N is for Noratlas
The moment that Dusty caught sight of a familiar set of twin tails from the corner of his eye, the professional racer was half convinced he was seeing a ghost. Cabbie, one of his mentors, had been dead for a couple of years now and while he was far from the only C-119 in existence, Dusty wasn't expecting to find a grounded Flying Boxcar in a relatively small community on the eastern side of Germany. Dusty tried to ignore the twin tails and instead focused on the darkened tarmac in front of him, but every few moments, he couldn't help but notice has the looming shape slowly moved in his direction.
Swallowing hard, Dusty decided it was probably best to face the situation head-on. He pivoted to look in the direction of the approaching plane only to see something he didn't expect. The silhouette was frighteningly similar to that of a C-119, but it was also clearly something else. Surprised and somewhat relieved, Dusty allowed himself to rest a bit heavier on his tires, secure in the knowledge that he was looking at an unfamiliar airframe and not a friend from his past back to haunt him.
"Hey." Dusty managed to squeak out in greeting.
"Bonsoir Monsieur." The plane approached in the gloom. "Are you lost?"
"Yes…" Dusty admitted.
"I thought so." The other plane gave a deep chuckle that reminded Dusty a bit of Cabbie. It made him feel safe. "Let's get you back to the airport, as I suspect that you have friends there who are looking for you."
"Thank you…" The little racer felt his nose flush hot with embarrassment, but the larger plane gave him the grace of suffering his mortification is silence.
Eventually, Dusty's inward loathing quieted to awe and respect as he watched the plane in front of him navigate streets that he swore were too large for an aircraft with a wingspan of over 100 feet…but the twin-tailed aircraft always seemed to slip his way through. The racer was still trying to bend his head around this feat when he found himself once again on the familiar tarmac of the airport.
"This is where I will leave you." The plane motioned towards the lights of the apron with a wing tip.
"Are you sure?" Dusty asked. "I mean…well after you went through the bother of getting me back to the right terminal, the least I can do is offer you a drink or something…"
"It is getting late." The plane spoke softly, not leaving any room for argument. "And I think your friends are here to get you."
The racer turned to see that, indeed there was a blue tug followed by a few of the German race officials rolling across the tarmac towards him.
"Dusty! Where in the world have you been!" Dottie spoke with exasperation. "You are over 20 minutes late for the charity social and you are the slagging guest of honor."
"I got lost…" Dusty admitted honestly.
"Of course you did." Dottie let out an exasperated sigh. "Well, at least you are back now."
"Yeah, a twin-tailed aircraft pointed me in the right direction." Dusty turned slightly to motion Dottie towards his massive guide, only to find nothing but shadow where the aircraft had been only moments ago. Confused, the racer tried to scan the darkness with his eyes, but there was no sign that the plane had ever been there.
"Oh… You saw the wreck of the Noratlas. He used to be such a friendly French chap." One of his German hosts exclaimed at Dusty's description. He then gave the little plane a conspiratorial wink. "Some say that his ghost still comes out at night to keep an eye out for others."
Dusty just swallowed hard and said nothing in reply. After all, while it seemed like he hadn't been visited by the ghost of a friend, it seemed as though he was still visited by a ghost of someone after all.
Nord Noratlas: While it is claimed that the French developed the Nord Noratlas independently of the C-119, the fact that both aircraft's silhouettes and measurements are nearly identical has caused some aircraft historians to communicate that they are doubtful of that. In fact, the biggest difference between the two aircraft was the engines used. The Noratlas used a pair of Briston Hercules 738 radial piston engines, while the C-119 used the much more powerful Pratt and Whitney Wasp Major radial piston engines. The difference in engine power meant that the C-119 was able to lift roughly 28,000 more pounds than its French equivalent, but the lighter engines did make the Noratlas measurably more fuel efficient than the Flying Boxcars.
425 Noratlases were built, and they served in the French, German, Israeli, Hellenic, and Portuguese Air Forces, with their most significant combat period happening during the Six-Day War. This plane was primarily used for cargo and transport, but a few aircraft were modified to support antisubmarine operations or to act as mobile surgical units. 13 of 425 Noratlas aircraft still exist, all of which are in Europe or the middle east, none of which are airworthy.