fightingchickenplumb,
On the F4 that replaced the Canberra strike squadrons, along with the Buccaneers, it was Lo Lo Lo and we did not really expect to get back. As there would be numerous Russian MRBM and shorter range nuke tipped nasties going in the opposite direction, there was not expected to be anything to come back to.
Remember, it was a part of the deterrent. If it had to be used then it had failed.