JET AIRCRAFT DEVELOPMENT
During World War Two
Little known fact: Over two thousand jet aircraft were in existence before the end of War Two. There were 11 aces, the top had 16 kills.
| Manuf | Design | Name | First Flown | Number (postwar) | Operational Comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heinkel | He-178 | 27Aug39 | 1P | First turbojet, little interest | Ger | |
| Heinkel | He-280 | 02Apr41 | 9P | Twinjet. Lost contract to Me-262 | Ger | |
| Gloster | E28/39 | Pioneer | 15May41 | 1P | Test of Wittle engine | Br |
| Messerschmitt | Me-262 | Swallow | 25Mar42 | 1,430 | July44. Delayed year by Hitler into bomber | Ger |
| Bell | P-59 | Aircomet | 01Oct42 | 50 | Twin jet fighter | US |
| Gloster | F.9/40 | Meteor | 05Mar43 | 8P | Twin jet | Br |
| Arado | Ar-234 | Blitz | 15June43 | 200 | Twin jet reconnaissance bomber | Ger |
| de Havilland | DH-100 | Vampire | 29Sep43 | P (1,900) | 1946-54. twin boom | Br |
| Messerschmitt | Me-328 | P.1073 | 1944 | 2P | Twin pulsejet | Ger |
| Lockheed | P-80 | Shooting | 8Jan44 | 45 (1,732) | Two demo to Italy before war end. Korea | US |
| Gloster | G.41 | Meteor | 12Jan44 | 210 (657) | 4Aug44 destroy two V1. France 20Jan45 | Br |
| Ryan | FR-1 | Fireball | 25Jan44 | 66 | Turbojet and turboprop | US |
| Horten | Ho-IX | V2 | Summer44 | 2P | Twin jet, flying wing. Go-229. | Ger |
| Junkers | Ju-287 | V1 | 16Aug44 | 1P | Four engine jet bomber | Ger |
| Arado | Ar-234C | Blitz | 30Sept44 | 10P | Four engine jet bomber | Ger |
| Fieseler | Fi-103 | Reichenberg | 1944 | 175 | Piloted V1 pulsejet | Ger |
| Northrop | JB-10 | Jet Bomb | c1944 | 24 | Flying wing, programmed, unmanned bomb | US |
| Consol-Vultee | XP-81 | Silver Bullet | c1944-5 | 2P | Turbojet and turboprop | US |
| Heinkel | He-162 | Salamander | 06Dec44 | 320 | Captured as made operational May'45 | US |
| McDonnell | XFH-1 | Phantom | 26Jan45 | 2 (66) | 1948-50 | US |
| Bell | XP-83 | Airacomet II | 25Feb45 | 1P | Wide body P-59, more fuel. | US |
| Yokosuka | Ohka-22 | Buka | 1945 | 1P | Suicide bomb | Jap |
| Douglas | XBTD-2 | Destroyer | May45 | 2P | Jets added to BTD-Destroyer | US |
| Henschel | Hs-132 | captured | 1P | Dive bomber | Ger | |
| Junkers | Ju-287 | V2 | captured | 1P | Six engine jet bomber | Ger |
| Nakajima | Orange Blossom | Kikka | 7Aug45 | 2P | Twin jet bomber on Me-262 model. | Jap |
| Northrop | XP79B | Flying Ram | 12Sep45 | 2P | Flying wing, ram | US |
| Alekseev | I-211 | Fall 1947 | 2P | Twin jet fighter on Me-262 model. | USSR | |
| Messerschmitt | P.1101 | damaged in capture | 1P | Variable sweep experimental aircraft; Bell X-5,June 20, 1951 | Ger |
ROCKET PLANE DEVELOPMENT during World War Two
| Messerschmitt | Me-163 | Komet | Sum'41 | 400 | May'44. | Ger |
| Berezniak Isaev | BI-2 | Rocket Fighter | May42 | 7P | Also with ramjets on wings | USSR |
| Northrop | MX-334 | Flying Wing | Jun44 | 1P | US | |
| Yokosuka | Ohka-11 | Buka | Nov44 | 755 | Suicide bomb | Jap |
| Bachem | Ba-349 | Natter | Dec44 | 20+ | Rocket Fighter | Ger |
| Northrop | XP-79A | Flying Ram | - | Flying wing, design canceled | US | |
| Messerschmitt | Me 263 | Komet II | captured | 2P | From Me-163, longer range. (Ju 248) | Ger |
| Mitsubishi | J8M | Shusui | July45 | 1P | From Me-163 | Jap |
DUCTED FAN: Jet Thrust
| Coanda | Turbine | 10Dec1910 | 1P | Yes, 1910. | Rom | |
| Caproni | N-1 | Compini | 28Aug40 | 2P | with afterburner. | Italy |
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About this page: Jet History - Aircraft developed before the end of World War II. Last updated on April 29, 2005. - add Natter
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