Long Nose Leg
I was an instructor with BAe for the ATP and still am an instructor for the ATP. The long nose leg was fitted to give an air bridging capability, regardless of whether anyone actually used it in that way. Later aircraft had a shorter nose leg and the legs are interchangable.
The leg does not have any sort of kink or bend in it. There is a shortening mechanism regardless of which leg is fitted.
From what you were told I reckon I could take a real good guess at which instructor you had.