Good or bad, better or worse, best or best? Each of the first generation fighter jets has its own unique characteristics that make them the best in the world, so it is difficult to decide which is the best, but ranking them after taking into account their respective characteristics will provide a better indication.
10/10 Messerschmitt Me.262
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The introduction of Messerschmitt's Me.262 was truly a "change of the guard." Overnight, the best propeller fighters were rendered obsolete. But it wasn't just the introduction of jet engines that made the Me.262 special. The defining element of this fighter's performance was its wings.
Unlike other fighters, the Messerschmitt employed swept wings to reduce flight resistance. This reduction in resistance, combined with the twin Jumo 004B turbojets, gave it a top speed of 540 miles per hour. Once in the air, Allied pilots' best hope of beating the fast Me.262 was to destroy them on the ground.
