Originally Posted by
Kulverstukas
pics above
Good one Kulverstukas - that's exactly what I've just been looking at. I'm guessing the 'slots' in the tail cone separation ring(?) are where the lug of the HS centre projects out behind the pivot point. Looks like the lower tail cone attaching lugs have pulled off the end of their respective box sections and an area of frame is also missing directly above on each side - where the HS pivot mounting attaches to the lower part of the fuselage.
Also - looking just above the slot on the left side of the APU cone (where the top attachment of the HS pivot mounting would have been) is that just normal muck, or does that look like an area of sooting on an otherwise apparently fire-free tail cone?