Am so, so glad to hear that 1) the AAIB report backed up retracting the flap, and 2) no better result from that position has been got in the simulator - suspect a great many far worse results were obtained.
My fingers are firmly crossed that no-one else will have their experience in anything - hopefully the lessons have been learnt etc.
I'm not sure I would call the flight crew heros (after all they had no choice in being there!) but they are certainly professionals of the first order and worth of our highest praise for that, and their quick and correct actions in a situation that in retrospect must have been very, very scary.
Best wishes to them in their future careers.