Seeking ID of strange "cheese grater" device on below cockpit window of some 1940 He111s

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by David Ransome

It was for storage, presumably with safety in mind they were positioned to fire outwards and away from the aircraft if accidentally detonated.

That clears up my worry, that it would be very hazardous to fire flares from the sidewall of an He 111 cockpit in flight. The odds of hitting the wing or other part of the airframe would be quite high, I'd think. And you wouldn't want a burning flare anywhere near the engines or the intakes.