<P> World War II was the first war in which jet aircraft participated in combat with examples being used on both sides of the conflict during the latter stages of the war . The first successful jet aircraft, the Heinkel He 178, flew only five days before the start of the war, on 1 September 1939 . By the end of the conflict on 2 September 1945 Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States had all used turbojet - powered fighter aircraft operationally while Japan had produced, but not used, motorjet - powered kamikaze aircraft, and had tested and ordered into production conventional jets . Italy and the Soviet Union had both tested motorjet aircraft which had turbines powered by piston engines and the latter had also equipped several types of conventional piston - powered fighter aircraft with auxiliary ramjet engines for testing purposes . Germany was the only country to use jet - powered bombers operationally during the war . </P> <P> This list includes only aircraft powered by turbine engines, either on their own or as part of mixed - power arrangements . The table is separated into sections for types that saw service during the conflict, types that flew before the end of the war but either did not enter service until after its conclusion or were never operationally used in the conflict, and types used only for testing . Rocket - powered aircraft are not included, nor are aircraft that only flew following the end of the war . Aircraft which were designed but not constructed are also excluded . Production figures for aircraft used postwar include examples built after the war ended, of the same versions already flying during the war . </P>

When was the first jet plane used in war