... The He178 in 1939 was almost certainly the first jet powered aircraft to
fly - although there is a vague reference to an Italian achievement a year or so earlier. However it was the Me262 that was first to enter WW2 in operational role - being faster and better armed than the Glos. Meteor which arrived in operational role several months later. However fortunatly for the Allies the Me262 was not available in anywhere near sufficient numbers to make any great impact to retard the USAAF and RAF -together with problems over shortages of jet fuel.
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