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Show You Don't Need to Crank Your Plane IX IS not generally known that the NC flying boats were the first heavier-thaa-air machines in this country to be equipped with electric self-starters for each of their Liberty engine motors. The result of the Nary Department's decision to so equip its seaplanes undoubtedly undoubt-edly aided the success of the enterprise, for the NC-3, lost in the sea and fog near the Azores, all her engines stalled, wet and cold, would never have been able to taxi into Fonta Delgada under her own power without with-out the assistance of mechanical means for starting her propellers. In the days before aeronautical starters were developed hich is to look back scarcely t-vo years it took three men to start an airplane. One man turned over the propeller, while two others, grasping him by bis extended hand, stood ready to pull him aay from the tremendous suckirg power of the fast revolving blades. Airplanes Air-planes of the future will no longer be forcer) tj giiie to doubtful safety nhn ecjinjf a.all hiih up above the clouds. |