In the 2nd World War fighter aircraft were designed for pilots of below average height. I suppose, particularly in those early days, dimensions were kept as small as possible, for materials costs and optimum performance by virtue of minimum practical pilot weight and wind resistance. Maybe it still applies, but the sixties Mach 2 Phantom certainly had a seat and cockpit for below average size pilots. Like Alan Ladd, say, who we all know was so short he had to stand on a box. He used to carry it around with him in a special backpack, or harness. Of course, Veronica Lake was only 4ft 11, so she had to stand on a box, too. So in their frequent romantic scenes, he had to stand on two boxes. And he now towered over her so much they had to get another box for her. Eventually the two of them were standing on so many boxes their heads were hitting the lighting gantries, so the shooting was interrupted and Ladd and Lake climbed down stepladders and a new tack was tried. Now Lake stood on the ground while Ladd stood in a hole. Now his eyes were level with Lake's chin so, before they'd finished digging a hole for Lake to stand in too, one of the crew had a brainwave. Thereafter Lake stood in the slightly shallower hole, standing on a box. Her eyes came up to his chin and the Director was satisfied. Though Ladd still had to carry a box around with him when he wasn't on set. In fact the whole affair inspired Ladd and thereafter he also carried an army entrenching tool, digging holes for taller women like Sophia Loren with whom he had off screen romances; or for shorter women he hoped to get a blowjob off.
