One of the icons of ww2 air warfare. What should/could be improved on it, the earlier the better?
1939-early 1940 (not forgetting that the Spitfire didn't see intensive combat, particularly against fighters, until May 1940): Constant-speed propellers (priority for C/S props was given to bombers). Better protection for fuel tanks; in the interim, this would have to be the linatex that was adopted during the B of B; at the time, self-sealing tanks would have reduced the fuel capacity. Earlier adoption of pilot armour (the Hurricane was being fitted with armour in late 1939) and better blown canopy that could be jettisoned.