5 Early Jet Fighters Of World War II

As World War II drew to a close, the fighter jet age had dawned. Great Britain and Germany led the charge and had operational fighter jets by May 1945. The United States (with the P-50 Shooting Star) and Japan followed behind and were nearly fielding their first fighter jets. Italy had a fighter jet program, but it was defeated in 1943, and the Soviet Union was far behind (the USSR quickly caught up post-war with captured German technology and reverse-engineered British jet engine technology). Here are five early fighter jets of World War II.