This graph shows how much better the Osprey's tiltrotor design is compared to the Fairey Rotodyne's compound design:

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/dae/articles/communiques/AW...

there are times where the V22 looks straight out of a science fiction movie. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/3rd_Batt...

That was my first thought as well (off the title alone), and I'm somewhat surprised the article didn't mention the Osprey at least in passing.

I mean, you can certainly argue that the program was not worth the cost in money or lives lost (as is already being done in this subthread), but ultimately the thing works -- as someone who lives in San Diego, I see them flying overhead multiple times per week.

Although not meant for passenger service, the AH-65 [1] would likely have been a successful hybrid had the stopgap Cobra not been such a resounding success.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_AH-56_Cheyenne

Eh. The total cost of its program ($35.6 billion) almost came to exactly $1 billion per death incurred by accidents during its testing from 1991-2000(36 fatalities). All that money and life spent on a somewhat functional newly minted freedom boner.