I don't have any feelings for the Buckfast bee. But, I think you reiterated my point when you said " He bred a bee that suited his purpose." This is local adaptation. If there is any hypocrisy it might lie in his wish to breed his local adaptation from non crossed stock. He wanted the rest of the world to have pure stock for him to use.

The abby does have a local climate.

With regard to the West European dark bee, it was his first version of the Buckfast in 1920. That bee was crossed with "a dark leather colored Italian." Other versions issued in 1940 and 1960. He stated in "Breeding the Honey Bee" that these crosses took seven or so years to stabilize. He ran over 500 nucs in an isolated yard.

Toward true breeding, he line bred the Buckfast. I have no experience with it whatever. His bee was bred to his local eviroment. It wouldn't work for me in Missouri. Most of Great Briton gets half the rain of Devon.

He had very good harvests. Breeding worked for him. I don't see why it wouldn't hold true elsewhere. 

His ego? People have those. He entered the Benedictine order at 12. He took three major collecting trips. I'm not sure that he led the high life. 

He writes that his major honey flow was clover. In late summer he moved his production hives to the moor for heather. The relevant point was made by you, that his locally adapted bee built up at a good time for HIM.

His writings also make clear that the most common result of an F1 cross was a bee that was aggressive and swarmed. Economic value was not manifest until later generations. 

I am convinced that breeding toward a specific end is possible but requires knowledge and substantial input. Few will sustain the effort required.
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