Hello Osprey,
no offence meant, none taken.
Hunting for evidence I came across the following, so far:
"17. Wheel brakes.—The brake lever is fitted on the control column spade grip and a catch for retaining it
in the on position for parking is fitted below the lever pivot."
(SPITFIRE IX, XI & XVI PILOTS NOTES, Page 12)
"Passing Duxford`s Land Warfare Hall
brakes ON/OFF, change hands - throttle hand to stick, stick hand to undercarriage. Lever Down “one thousand, two thousand, three thousand”, undercarriage lever out of the gate"
(
Description by Howard Cook, flying a Spitfire Mk V around the year 2001)
"The pneumatic brakes are not brilliant but, once you’re at ease with their ineffectiveness, you come to love the technique of combining footwork directional demand with pressure required being supplied by one or two fingers on your right hand
squeezing the lever on the control column"
(Nigel Lamp
flying a Spitfire Mk VIII)
"The pneumatic brakes, applied with a bicycle-like brake lever at the top of the stick,
are feather light and very effective." and "Oh, and easy, very easy, on the brakes."
(
Description by Mike Potter, flying a Spitfire)
Seems kind of inconclusive to me...
Artist