I only flew the originals with the Gypsy Queens and did about 1600 hours single pilot IFR with no autopilot (overseas operation where this was legal at the time). Also another few hundred hours two pilot where we used a sextant and a drift sight to find our way over vast bits of the watery stuff. Having four engines was a good feeling, even though I never had or knew anyone to have a bad moment with those crude pieces of Pommy engineering.
A bit of a trick to start them sometimes when hot, but when cool or cold they could even be hand swung.
Great range and payload for what they were and quite respectable field performance.
A bugger to keep all four engine RPMs in synch with the unusual single lever throttle/prop set-up.
Great handling - you could chuck it at windshear or just about any crosswind you could reasonably encounter, but the pneumatic braking system with free castoring nosewheel took finesse.
All round, a most enjoyable aeroplane which was only eclipsed by the appearance of the Twin Otter.