There would have been absolutely no point in producing the Valkerie in quantity, for example. The Soviets had missiles that could shoot it down; it was far less cost-effective than ICBMs (and less cost-effective than B-52s for conventional bombing missions). Why on earth *should* we have produced it? Coolness alone isn't a reason to mass-produce and field an expensive platform.

I'm pretty skeptical of the V-22, as are most of the military aviators I work with. I certainly hope it turns out to work well and have been worth the investment, but I don't consider that to be certain yet.