The passing of "The Greatest Generation" has gotten a fair amount of ink since Tom Brokaw wrote his book now close to 20 years ago. It's hard to remember, given our current political circus (moderator, this is not a political thread), that there was a generation of actual adults who built the world we live in through intellect, hard work and personal danger in many cases. Shimon Peres was one such person though not an American. He and an American, Al Schwimmer, started IAI back in 1953. He died the other day after a lifetime of accomplishments almost too numerous to list. While Israel is one of those "allies that bear watching" for good reasons (industrial espionage, side deals with others, etc.) they have accomplished much in aviation with original and bold innovation along with, yes, Uncle Sam's aid and support. Some from that first group split off and built a nuclear reactor (French help) and their own nuclear weapons. Not bad for a country that averaged over all that time has had the population of metro Atlanta. But enough of that, Peres mothered all of it over time. I've often told people who deserved it, from mechanics to doctors, that it is such a pleasure to watch a professional work. He was one such. If you get a chance check him out and look at IAI as well. From fighters to rockets to missiles to satellites to, well.... These days it includes the Gulfstream G280 bizjet among a hundred other things. I wish we still had such adults but I fear that time has passed.