Supermarine Spitfire vs Messerschmitt Bf 109 is there a more iconic match up during World War 2? Let's have a look at what Luftwaffe pilots and aces said about the Spitfire, what value such statements have in isolation and whether the context of an engagement is not more important than the pure paper performance.

Spitfire Watches
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Expert guests
James Holland https://wehavewayspod.com/ and https://www.griffonmerlin.com/
Dr. Jens Wehner @MTGJW

Check out my books
Ju 87 Stuka http://stukabook.com
STG44 Assault Platoon http://sturmzug.com
German Panzer Company 1941 http://www.hdv4707.com/
Achtung Panzer? Zur Panzerwaffe der Wehrmacht http://panzerkonferenz.de/

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Museum
Spitfire Mk. I filmed at RAF Museum London: https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/
Bf 109 E filmed at Flugwerft Schleissheim (Munich): https://www.deutschesmuseum.de/flugw...

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Sources
BArch, RL 39/698, Bericht ueber das Beuteflugzeug “Spitfire II"

KzFernschreiben Ob.d.L. Nr. 8092/40 g.K., Vergleichsfliegen BF 109 E, Bf 110 C, Spitfire, Hurricane und Curtiss, 1940.

Wehner, Jens (2022). Technik können Sie von der Taktik nicht trennen. Campus Verlag

James Holland

Dr. Jens Wehner

Timecodes
00:00 Luftwaffe on the Spitfire
00:20 Spitfire vs Bf 109: Context
03:56 Fighter Pilots: What They Say
06:45 Own a piece of a Spitfire (Sponsored)
07:50 Pilot's Matter Aircraft Don't?
08:13 German expert: Dr. Jens Wehner
11:29 British Expert: James Holland
15:05 How should we rate aircraft?

Audio
Music and Sfx from Epidemic Sound