How things have changed
One uncle served in Bomber Command during WWII. (167 operations, mostly over Germany, some Italy. He was supposed to go to Tiger Force to complete the trifecta, but Japan surrendered too soon and, ah, 'spoiled the fun'. He had a strange sense of humour.) He stayed on after the war. His squadron converted to Lincolns from Lancasters. He took the last Lanc out on a 'tour' of cities that he'd 'visited' in 1942-5. He had to stop at an American air base in Germany to refuel to get them all; several were in East Germany, and the Soviets were unamused. Authorisiation? What authorisation? No-one at the base even knew he was gone until he got back. Everyone except the Groupie and the WingCo thought that it was funny; the Groupie thought it was hilarious, the WingCo wanted him shot. They managed to keep things out of the official record, though the Soviets were very insistent that their airspace had been invaded by multiple British nuclear-capable bombers.