F-104 Spurs and the History of Ejection Seats

These distinctive 'spurs' were worn by pilots of the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter (as well as the later U-2, A-12, and SR-71), earning them the nickname of 'cowboys.' The spurs connected to the aircraft's Stanley C1/C2 ejection seat, and served to pull the pilot's feet in just prior to the seat firing to protect them from injury on the way out of the aircraft.

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