List of jet aircraft of World War II
Aircraft

List of jet aircraft of World War II

Section Title: Aircraft
Table Section Text: None

Aircraft	Origin	First flight	Entered service	Number built	Notes

These types saw operational combat service at least once during the war.

Arado Ar 234	Germany	June 1943	August 1944	250+	First operational jet-powered bomber; used primarily in the aerial reconnaissance role. Twin-engined, high-wing; four-engined variants trialled but not produced; night-fighter version tested operationally but achieved no kills.

Gloster Meteor F.1 & F.3	UK	March 1943	July 1944	250	First operational Allied jet fighter; twin-engined, low-wing; developed versions remained in service until the 1980s. First jet to shoot down another jet aircraft (a V-1 flying bomb).

Heinkel He 162	Germany	December 1944	February 1945	238+	Inexpensive interceptor (Volksjaeger) intended for mass production and use by semi-trained pilots. Single-engined, high-winged; only saw extremely limited operational service before the end of the war.

Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star	US	January 1944	January 1945	361	First operational American jet fighter. Single-engined, low-winged; four deployed to Europe before the end of the war, two seeing limited service in the reconnaissance role in Italy, but no actual combat.

Messerschmitt Me 262	Germany	July 1942	June 1944	1,433	First operational jet fighter. Twin-engined, low-winged; served in both fighter and fighter-bomber roles, with night-fighter, bomber, and reconnaissance versions among many variants trialled.

These types entered full production and were accepted for service, but did not reach combat operations.

Bell P-59 Airacomet	US	October 1942	September 1944	66	First USAAF jet to fly; used for training purposes only.

Fieseler Fi 103R Reichenberg	Germany	September 1944	October 1944	300	Manned variant of V-1 flying bomb ready for operations late 1944, not used.

McDonnell TD2D Katydid	US	1942	1942	Unknown	US Navy pulsejet-powered target drone.

Ryan FR Fireball	US	June 1944	March 1945	66	US Navy mixed power fighter, never saw combat.

Yokosuka MXY7 Model 22	Japan	June 1945	50	Motorjet-powered version of "Ohka" Suicide Attacker; not used operationally.

These types flew before the end of the war and were ordered into full production, but did not reach service before the conflict ended.

de Havilland Vampire F.1	UK	September 1943	March 1946	244	Only 12 produced before VE Day; no combat service.

McDonnell FD Phantom	US	January 1945	July 1947	62	Postwar production, designation changed April 1946 to FH.

Nakajima Kikka	Japan	August 1945	1	Jet ground-attack/kamikaze aircraft, inspired by Me 262.

NAMU TD2N	US	June 1945	9	Target drone based on Gorgon III missile.

These types flew during the war, but never entered production for operational service, being used solely as testbeds.

Bell XP-83	US	February 1945	2	Cancelled long-range escort fighter.

Caproni Campini N.1	Italy	August 1940	2	First motorjet.

Consolidated Vultee XP-81	US	February 1945	2	Cancelled mixed-power fighter.

Curtiss XF15C	US	February 1945	3	Cancelled mixed-power fighter.

Douglas XBTD-2 Destroyer	US	May 1944	2	Cancelled mixed-power torpedo bomber

Gloster E.28/39	UK	April 1941	2	Engine testbed and first Allied jet to fly.

Heinkel He 178	Germany	August 1939	2	First jet aircraft to fly

Heinkel He 280	Germany	September 1940	9	First jet fighter to fly, cancelled.

Horten Ho 229	Germany	December 1944	3	Fighter/bomber, first jet powered flying wing.

Junkers Ju 287	Germany	August 1944	1	Testbed for multi-engine bomber design.

Messerschmitt Me 328	Germany	1944 (early)	9	Cancelled pulsejet fighter/bomber.

Mikoyan-Gurevich I-250	USSR	March 1945	28	Mixed-power motorjet fighter.

Polikarpov I-153DM	USSR	September 1940	1	Experimental mixed power ramjet fighter biplane.

Sukhoi Su-5	USSR	April 1945	1	Cancelled mixed power motorjet fighter.

Yakovlev Yak-7PVRD	USSR	1944 (late)	2	Mixed power ramjet fighter.

Sentence(s)

In 1939, the Heinkel He 178 was the first jet aircraft.

final_sentence: In 1939, the Heinkel He 178 was the first jet aircraft.