertoire selection process and said, "I have some good news. A new theater has opened in the west and needs a batch of musicals. Is there anyone here who would like to go?"

Immediately, someone asked excitedly, "Where is it?" "Hollywood?" "A theater in San Francisco."

“No, the newly built theater is located in Las Vegas,” the theater manager replied.

Las Vegas is a name that most people have never heard of.

I lost interest immediately.

Fang Wen stepped onto the stage and addressed the group of musical actors: "Las Vegas is located in a basin on the edge of the desert at the southern tip of Nevada. There, a city is under rapid construction."

"What does this have to do with us?" one actor retorted.

“We will use airplanes to send guests from five major cities—Los Angeles, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Chicago, and New York—to Las Vegas, where they will relax in my casino. Your performances will be shown to guests in all five cities simultaneously, and I will pay you a substantial reward.”

The dancers in the musical were excited; they wanted more audiences, especially from all over the country, to enjoy their performances.

If you add in decent compensation, it's not unacceptable.

Someone said, "If you're not lying to us, I'm willing to go."

Once someone starts, others will follow. Seeing so many people, Fang Wen talked to the theater manager, offered him a certain amount of compensation, and temporarily rented the theater to conduct a new round of play selection.

(End of this chapter)