J_t I think we agree more than we disagree.
I call them Grinley's revenge, if you're ex mil you may know who I mean
Was the Army accident you mention the one that took the life of Hummers? If so I remember having beers(MANY!!!) with him a few months before his death, in Lae. He, much like yourself, had a somewhat 'benign' opinion of the aircraft, and then he died in one, other than he was flying 'nap of the earth' at the time I have heard very little.
I think Gaunty sums it up rather well. It may have been good in some roles but the 'market' and 'industry' has been unable to worked out what.
Chuck.