The Ministry of Defence has been accused of a cover-up over claims RAF workers were exposed to deadly chemicals.
Veterans who repaired survival equipment at RAF bases including Leuchars, Lossiemouth and Kinloss are seeking compensation after developing terminal illnesses.
Assisting them is former Scots Guards NCO Les Mason, of Dundee, who has a background in public health.
He said: “I was recently approached by an RAF veteran who had been employed as a technician servicing, cleaning and repairing equipment and life-saving kit on planes.
“On investigating his case, I discovered he had on a daily basis been exposed to many toxic and carcinogenic chemicals whose different fumes mixed to form some sort of horrific toxic soup that he and his colleagues were forced to breathe over years.
“The veteran had contracted among other things non-Hodgkin lymphoma, but alarmingly he was not alone.
“I am in the process of speaking with at least 13 of his fellow technicians who have also been diagnosed with cancers and other terminal illnesses.”
He is aware of 12 further squippers the name given to RAF personnel who work on safety equipment who recently died of cancer.
“These weren’t old, infirm people. Most were fit and in their 40s or 50s,” he said.
“The MoD have tried to brush this issue to one side and what they have done is nothing short of a cover-up.”
One veteran, 50-year-old Mark Gooding, has gone to the Court of Appeal in London in his fight to have his war pension boosted.
Having served with the RAF for 30 years, he now has terminal non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
As many as 750 squippers worked with toxic chemicals during the 80s and 90s.
A MoD spokesperson said: “The health of our serving personnel and veterans is of paramount importance.
“Financial support is available to veterans and dependants whose illness or death is attributable to service, through MoD War Pensions and the Armed Forces Compensation Schemes.
“Where a claim is made, the MoD carefully considers whether an individual’s injury or illness is related to their service.”