Me 262 Schwalbe
Replica German Me-262 at the Lone Star Flight Museum
The Me-262 was the first operational jet fighter in history. After becoming operational during World War II it was followed just a few days later by the UK's Gloster Meteor. The U.S. developed the P-80 during the war, but it arrived too late to see any real action, though by some accounts a pair of P-80s did a reconnaisance patrol over northern Italy just before war's end. It eventually morphed into the T-33 trainer, one of which is barely visible on the right side of the image.
Me 262 Schwalbe
Replica German Me-262 at the Lone Star Flight Museum
The Me-262 was the first operational jet fighter in history. After becoming operational during World War II it was followed just a few days later by the UK's Gloster Meteor. The U.S. developed the P-80 during the war, but it arrived too late to see any real action, though by some accounts a pair of P-80s did a reconnaisance patrol over northern Italy just before war's end. It eventually morphed into the T-33 trainer, one of which is barely visible on the right side of the image.