So I pulled out a couple of 25 pounder ropes here at work and tried them out. It will be as I described earlier. The short chains go on the hooks of the rim on opposite sides, and the rope, which will now be centered on the rubber of the tire (tyre for those from the old country) is pulled to give mechanical advantage. On the other end of the rope is a straight hook which can be used in the ring on the hub. Mind you, our NOS cable, the hook will have to be trimmed to fit the hub ring. The older ones fit OK.
Here are some photos showing the hook up of the drag ropes,. I also took a photo of a 6 pdr and hub rim to show that the alignment would not work to use it as shown by the modellers in Hanno's photo. The ring is not in alignment with the claws...I think the rope would tend to jump off the claws. Far more likely it is meant for the two rings on the short ends to catch the claws, as is the case on the 25 pdrs.
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