Comfort? Wish I had had Jonathan Clancey's "Spitfire - the Biography" - which I was given yesterday - before replying. Informative & readable. Nice bits about the 109, 190 & P51. And the ATA. Much of my comment is surmising, so don't pay too much attention to it.
Grit? You had mentioned the lethal spanner - I thought to add the everyday shower of grit when inverted.
P47? No ops experience - just trials. In the dive bombing mode. One task was to establish why they blew up on recovery. Splitting fuel cells was the answer. Did a lot of inverted circuits to re-establish confidence.
Switches? I know I've said this before, but it's topical? Chasing girl friend in Trincomalee, Ceylon (1945) - She's gone up to the hills - take off again for Ratmalana - oh, dear,it's getting dark - lighting? - never flown it at night - eventually sorted that - then the radio failed - no nav aids - re-established contact - "you're 90 miles West of Ratmalana heading West"!! - finally reached Her in the hills after several hours in a mail van - had tea - & that was it. I have the cutting of Her marriage to Her betrothed. Oh, well??
Zero? No - longest trip curtailed by a fuel leak in the cockpit. Much fun trying to establish what all the dials were! Here's my impression.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../RAF2/zeke.jpg
Fuel Tanks? Sound thinking! Glad I didn't know!!
= Tim