The skies over southern Germany in late July 1944 would become the stage for a moment that would forever alter the course of aerial combat. American P-47 Thunderbolt pilots, on a routine mission, suddenly found themselves face-to-face with an aircraft unlike any they had encountered before: the German Messerschmitt Me 262, one of the world’s first operational jet fighter. #ww2 #military #aviation #aircraft | Jets 'n' Props

First generation meet fifth! From the Messerschmitt Me 262, the world’s first operational jet fighter in World War II, to the F-22 Raptor, the most advanced air superiority fighter flying today, this clip shows just how far aviation has come. The Me 262 could hit around 540 mph, making it untouchable against most piston fighters of its day, but it suffered from unreliable engines, short range, and primitive radar. It was revolutionary, yet rushed into combat too soon. The F-22 by contrast cruise