He 111 with centreline pod - Aircraft of World War II

rochie · 04-03-2008, 05:43 PM

i watched a documentary on the history channel this morning about the battle of britain, they used footage from the movie of the same name and there was a He 111 with a pod slung underneath in front of the ventral gunner's position.
it looked like a finless bomb with a propeller on the front and had 2 square windows cut into the sides, it was painted like it was part of the airframe.
my first thought was it was a camera pod for inflight shots for the movie, i've looked for pics of aircraft with this pod from ww2 and come up blank, what do you guys think

smg · 04-03-2008, 05:52 PM

well the he 111 was a good mediom bommer just not good enogh to go all the way to the soviet union or england so yea its a good bommer

Flyboy2 · 04-03-2008, 06:33 PM

I've never heard anything like that... their was a propeller in front right? Could that have possibly been to power the cameras, much like the ECM pods on an EA-6B Prowler? I'll look into it

Micdrow · 04-03-2008, 07:31 PM

Does any of these look like the item, from the book He-111 Part 2 by Kargeo. Sorry for the big picture but if I reduce the size quality is lost.

MONDARIZ · 04-04-2008, 12:14 AM

The BoB film used Spanish CASA 2.111 aircraft, not real Heinkel He 111. That might be significant when trying to solve this.

I don't think the film crew would have produced a mock-up external bomb, unless it was used and seen in the film (as far as i remember it was not).

The pod would either have been something the Spanich air force used (recon gear, external fuel tank), or something the film crew used, like a camera pod (which i find most likely).

Graeme · 04-04-2008, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rochie

with a propeller on the front

How big was this propeller?

rochie · 04-04-2008, 08:28 AM

th prop wasnt very big, what made me think it was somthing to do with the filming of the movie was that the pod was painted like it was part of the airframe and had 2 square windows in the sides like you would for cameras,
no micdrow it didnt look like any of the above

rochie · 04-04-2008, 10:03 AM

i've found a picture though not a very good one see what you think

smg · 04-04-2008, 10:58 AM

http://www.thomasgenth.de/BoBHalle/He111H_1.jpg

MONDARIZ · 04-04-2008, 03:02 PM

Its not any type of weapon. The mount is way too flimsy.

My bet is still a camera pod for the movie production of BoB.

rochie · 04-05-2008, 08:12 AM

yes i agree mondariz

MONDARIZ · 04-05-2008, 08:40 AM

I also use another aviation forum, so I will take the question there.

Denniss · 04-05-2008, 02:12 PM

YouTube - Battle of Britain - Shooting Heinkels

BoB film sequence. It looks like only one He 111/Casa 2.111 has this "weapon".

MONDARIZ · 04-05-2008, 02:38 PM

After reading a few answers in the other forum i mentioned, it seems pretty certain that its a winch system for target towing.

The Spanish air force must have used them for this.

rochie · 04-05-2008, 02:52 PM

thats another possible solution mondriz thanks

04-03-2008, 05:43 PM	#1
rochie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: billingham nr middlesbrough uk Posts: 3,629	He 111 with centreline pod i watched a documentary on the history channel this morning about the battle of britain, they used footage from the movie of the same name and there was a He 111 with a pod slung underneath in front of the ventral gunner's position. it looked like a finless bomb with a propeller on the front and had 2 square windows cut into the sides, it was painted like it was part of the airframe. my first thought was it was a camera pod for inflight shots for the movie, i've looked for pics of aircraft with this pod from ww2 and come up blank, what do you guys think __________________

04-04-2008, 08:28 AM	#7
rochie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: billingham nr middlesbrough uk Posts: 3,629	th prop wasnt very big, what made me think it was somthing to do with the filming of the movie was that the pod was painted like it was part of the airframe and had 2 square windows in the sides like you would for cameras, no micdrow it didnt look like any of the above __________________

04-05-2008, 08:12 AM	#11
rochie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: billingham nr middlesbrough uk Posts: 3,629	yes i agree mondariz __________________

04-05-2008, 02:52 PM	#15
rochie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: billingham nr middlesbrough uk Posts: 3,629	thats another possible solution mondriz thanks __________________

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04-03-2008, 05:52 PM	#2
smg Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 72	well the he 111 was a good mediom bommer just not good enogh to go all the way to the soviet union or england so yea its a good bommer

04-03-2008, 06:33 PM	#3
Flyboy2 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Las Vegas, Nevada Posts: 677	I've never heard anything like that... their was a propeller in front right? Could that have possibly been to power the cameras, much like the ECM pods on an EA-6B Prowler? I'll look into it

04-04-2008, 12:14 AM	#5
MONDARIZ Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 87	The BoB film used Spanish CASA 2.111 aircraft, not real Heinkel He 111. That might be significant when trying to solve this. I don't think the film crew would have produced a mock-up external bomb, unless it was used and seen in the film (as far as i remember it was not). The pod would either have been something the Spanich air force used (recon gear, external fuel tank), or something the film crew used, like a camera pod (which i find most likely).

04-04-2008, 10:58 AM	#9
smg Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 72	http://www.thomasgenth.de/BoBHalle/He111H_1.jpg

04-04-2008, 03:02 PM	#10
MONDARIZ Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 87	Its not any type of weapon. The mount is way too flimsy. My bet is still a camera pod for the movie production of BoB.

04-05-2008, 08:40 AM	#12
MONDARIZ Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 87	I also use another aviation forum, so I will take the question there.

04-05-2008, 02:12 PM	#13
Denniss Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 117	YouTube - Battle of Britain - Shooting Heinkels BoB film sequence. It looks like only one He 111/Casa 2.111 has this "weapon".

04-05-2008, 02:38 PM	#14
MONDARIZ Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 87	After reading a few answers in the other forum i mentioned, it seems pretty certain that its a winch system for target towing. The Spanish air force must have used them for this.