wow actually lucked out and got free time to do this right now.... so this is a pilots vs pilot comparison of the spit Mk1 vs the 109 E from the boys back then..
CLIMB
F/O D. H. Watkins of 611 Squadron wrote in his Combat Report for 2 June 1940:
At 08.18 hrs 2 E/A Me109 sighted attempting to get on my tail - with emergency boost climbed away into sun - on turning saw two E/A crossing my path about 300 ft below flying line astern 200 yards apart - color silvery brown on top sides & fuselage - blue undersides and small black crosses. I attacked rear machine & opened fire from 200 yards on its starboard quarter - came into dead astern position at 200 yards and firing continuously saw parts of port wing break off - corrected aim and machine shuddered violently and did flat climbing turn and then dived vertically out of my sight. 13
P/O Peter St. John of 74 Squadron wrote in his Combat Report for 10 July 1940:
I was No. 3 in Yellow section patrolling over a convoy off Deal at about 10,000 ft. C.B.1200 visibility good. I sighted three enemy aircraft below and to the right. I informed Yellow leader of them; we went into line astern and went down to engage enemy aircraft. On the way down I saw another formation of 109's to the left and slightly down. Yellow leader had seen them also and we climbed and attacked from the rear. The 109's split up and I picked one and gave him a short deflection burst. I did not have time to see the effect of the burst as another 109 was on my tail. I outclimbed the 109 without difficulty. When I got on his tail I gave him all the ammunition I had and saw my tracers going in. The 109 flew off very unsteadily towards the French coast. Having finished all my ammunition I returned to Base. In my estimation there were about thirty 109's. I did not see any bombs. 14
F/LT John Ellis of No. 610 recorded in his Combat Report for 24 July 1940:
I was leading three sections of 610 Squadron on a patrol at 12,000' off Dover on 24/7/40. We took off at about 1115. At 1130 I sighted three Me 109's three thousand feet above us and flying west in the opposite direction to us. As I had to use full throttle to catch the e/a the remaining two sections got left behind. The formation of 109's broke up on being attacked and I singled out one of them. I opened fire at 200 yds. on the first burst and he immediately rolled on to his back and dived vertically, he then pulled out and proceeded to climb practically vertically. He carried out this manoeuvre four times and each time I got in a good burst while he was climbing. Throughout these evolutions bluish smoke was coming from a point about a foot from each wing tip. On his final climb I got in a good burst of roughly 5 seconds from dead astern, the Me 109 suddenly belched forth clouds of black smoke and white smoke, turned on its back and spiralled down in a vertical dive. It looked to be completely out of control. I followed the burning aircraft down until it entered a cloud at 3000' still going down almost vertically. F/O Wilson & Sgt Arnfield saw this e/a go down. 15
S/L John Ellis of No. 610 Squadron wrote in his Combat Report for 12 August 1940:
I was leading 610 Sqdn which was detailed to intercept raid approaching Dungeness... In the dogfight I chased one solitary Me. 109 flying very fast and diving slightly. He rolled on to his back as I opened fire and I continued firing as he started his vertical dive, I could see my bullets entering the side of his fuselage as I followed him down. I broke off the attack as I was convinced he was diving out of control, he was also drawing away from me rapidly. F/O Lamb, who was behind me, later reported he saw this e/a continue its dive into the sea and break up.
I climbed up again to 15,000 over Dungeness and spotted another Me 109 climbing into the sun. I caught him at about 20,000. He started to spin down to the left soon after I opened fire. I fired the remaining ammunition at very close range as he was spinning, but he presented an extremely difficult target. When I broke off the attack his engine was ticking over slowly and he was still spinning violently and he appeared to be out of control. Noticing a scrap going on just above I left the Me 109 and returned to re-arm. 16
Sgt. H. Chandler of No. 610 Squadron wrote in his Combat Report for 14 August 1940:
Attacked e/a which seemed to be above. Attempted to get on his tail, he immediately turned left to return the attack. We manoeuvered for a long while, during which he fired quite a fair amount. I got two short bursts which had no effect. After about 12-15 minutes he tried to out-climb me, I immediately went into fully fine pitch and easily caught up. The instant at which I opened fire, he rolled over and went straight down. I followed him and he started to smoke and eventually went into the sea. I steered 300° and after about 6-8 minutes made a landfall 3 miles West of Dungeness. 17
F/Lt. L. G. Olive of No. 65 Squadron recorded in his Combat Report of 13 August 1940:
At about 14.55 hours on the 13th August, 1940, "A" Flight took off to intercept 3 e/a flying from Chatham but no interception was made. On returning to land we were instructed to join up with "B" Flight which we did about 15.40. We intercepted about 15 to 20 Me.109's flying at about our own height (19,000 ft.) engaged about 5 with my section in a dog fight and noticed four above to the east at about 23,000. I climbed and after a dog fight shot down the rearmost which blew up and descended in flames. The remainder dived for France. I was then returning when I noticed four Me.109's at about 26,000 ft. I climbed and approached down sun and shot down another in flames. I saw it explode on the way down. I then started to descend when about 30 Me.109's tried to attack me, but as they were the same level I outclimbed them into the sun and attacked the nearest one of my pursurers. They gave up the chase and I was diving to cloud level when I saw a single Me.109 going back to France. I attacked at about 430 A.S.I. and fired about a four second burst and noticed him rock violently and pieces flew off the machine. I fired the remaining ammunition into him before he reached the cloud, when I lost sight of him. I then returned to Manston and landed. 18
F/Lt. L. G. Olive again noted that he out climbed Me.109s in his Combat Report of 24 August 1940:
At approximately 1530 I was patrolling with my flight following B Flight when we were instructed to intercept enemy raid. I saw about 40-60 bombers heavily escorted by fighters. Some of the fighters were above us. We climbed to 28,000 feet and attacked down sun. On my first attack I fired a full deflection on an Me.110 which immediately threw out clouds of white smoke, apparently Glycol. I last saw it diving about 10,000 feet below still throwing out smoke but could not observe it further as there were many e/a in the vicinity. I climbed above them and opened fire on the rear one which tried to fire from a gun in his tail. I could not observe the effect of my fire as I was being attacked by five ME 109's from above. I managed to out climb them and attacked the rear ME with my remaining ammunition but observed no results. Returned and landed. 19
P/O N. Agazarian of No. 609 Squadron wrote in his Combat Report for 26 September 1940:
I then climbed up to attack an Me 109 when I saw another diving past me - I turned and dived after it. It zoomed and I followed getting in a short burst from about 400 yards. I then gave my machine full throttle and revs and caught up the 109 hand over fist. When about 50 yards away and directly behind I gave him the rest of my ammunition. He went on to his back and spun down - I followed him down - the spin straightened out into a vertical dive so that I could not keep up with him. I lost interest and climbed up at about 3,000 ft. and went home. 20
F/Lt Eric Thomas of No. 222 Squadron wrote in his Combat Report for 9 October 1940:
I was leading the Squadron on patrol at 30,000 feet roughly over Chatham. I followed 41 Squadron down to 28,000 feet and then saw about 5 Me.109's directly above at 29,000 feet. I climbed up into them and they made for a layer of cirrus, through which I followed them. I increased revs. to 3000 and gradually outclimbed them and gave a 4 seconds burst into the belly of one enemy aircraft. Glycol streamed out of the port radiator and he went down in a shallow dive. I followed him down and gave a series of 1 second bursts at 100 yards, down to 3000 feet. During these attacks, glycol came out of the starboard radiator and black smoke came from the engine. The enemy aircraft landed with undercarriage up about 4 miles N. of Hawkinge, which burnt very slowly, a small amount of blue smoke coming out of the cockpit. Civilians then arrived and I saw them approaching the pilot, who was standing about 30 yards from his aircraft holding a white handkerchief and with his arms raised in surrender. The enemy aircraft had a completely yellow nose, cowling and rudder. 21
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