"The Lightning wasn't a jet Spitfire, either, since all Marks were handicapped by lack of range, endurance and firepower".
Both exhibited the perennial problems of UK fighters, lack of range and lack of firepower. I think they're a good match.
The original Spitfire had an endurance of 1hr at normal rpm and 1/4 hour at maximum rpm. Average endurance for the Lightning was around an hour. Shortest I ever saw was around 15 minutes fighting a couple of A-10s off Spurn.
Most Spitfires had a total firing time of 12 seconds, the Lightning around 10 seconds .
Lightning = God's sports car.
