First - Is it necessary to remove the manifold to remove the "flame trap" or can I just unbolt it (it appears to have just two bolts) and fenagle it out?

no you can unbolt the breather box and get it out without pulling the manafold..its a bit fidlly - u have to remove the s hose from the top first and feed it past wires etc..but it comes, u sorta pivot it on the left hand spigot that drops into the block..obvious when u do it.

Second - The small hose that leads to the manifold attatches to a brass plug. Am I correct in thinking that to remove the hose, the brass plug needs to be removed (unscrewed)?

i pulled my hose straight off the plug its only a push fit (on mine anyways) and cleaned it all out..again easy and well wort doing.

Third - Do I understand correctly that the lower hose referred to in the FAQ is acutally inside the housing and that is why I don't see it?

uhm..there is the s hose that plugs onto the top of the breather box, and a hose than is in the block and stays there that the housing drops into..look at the link to the pics on the faq they REALLY help..oh and thats the short breather box shown. yours is just taller and a slightly different shape but fits just the same...