PLEAS from an RAF pilot for Hercules planes to be fitted with a safety measure were not acted on until five years later - when 10 servicemen, including two from Swindon, died in Iraq.

It was only after the Lyneham- based Hercules C130k was shot down by insurgents near Baghdad that a decision was made to start installing anti-explosive modifications to the British fleet's fuel tanks, an inquest at Trowbridge Town Hall heard yesterday.

Ground-to-air small arms fire pierced one of the craft's tanks, which exploded, blowing off its wing on January 30, 2005.

A retired RAF Hercules captain told the inquest in 2000 he wrote two letters to his superiors detailing his concerns that UK planes did not have fuel tank protection.

Giving evidence from behind a screen, the un-named ex-RAF 47 Squadron serviceman, said he sent his first letter before he was deployed to Sierra Leone.

He did this after talking to an American airman, who told to him US Hercules had had self-sealing fuel tanks for many years.

Since the 1960s American Hercules have had explosive-suppressant foam, which stops tanks exploding if they are hit.

Up to 30 of the 44 British Hercules have been fitted with ESF at a cost of up to £600,000 each since the tragedy.

He said he received no reply to his first letter and, on his return from West Africa in 2000, he wrote another, this time sending a copy to the Air Warfare Centre at RAF Waddington.

Requesting that the matter be looked into urgently, he wrote: "The aircraft's susceptibility to small arms is potentially operationally limiting."

The witness, referred to as DP, also paid tribute to two serviceman from Swindon.

He described master engineer Gary Nicolson, 42, from Stratton, as an "outstanding professional," and Flt Sgt Mark Gibson, 34, of Sparcells, as "at the top of his tree - a fantastic professional, who was utterly reliable."

The inquest also heard from Wing Commander Stuart Stirratt, an officer commanding operational intelligence wing at RAF Waddington. He told how a number of improvements to in-theatre communications had been made since the tragedy.

And he added: "Lessons have been learned from this tragic loss."

As well as the two officers from Swindon, the other Hercules crash victims, based at RAF Lyneham included RAF 47 Squadron's Flt Lt David Stead 35, the pilot, Flt Lt Andrew Smith, 25, the co-pilot, and Australian airman Flt Lt Paul Pardoel, 35, a navigator.

Also on board was chief technician Richard Brown, 40, who was an avionics specialist from Lyneham's engineering wing; Corporal David Williams, 37, a survival equipment fitter, and Sergeant Robert O'Connor, 38, an engineering technician.

Also on board was Sqn Ldr Patrick Marshall, 39, from Strike Command Headquarters, RAF High Wycombe.

Acting Lt Cpl Steven Jones, 25, of Fareham, Hampshire, a Royal Signals soldier, was a passenger.

The inquest continues