About this detail of the Tiger
Under the Tiger's gun there was a structure called the Beam ('die Brücke'). It supported the gunner's seat, the elevation handwheel and the turret floor.
The tube had a sleeve at its right end, and the rear side of this sleeve was opened up. This photo shows the opening. The elevation gearbox enters the opening, and the drive shaft runs inside the tube. At lower left, you can see the top of a leg that supports the turret floor.
At the other end of the tube was the gunner's elevation handwheel and firing trigger. The bearings for them were welded to the end of the tube.
This photo shows how the tubes were joined. Notice that the flattened section is made of two castings welded together.
This photo shows the right-hand end of the later Beam. The floor support leg and elevation handwheel are attached awkwardly so that they retain their original positions as in the old turret. An electrical junction box is added.
[2] Survey of Tiger 250122, at Bovington museum, by David Byrden