It is all in the mathematics. Prandtl and Lanchester both came up with the circulationary theory in Edwardian era and Prandtl published a diagram of a ‘Spitfire’ wing planform in 1918. Lanchester’s model aeroplanes had elliptical wings… here is a glider model from the 1890s which is preserved at NAL.
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There are interesting aerodynamic analyses of several WW” fighters carried out by David Lednicer that shows the superiority of Spitfire aerodynamics… it may not be much but it enabled the pilots of the Spitfire to survive and conquer when an odd percent or two meant the difference between life and death. The Sport Aviation ref is on the net somewhere but I could not find it again.
•Lednicer, David A. “Technical Note: A CFD Evaluation of Three Prominent World War II Fighter Aircraft.” Aeronautical Journal, Royal Aeronautical Society, June/July 1995.
•Lednicer, David A. “World War II Fighter Aerodynamics.” EAA Sport Aviation, January 1999.

And for the penultimate word on the subject try reading this!