** Could this be true?
From The Sunday Times
November 25, 2007
MoD told of Nimrod risk
Michael Smith
THE manufacturer of the RAF’s Nimrod spy planes had warned of “frequent” fires on board the aircraft 18 months before one exploded over Afghanistan last September, killing all 14 men on board.
The BAE Systems report said there had been 880 fires or “smoke-related incidents” on the aircraft over the preceding 20 years, an average of 40 a year.
It also highlighted the large number of fuel leaks on board the aircraft and recommended the fitting of a fire suppression system in the bomb bay.
A series of confidential reports uncovered by The Sunday Times have detailed how the Ministry of Defence (MoD) was aware of a history of potentially dangerous fuel leaks on the Nimrods. But the new report shows the MoD also knew of the dangers of fires that could ignite the fuel.
Full story
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article2937248.ece
From The Sunday Times
November 25, 2007
MoD told of Nimrod risk
Michael Smith
THE manufacturer of the RAF’s Nimrod spy planes had warned of “frequent” fires on board the aircraft 18 months before one exploded over Afghanistan last September, killing all 14 men on board.
The BAE Systems report said there had been 880 fires or “smoke-related incidents” on the aircraft over the preceding 20 years, an average of 40 a year.
It also highlighted the large number of fuel leaks on board the aircraft and recommended the fitting of a fire suppression system in the bomb bay.
A series of confidential reports uncovered by The Sunday Times have detailed how the Ministry of Defence (MoD) was aware of a history of potentially dangerous fuel leaks on the Nimrods. But the new report shows the MoD also knew of the dangers of fires that could ignite the fuel.
Full story
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article2937248.ece