BBC - RAF Nimrods 'had fuel problems' http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7390471.stm
Sergeant Andrew Whitmore said he first noticed the corrosion while investigating the cause of a fuel leak on a Nimrod in the same fleet as the XV230, before the tragedy.
He described it as "quite shocking" and said the "salty air" was the most likely cause of the corrosion on the aircraft, which is heavily used for air-sea rescues.
But the court heard that a check of all the couplings across the entire fleet was only ordered after the incident.
At that point the fleet was grounded and engineers found further corroded couplings.
"We didn't find any leaks but it was only a matter of time," said Sgt Whitmore.
"We found dinted fuel pipes and broken bonding leads."
The RAF continued air-to-air refuelling after the tragedy but a further two incidents involving fuel leaks led to the practice being suspended, the court heard.