Heroes - Let’s try to set the record straight.

A week ago, on Monday 1st April, Tom Cleaver @tcinla posted a news article announcing that the last living survivor of the USS Arizona had sadly passed, Mr Lou Conter, an undoubted hero, reached the grand age of 102.

As iModeler is an international modelling site, I questioned whether it was the best place for such a news story. I tried to point out that heroes come from many walks of life and all nationalities. I gave Niki Lauda as an example of one of my own heroes, which seemed to upset some of the members here. So let's try to set the record straight.

Bill Koppos @billkoppos, you said that we are losing such people at an alarming rate and they should be remembered. With all due respect, Bill, it's a simple matter of arithmetic. WW2 ended nearly 80 years ago, therefore any living survivors are going to be pushing 100 years old. You're right, Bill, but please remember that, rightly or wrongly, there is an increasing amount of anti American feeling in the world today, and I think such posts on an international forum are not going to help.

Tom made an eloquent comment in that most modellers are interested in military history, and vice versa, and therefore it was a valid post. Sorry but I still don't agree, but let's go on.

Jim Crabb @angus64, said that there was no comparison between Lou Conter and Niki Lauda, you're right, Jim, but he at no point did I try to compare these two gentlemen, I just gave Niki Lauda as an example of a hero in many other peoples' eyes. Jim, I'm sorry if I offended you, but I didn't make any comparison. By the way, I don't think anyone who has any knowledge of motor racing during that period would label Niki Lauda a playboy, his great rival James Hunt, perhaps, but we shouldn't speak ill of those who have passed.

Alan Li @akcli2008, you're quite right, but as I stated above, I wasn't comparing these two gentlemen. I just queried whether iModeler, as an international modelling site, was the best place for such an article.

Graeme Street @graemestreet, I did not challenge the significance and value of such heroes as Lou Conter, I merely asked if iModeler was the best place for such news, for reasons stated above. These days I try only to make models of things that I like, mainly racing cars and motorcycles. If you have ever visited the mass graveyards on the Normandy coast it might make you question your own reasons for making models of the machines and weapons that killed all these heroes.

Cricket @bikequeen, I'm sorry if you feel I hijacked your Miura WIP, I took the opportunity of suggesting the possibility of a Lamborghini group build. As we had had some correspondence about iModeler recently I'm afraid I also took the opportunity to let off steam regarding my frustrations, I apologise and hope that you can forgive and unmute me. By the way, your Miura looks great, don't worry about the orange peel, it's prototypical. I've owned a number of Italian cars over the years, including Lancias, Alfa Romeos, and Fiats, and they've all had orange peel paint.

I hope the above has cleared the air, and again apologise to anyone who was offended, happy modelling everyone. What's wrong with being a playboy anyway?