At Geilers during the long dark nights on QRA in the 60s we sometimes used to talk about this very subject (when taking a rest from the days-long interminable game of Risk). The subject was discussed pretty much in the abstract though as there were definite "instructions" we had to follow if the worst happened. Occasionally one or both sets of aircrews would join in the discussion when, eg, we had cooked up a two dozen egg omlette.
As I recall, the seriousness of the problem was never understated but the overriding feeling was that this was what we were there for. As ground crew, we knew that any dispatched QRA Cranberry wouldn't need an after-flight and I know the zobbits knew that too.
The subject was never dwelt upon though, never got morbid, why? one word - banter. Not machismo, not heroics, nothing like that, banter kept the spectre at bay in our minds, banter and a sense of "duty". That's not a cool word these days though it seems, at least not to some.
If it hit the fan, the aircrews would have to go somewhere east to give some other poor sods a couple of seconds of intense sunshine. Meanwhile we were to get to MT, collect the sqn allocated Magerius Deutz 3-tonners (there were hunderds of these) and evacuate the sqn personnel
and the familes of sqn personnel from MQs. All the camps in 2TAF had such a scheme I think, and all camps had had to get to pre-allocated "gathering" locations - ours was on the south part of the Rheindahlen ring-road I think (map and grid co-ords in a sealed envelpope in the Maggie's glove box). From that location the Maggies from all the camps we were supposed to drive in various convoys to the channel ports, for instance, our sqn's embarkation destination was Ostend.
This "evac" procedure was practised only twice while I was out there. All the camps sent their Maggies to pre-selected parts of the ring-road under MP escort. It was a sight to see and, although deadly serious, a lot of fun too.
So, what got us through those times? Banter. That and what is now called "gallows humour".
Would we, pilots and groundies, have made it? Of course we would've fecking well made it! No other outcome was thinkable! If you thought otherwise you shouldn't have joined in the first place if you couldn't take a joke.
As Beags says, we had a "proper" air force in those days, maybe not "better" but, in a lot of people's minds a lot more gooder!
But what was worse to my mind was later, guarding an airfield in the UK against IRA incursion - with a pick-axe handle!
