They are hard enough to fly that when 'mastered' there is a VERY real (and temporary) sense of accomplishment but they don't present impossible hurdles - They reward a skilled touch with fantastic performance and give the odd love bit when you're having an off day - and they will eat a hamfisted moron alive.
They are an aircraft that demands to be loved or left alone - if you don't love the aircraft unquestioningly then walk away and don't bother further or you will end up hating it/afraid of it.
My first job was flying P2-BAF, a 1963 A that had been converted to an F by MAF in the 70s. She was a bit tatty around the edges, had a barrel DG and ground pointer A/H, 1 VHF and a HF and not a lot more. When I saw her the first time at Chimbu the hair stood up on the back of my neck - what a purposeful stance - when I flew her the first time I was love struck - even though my first landing could best be described as mediocre. When I walked away from her that first time and looked back it was almost as if she was smiling at me and thinking to herself "I will teach you to fly and then we will have LOTS of fun adventures together".
And she did - but every once in a while she would give a firm, if playful, slap when she thought I wasn't paying close enough attention
