Pilots Harness Release Lever.
Petet
I am sure Fred (#2461 p124) is right about this in his reply to Hipper (query #2455 p123). The "flexible pipe" he saw would be a Bowden cable. All single-seaters in later years had a four-point harness; the two shoulder straps were anchored to a cable behind the top of the seat. The cable ran back round a spring drum, which locked when fully "back" (like your car seat belt).
The pilot had this little release lever by the side of the seat; he needed it to reach the far corners of the cockpit (and that might be quite a way in the big American ones). When he straightened up, the cable ran back and locked (or at least that was the idea).
I know nothing of the "heavies", but would think that the presence of this
"release" proves that there were shoulder straps in the seat.
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Fred and Chugalug,
Glad that my "Perils of Pauline" moment raised a smile or two - even after I managed to wriggle out of it! (Ah, those happy flea-pits of long ago!)
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Chugalug,
Too right I kept quiet! I've always been a believer in the old adage : " better keep your mouth shut, and let people think you're a fool, than open it and prove it!"
Goodnight, all.
Danny.
"They can't do that to me!"
- "They can do anything to you lad, except put you in the family way - and they'll have a damn' good crack at that !"