The Gloster Meteor Jet Fighter

The Gloster Meteor was the first operational jet fighter in the Royal Air Force and entered service in 1944. The Meteor had a top speed of around 600 mph and was used in both the fighter and ground attack roles. It would also see service in conflicts such as the Korean War. The first operational jet fighter of the Luftwaffe was the Messerschmitt Me 262, which also entered service in 1944. Featuring a sweep-wing design, the 262 was distinctive from the Meteor with its engines being mounted underneath the wings. The Luftwaffe had quite a range of jet aircraft in operation during the war. The one that stands-out for me the most is the Messerschmit Me 163 Komet, which was a rocket-powered interceptor that could climb to high altitudes in a matter of minutes. Fuelled by the dangerous T Stoff and C Stoff propellants, it usually took around 8 minutes for the Komet to exhaust its fuel, so they need to be launched rather close to any enemy formations that were flying overhead. Once the fuel was exhausted, the Komet was glided back down to Earth. This was easier said than done – owing to the high landing speed and the single skid the pilot had to land on, the accident rate was quite high among Komet squadrons or Jagdstaffel. The Lockheed P80 Shooting Star was the first operational jet fighter in the United States Army Air Forces.

If you had to pick just one, which would be your favourite jet fighter from the 1940s?