The Jet Age is Here!

An article exploring the dawn of jet aviation and what lies ahead.

Greetings, Pilots!

Revolutionary changes are taking to the skies! We’re introducing the first jet aircraft to the game, marking the beginning of a new era, the moment in history when aviation made its great leap from piston engines to jet propulsion.

Historical Note

The first patent for an aircraft powered by a jet engine was filed by Nikolai Teleshov in France in 1867. However, the era of functional jet aircraft truly began in the 20th century. German inventor Hans von Ohain designed a jet engine that powered the Heinkel He 178, which took its first flight in 1939. Around the same time, in 1941, the Gloster E.28/39 took to the skies, equipped with an engine developed by British engineer Frank Whittle. Although these early models couldn’t yet rival the performance of late-war piston-engine aircraft, they laid the groundwork for the future of jet aviation.

Even the earliest jet aircraft demonstrated clear advantages over their propeller-driven counterparts, something both scientists and the military quickly recognized. Jets were faster, capable of higher altitudes, and featured simpler yet more powerful propulsion systems. However, they also came with notable drawbacks: high fuel consumption, short engine lifespans, and unstable handling characteristics near sonic speeds, including severe buffeting and vibrations.

Designers quickly learned from their mistakes and developed effective solutions: new wing designs (such as swept wings), more advanced engines, and improved flight control systems. Within just a few years, jet aircraft had completely replaced piston-engine planes and evolved into truly formidable weapons!

New Rank

In the “Silver Arrows” update, the aircraft tech trees are expanding! Rank IX will introduce the first “early jets,” while each nation’s Rank VIII will receive several late-generation piston-engine aircraft.

Below is the list of new aircraft coming to each nation's research branch:

Germany:

He 177 A-5 – Rank VIII
Ta 152 H-1 – Rank VIII
Heinkel He 162 A-1 Salamander – Rank IX
Me 262 A-2a – Rank IX

USA:

Douglas AD-4 – Rank VIII
F-84B-26 – Rank IX
F-80A-5 – Rank IX

USSR:

Tu-2S – Rank VIII
MiG-9 – Rank IX
Yak-15 – Rank IX

Japan:

Mitsubishi Ki-83 – Rank VIII
Nakajima G8N1 Renzan – Rank VIII
Nakajima Kikka-Kai – Rank IX

Announcements for two new seasonal Rank IX aircraft will be published in separate news articles.

Please note that with the arrival of jet aircraft, the Aviation Campaign officially exits its beta testing phase and moves into full release.

This is just the beginning! As the Aviation Campaign evolves, jet aviation in War Thunder Mobile (WTM) will only become more advanced. Future updates promise to introduce even more modern, powerful, and legendary aircraft models.