I'm not convinced the accident rate stats back-up the rose-tinted spectacle view Crab. There's plenty of evidence to show that a lot of aviators didn't 'get away with all that stuff' in the past.
there is also plenty of evidence that many did and filled their bucket of experience before they emptied their bucket of luck.
A lack of skill in those days was quickly apparent - these days the automation does so much that good systems managers can get through without good handling skills. Look at the airlines where pilots often have to hire light aircraft themselves to keep their hand-flying skills up to scratch - that was from a senior ex-BA training captain!