The final photo in this essay provides an idea about the pilot’s view in the Spitfire. The poor forward visibility on the ground due to the long nose of the aircraft is rather self-evident. Also note the distortion in the curved side panels of the windscreen which was the source of pilots’ complaints and the reason why these panels were replaced with flat ones in later canopy designs.
Fantastic! This restoration is streets ahead of the usual dreadful bitsas seen in aviation museums. And the restorers know what all the little features do, something else sadly lacking in most display models.