| Certainly a formidable opponent in the right hands - apparently tricky to fly in the hands of an inexperienced pilot.
Having said that, a Buchon killed very experienced display pilot Mark Hanna of the Old Flying Machine Company (don't know if it was pilot error, mechanical failure or what) but I remember another display pilot, Nigel Lamb rings a bell, saying that every time he walked away from the '109, he'd look back and think "You didn't kill me that time, you bastard"!
However, on top of that (arguing with myself!), experienced pilots have to start somewhere so given German superiority early on and combat experience in Spain and the "peace" leading up to Sept '39, there may have been plenty of time to master the '109? Later in the war, with Allied fighters ranging all over German territory, there would have been less time to learn to fly and a great likelihood of being shot down early which no doubt would have had Mustang pilots etc thinking their aircraft was superior. |