N.B. The USN pilot on my ETPS course had never flown anything with a propeller before the course.
I'm not sure if some USN pilots still fly prop basic trainers (or not) in training today - but the guy I mentioned was flying piston engined Navy flying boats as an Ensign. Hundreds of types since then ranging from microlights, single and multi engined piston including Navy IP on T-28s, Skyhawk and F4 Phantom test flying, civilian instructor on all the usual types for extra money once upon a time, turboprop singles and commuter airliners professionally, L1011 Captain, then eventually retiring from DC9s that he says were more fun. He flies the tailwheel Vans RV that he built himself now but prior to that had the Zlin 526 for 10 or 15 years, for aerobatics, originally with the Chipmunk bunch that used to exist locally. He's a good guy to talk to about different types, having had so much direct experience on everything with wings.
I think it'd be quite difficult to assess the scaled Spifire without direct experience on the scaled type, as despite it being close to full scale it must be much lighter and has much lower power loading too.