David likes to talk about the Spitfire MkXIV being the best, but really the MkIX was the best.
It still had the Merlin engine, and even though slower, was a good opponent against 109F and G's. Even some of the 190s were outclassed in some ways by it. The Griffon was a good engine, but it just lacked the feel that the Spitfire had.
