Chapter VII

A Bomber Factory for Fort Worth

January 1939. Ten years of depression and drought have devastated the nation. In Europe, war clouds loom.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt asks Congress to build new defense factories.

The new plants must be built far from the coasts to prevent enemy attacks.

Cities in America’s heartland begin working to attract the new factories.

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City Leaders

In Fort Worth, city leaders unite in a go-for-broke effort.  

The City Council, city departments, and local industries are ready to change laws, build roads, or do anything else it takes to bring a new factory to Ft. Worth.

Carter

Fort Worth city leader Amon Carter focuses on Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego.

He's got two angles to play:

Pan Am

First, Consolidated wants to sell airplanes to Pan American Airways…

Carter flies Pan Am

… and Amon Carter is a familiar face on Pan Am’s luxury flights.

Carter’s son

Second, Carter’s son is best friends at school with the son of Consolidated’s chairman, Reuben Fleet.