Summary The SAAB J21 featured a maximum speed of 432 knots and was designed by SAAB in anticipation of World War II. The Heinkel He 280, with a maximum speed of 486 knots, was the world's first jet fighter, produced nine prototypes. The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star, with a maximum speed of 502 knots, was the first operational jet fighter for the USAAF in WWII.
Hundreds of different aircraft were attempted during World War II, most of which were either dead on the drawing board or never made it to production. Yet, a large number not only flew during World War II but also featured some of the highest speeds at the time. This article explores some top-speed aircraft of the Second World War.
5 SAAB J21 Maximum speed: 432 knots (497 mph, 795 km/h) Built : 1943 Origin : Sweden Number built : 298 The SAAB J21 was a prop/jet-powered attack aircraft, designed and developed by SAAB, could reach a maximum speed of 432 knots (497 mph, 795 km/h). The single-seat low-wing aircraft was developed in the mid-1930s in preparation for World War II. The Swedish Air Force decided to embark on a major expansion program anticipating a possibility of being drawn into the Second World War.
The pusher-propeller twin-boom design allowed greater visibility for the single pilot, even during the use of guns carried in the aircraft's nose. The adoption of the ejection seat allowed pilot to safety eject during an emergency without hitting the propeller in the rear. The aircraft performed its maiden flight in July 1943.
While it made very little impact during the World War I1 sorties, the reiterations of design and tests quickly turned into an improved J-21A-2 attack and A 21A-3 fight-bomber versions. Saab has announced that Sweden will purchase a third GlobalEye AWACS spy plane after donating older aircraft to Ukraine. 4 Heinkel He 280 Maximum speed: 486 knots (559 mph, 894 km/h) Built : 1941 Origin : Germany Number built : Nine (prototypes) The Heinkel He 280 was a single-seat, twin-engine, jet-powered aircraft designed and developed by the German aircraft manufacturer Heinkel.
Having a maximum speed of 486 knots (559 mph, 894 km/h), the He 280 was the world's first jet fighter to fly. Only nine prototypes were built between 1940 and 1943. Heinkel and its collaborators put great emphasis on the aircraft's speed, using high-power engines and their configuration at mid-wing position.
While the design of the fuselage was largely conventional, the use of tri-cycle landing gear for a fighter aircraft was unusual. The manufacturer completed work on the first prototype in June 1940, only to follow difficulties acquiring engines to conduct test flights. True to its flesh-and-blood avian namesake, the Heinkel H2 219 Ugh ("Eagle-Owl") was a deadly WW2 night fighter.
While awaiting suitable engines, the aircraft initially flew as a glider. In December 1942, a mock dogfight proved the aircraft's superior speed over the piston-engine aircraft, allowing the German Aviation Ministry RLM to place orders for 20 pre-production test aircraft. The design never attained operation status beyond the prototype.
3 Lockheed P-80/F-80 Shooting Star Maximum speed: 502 knots (577 mph, 923 km/h) Built : 1944 Origin : United States Number built : 1,715 The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was a single-seat jet-powered fighter and fighter-bomber aircraft designed and developed by Lockheed in 1943. With a maximum speed of 502 knots (577 mph, 923 km/h), it was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. The first aircraft was delivered just under five months (143 days) after the design started.
While several production models flew during the Second World War, the type did not significantly impact combat missions. Moreover, two pre-production models performed limited service in Italy just before the end of World War II. The design and assembly of the jet was completed in record time.
However, the type was extensively used as an F-80 during the Korean War and was among the first aircraft types to be involved in jet-to-jet combat. A total of 1,715 examples were produced between 1943 and 1950, making it one of the most successful designs of the era. 2 Messerschmitt Me P.
262 HG III Maximum speed: 540 knots (621 mph, 994 km/h) Built : 1944 Origin : Germany Number built : 1,430 The Messerschmitt Me 262 (Schwalbe) was a jet-powered fighter and interceptor aircraft designed and developed by German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt. Having a maximum speed of 540 knots (621 mph, 994 km/h), it was the first and only jet fighter aircraft to perform air-to-air combat during the Second World War. The manufacturer began on the design of the Me 262 well before World War Il started, in the late 1930s.
The aircraft performed its maiden flight in April 1941, featuring a piston engine. The jet-powered first flight was performed the following year, in July 1942. While the aircraft was designed as a fighter-interceptor, the German leaders demanded to redesign it as a ground-attack bomber, serving the ground needs at the time.
A brief history of the Me 262's development, with views by top British and German pilots. The Luftwaffe operated the first aircraft in mid-1944, making it faster and more heavily armed than any other Allied fighters. A total of 1,430 examples of the Me 262 were built in the 1940s.
1 Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet Maximum speed: 573 knots (659 mph, 1,054 km/h) Built : 1944 Origin : Germany Number built : 370 The Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet was a single-seat rocket-powered interceptor aircraft designed and developed by Messerschmitt. Having a maximum speed of 573 knots (659 mph, 1,054 km/h), it is the only operational rocket-powered fighter aircraft to exceed 1,000 km/h speed in level flight. German aeronautical engineer Alexander Linisch and the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug (DFS) began working on the design as early as 1937.
Multiple glider designs morphed into rocket-powered options when the design team was transferred to Messerschmitt in January 1939. Messerschmitt AG produced WW2 aircraft, and after producing sewing machines and other post-war products, it helped develop the A300 and fighters. The prototype performed its maiden flight in September 1941, demonstrating its unparalleled speed and superior performance in the air.
A widespread introduction of the Me 163 interceptors took place all over Germany. The Luftwaffe began to deploy its fleet on major sorties. Nearly 370 examples of the Me 163 Komet were built in the 1940s.
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