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SIX MONTH WAIT FOR HERCULES FAMILIES
It was the largest loss of life to the RAF in a hostile act since World War II.
Nine RAF personnel and one soldier died when an RAF Hercules C-130K aircraft was hit by enemy fire in Iraq on 30 January 2005.
The inquest, under the Wiltshire coroner David Masters, began in April, followed by an adjournment for several months over the summer, during which time several vital documents came to light.

After flying a special forces mission earlier in the day, a Hercules XV179 from RAF Lyneham's 47th Squadron was hit by enemy fire from a medium-calibre anti-aircraft weapon, which pierced a fuel tank and caused the ulllage-the highly flammable fuel-vapor-and-air mix created as fuel-to explode and blow off half of the right wing.
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