It's sort of a "donkey", neither true "horse"(airplane)or "mule"(helicopter). In REAL war it's shortcomings will become all too apparent, but too late of course as these ospreys, like the turkeys they are, sit....grounded as death traps from advanced RPGs/terrorist ground fire. There are better ways to do the V22 mission....but as with the mexican priest and his burro....
I think you got your 'donkeys' and 'mules' confused. The mule is the hybrid -- but I get your point...
Of course the aircrews that will deploy the Osprey in combat and are all too well versed in the tactical shortcomings and vulnerabilities of the platforms they used to fly, mostly CH-46E and CH-53D, are laughing their a$$es off at ignorant comments like yours.