This is all boggling my mind. Well done you old pilots for being honest enough to say you knew of this in your prime. I think you should write to your MPs and say you believe the Coroner was misled by incorrect assumptions in the SI report.
On the subject of reporting, am I correct in saying the Odiham test pilot was hauled over the coals and accused of lying about reporting a major safety problem on Chinook? Then only recently discovered to be telling the truth all along? If I was a pilot I might think twice if I knew I'd be dragged through the mud publicly by some lying bastard of a VSO.