Dave Reid - we seem to be at cross-purposes ... my poor description, i suspect !
The items which Fargo Boyle was querying were not a fitment during my time on the fleet., so i would have to guess at their purpose. Dispatching from the side doors, as with any aircraft required minimum obstructions to the rear, and I would have thought that those items were such. The 'elephanls' ears', however, were a regular standard fit for heavy drops during my time.
76 fan's reference to Bev reversing, triggers the entry-into-service 'hiccup' with that function. Some of Dishforth's dispersal pans sloped downwards to the rear and an attempt was made to park using reverse. The Bev being primarily electrically 'controlled' had a set of 'prop interruptor' switches on the flight deck coaming (a part of the prop de-icing system) These switches had to be appropriately selected when the WOW switches were made, in order to allow deselection of reverse thrust. As you may have guessed,... they weren't - and having started a downhill reverse, the only means of halting was the brakes, with the result of an underside tailstrike and a very nose-high recovery !! Lessons were learned and the 'after landers' appropriately amended !!