Did the Gloster Meteor and Me262 Ever Dogfight in WW2?

The Gloster Meteor and the Messerschmitt Me 262 did not engage in any documented dogfights during World War II. The Meteor, which was the first British jet fighter, entered service in July 1944. Meanwhile, the Me 262, the world's first operational jet-powered fighter, had been in service since 1944.

Both aircraft were operational towards the end of the war, but they did not have significant encounters. The Meteor primarily served in the role of intercepting V-1 flying bombs and later in ground attack missions. The Me 262 was used primarily for intercepting Allied bombers and had a limited number of dogfights with Allied piston-engine fighters. Any potential dogfights between the two aircraft were unlikely due to the timing and circumstances of their operational deployment. By the time the Meteor became widely used, the Luftwaffe was in decline, and the Me 262 was not as effective as it could have been earlier in the war.

No Dogfights in WW2

The Gloster Meteor and Me-262 never met in combat during WW2. It's possible that there were some trials flown either during or just after the war using captured Me-262s. However, no documented encounters took place. One could argue that the number of combat encounters was limited due to various factors.

The Spitfire had already demonstrated that the Me 262 was a poor fighter, and when the Meteor entered service, the Luftwaffe was already in decline, making the likelihood of a significant dogfight between the two aircraft improbable. The Me 262, while innovative, was never as numerous or effective as it could have been due to production challenges and the declining capabilities of the Luftwaffe.

No Recorded Encounters

There is no record of any dogfight between the Gloster Meteor and Me-262 during WW2. The timing and circumstances of their operational deployment did not create an environment where they faced each other in combat. When the Meteor became widely used, the Luftwaffe was in a state of decline, and the Me 262, while making significant strides, did not have the same level of success as it could have earlier in the war.

Post-War Trials and Limited Engagement

It is possible, however, that there were some trials flown either during or just after the war using captured Me-262s. These tests could have involved facing other aircraft, but no confirmed encounters took place. Post-war, the Me 262 continued to prove its worth, and pilots like Richard Drew of the U.S. Air Force distinguished the type with the FE-1 Feuersturm, concluding that while the Me 262 had significant operational faults, it was a true aerial sensation to fly.

First Air-to-Air Dogfight Between Jets

The world’s first air-to-air combat between jet-powered aircraft took place early in the Korean War. On November 8, 1950, during an attack on the Sinuiju bridges near the mouth of the Yalu River, a U.S. Air Force F-80C Shooting Star belonging to the 16th Fighter Squadron encountered a MiG-15. In the ensuing dogfight, 1st Lt. Russell Brown of the 16th Fighter Squadron claimed the first victory in a jet-versus-jet engagement. However, decades later, it was revealed that his Russian opponent returned to base safely.