Due to this defect, Mölders thought that, even if the Spitfire had general performance approaching that of the Bf 109, it was not that good as a fighter. A Messerschmitt was captured intact by ...

Once activated, an orange dot would appear on the windscreen in front of the pilot’s field ... few were as feared as the Messerschmitt BF 109. The Spitfire may be remembered fondly today ...

Yet these slower speeds and thicker wings gave the Hurricane a critical advantage: in a dogfight, it could out-turn both the Spitfire and the Bf 109 ... directly in front of the instrument ...

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was the spearhead of the German fighter force in World War II, unchallenged until it faced the Spitfire. It was difficult to fly, though, and nearly one-third were lost in ...