[GrahamB]

Hi 'Modeldad',

I had overlooked two photos in Michael Ullmann's 'Luftwaffe Colors' that might get you close to the solution re 'two-gun tailed' He 111s.

On page 107 there is an excellent close-up of the tail cone of an He 111 H-5, Wnr 3924, shot down near Maidstone (Kent - my birth county). Although the MG is missing, perhaps not fitted, the characteristic shroud is still fixed, with two small intakes forward. BUT, the really interesting feature is a metal bar fixed below, and protruding beyond the tail cone. It is definitely not on the ground or part of the wreckage. Supplementing this, is the photo underneath, in which another He 111 (H-6 4020), has a tail gun and, if one looks carefully, a metal bar protruding beneath the cone.

I suspect that these features may be for ground-handling - ie. something for groundcrew to grip on properly while moving the aircraft. On the He 111 one could not get close to the rearmost body of the aircraft because of the configuration of the elevators and rudder.

Food for thought?

Cheers

Graham.