Tourist, I don't think it is a case of bigging it up. For many in the RAF, particularly ground crew, all the know is aircraft take off, aircraft pound circuit, aircraft land.
Where there is media coverage such as an RN drugs bust, or a QRA, or Army action then it gives a glimpse of what the Forces do.
Where there is little media exposure then threads like this serve to enlighten rather than Willy waving.
I gave a talk on Bomber operations and in the audience was my ex-boss a fighter man. He said he had had no idea where we had planned to fly.
You may be interested to know that Lord Hennessey runs a parallel history project that endeavours to match archive material with contemporary accounts.