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While preparing for the maiden flight of my Hirobo Super Cobra, I could not get the engine started. After checking everything, I brought it back to my workshop for further investigation. Even after removing the mechanics from the fuselage my investigations yielded no results. Eventually I decided to remove the engine from the mechanics start the naked engine on a test stand. 
To start it I put the clutch with starting shaft back on. It started on the first try. However, my joy was only for an instant, because on starting both clutch shoes broke off and disappeared!
At the time I did not think to much of it as there were no nasty "noises" associated with the failure. Although I could not find the shoes, I was busy and would look for them later.
Later that day I went back into my office and noticed a perfect 1" circular hole in the window overlooking the driveway. I went outside to the driveway to see if I could locate the shoe, but all I found was some glass shards at the end of the driveway.
A short while later, my elderly neighbor from across the road invited me over to look at the strange object that had come through her window. Sure engough in her window was another perfect 1" circle! I realized the hole had been punched by the high velocity clutch shoe. Thankfully her curtain stopped the projectile.
At this point I realized how dangerous this event had been and how close I had been to not only hurting myself (I was 1' away from the flying shoe) but also someone else.
I found the other shoe at the opposite end of my office. The shoe had made a 1/2" dent in my wooden drawers, and had come to rest by the side of my Mongoose, which it just missed.
The point of this story is that if you are going to start up a nitro engine using the starting shaft make sure you put the clutch bell on first to secure the clutch shoes!!
I for one learnt a lesson and will never do that again.
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