I have found an interesting part inside consumerCameras.xml which refers to spectator camera:
<spectator> <!-- came 2.2 -->
<controller>mcc3a0651:SpectatorController</controller>
<defaultKey>30</defaultKey>
<defaults>
<fovBase>50</fovBase>
</defaults>
<states>
<state>
<key>0</key>
<height> 4 </height>
<radius> 4 </radius>
<nearPlane>1</nearPlane>
<forwardResistance>0.5</forwardResistance>
<keysSensitivityCoeff> 0.5 </keysSensitivityCoeff>
<pitchMin>-35</pitchMin>
<pitchMax>35</pitchMax>
</state>
<state>
<key>50</key>
<height> 4 </height>
<radius> 20 </radius>
<nearPlane>1</nearPlane>
<keysSensitivityCoeff> 0.8 </keysSensitivityCoeff>
<pitchMin>-35</pitchMin>
<pitchMax>35</pitchMax>
</state>
<state>
<key>200</key>
<height> 4 </height>
<radius> 100 </radius>
<nearPlane>10</nearPlane>
<backwardResistance>5</backwardResistance>
<keysSensitivityCoeff> 2.0 </keysSensitivityCoeff>
<pitchMin>-60</pitchMin>
<pitchMax>-10</pitchMax>
</state>
</states>
</spectator>
The parameters <height> and <radius> looked like they would do the job but changing them did not alter anything. I have changed the <fovBase> just to see if it works and it does. I assume that the three states here <key>0</key>, <key>50</key>, <key>200</key> refer to the states of zoom in the spectator mode and indeed, during game in spectator mode (after you die) there are three zoom levels for the camera.
I have also tried to move the parameters <height> and <radius>, with random values, in the <snakeTail> part where it refers to the external camera. I have also changed a few parameters there like the <fovBase> and <farModelDistance> which they do work. By the way if you are annoyed by the external camera beeing reset to full zoom out after switching from torps to guns alter the value of <farModelDistance>!!
<snake_tail>
<controller>mcd8e096d:SnakeTailController</controller>
<defaultKey>165.0</defaultKey>
<nearBinocularDistance>100.0</nearBinocularDistance> <!-- diapason [100.0, 65.0, 25.0, 12.0, 0.0]-->
<farBinocularDistance>0.0</farBinocularDistance> <!-- diapason [100.0, 65.0, 25.0, 12.0, 0.0]-->
<nearModelDistance>130.0</nearModelDistance> <!-- diapason [120.0 - 180.0]-->
<farModelDistance>145.0</farModelDistance> <!-- diapason [120.0 - 180.0]-->
<defaults>
<fovBase>50</fovBase>
</defaults>
<barrierKey>120</barrierKey>
<barrierKey>100</barrierKey>
<barrierKey>65</barrierKey>
<barrierKey>25</barrierKey>
<barrierKey>12</barrierKey>
<barrierKey>0</barrierKey>
<flyThrough> <minKey>0</minKey> <maxKey>12</maxKey> </flyThrough>
<flyThrough> <minKey>12</minKey> <maxKey>25</maxKey> </flyThrough>
<flyThrough> <minKey>25</minKey> <maxKey>65</maxKey> </flyThrough>
<flyThrough> <minKey>65</minKey> <maxKey>100</maxKey> </flyThrough>
<flyThrough> <minKey>100</minKey> <maxKey>120</maxKey> </flyThrough>
<states>
<state>
<key>0</key>
<zoom>12</zoom>
<smartZoomAngle> 1.0 </smartZoomAngle>
<smartZoomAngleMax> 8.0 </smartZoomAngleMax>
<nearPlane>2.0</nearPlane>
<minPitch>-12</minPitch>
<maxPitch>20</maxPitch>
<forwardResistance>4</forwardResistance>
</state>
<state>
<key>25</key>
<zoom>6</zoom>
<smartZoomAngle> 0.7 </smartZoomAngle>
<smartZoomAngleMax> 2.0 </smartZoomAngleMax>
<nearPlane>2.0</nearPlane>
<minPitch>-12</minPitch>
<maxPitch>20</maxPitch>
</state>
<state>
<key>65</key>
<zoom>3.5</zoom>
<nearPlane>1.5</nearPlane>
<minPitch>-12</minPitch>
<maxPitch>20</maxPitch>
</state>
<state>
<key>100</key>
<zoom>2</zoom>
<nearPlane>1.0</nearPlane>
<minPitch>-12</minPitch>
<maxPitch>20</maxPitch>
<forwardResistance>0.2</forwardResistance>
</state>
<state>
<key>120</key>
<zoom>1.0</zoom>
<minPitch>-20</minPitch>
<maxPitch>30</maxPitch>
<nearPlane>0.1</nearPlane>
<coeffRocking>1.0</coeffRocking>
<forwardResistance>0.1</forwardResistance>
<backwardResistance>0.1</backwardResistance>
</state>
<state>
<key>180</key>
<zoom>1.0</zoom>
<nearPlane>1.1</nearPlane>
<minPitch>-45</minPitch>
<maxPitch>35</maxPitch>
<coeffRocking>-3</coeffRocking>
<backwardResistance>0.5</backwardResistance>
</state>
</states>
</snake_tail>
Unfortunately though trying different combinations of <height> and <radius> doesn't seem to change anything. Maybe they are reset during runtime?
Other than that I have messed around with pretty much all values in there without any luck.