Hi Gimpy,I should think the castor oil sprayed in the face would be a performance enhancer......It would make you GO quicker as you are bound to swallow a bit.
Theory Being: After the first few pilots soil their undies, because of the castor oil's laxative qualities. Pilots were known to eat vast quantities of French cheese, in the attempt to bind-up on purpose
Whereas with an SE5, with no Castor Oil involved, you could consume a hearty breakfast, with No Gastric Problems
There must have been a different breed of humans in WWI, loose bowels, with animal fat smeared on exposed flesh, in an open cockpit at 16,000 feet. Freezing your onions off, no oxygen, no parachute, and in the rain you're bound to get wet, with a 110mph wind in your face, plus a rather loud motor about 5 feet away. SO you'd better use earplugs, or you'll be deaf as a post in a short time. Your opposite number is trying to put a few Machine Gun Bullets in your head. And the joker on the ground with a cannon, is trying to blow you to smithereens
You carry a revolver as part of your kit, which IF you ever use it, you only need one shot. Because as your aircraft goes down in flames, you have three choices:
JUMP without a parachute
Burn with it, all the way down
Blow Your Brains Out
Yet People Volunteered, guess by the time they found out, it was too late
Bring on Phase III
