 The Hurricane had a higher seating position, which gave the pilot a better view over the nose than the Spitfire.The upper canopy panels of the Bf 109 through its E-3 subtype were curved, while the E-4 and later "Emil" subtypes were modified for better visibility with flat panels and the new design was often retrofitted to earlier 109s.Each of the three main fighters had advantages and disadvantages in their control characteristics; much of the air combat during the battle occurred at about 20,000 feet or lower.