The Gloster Meteor was the first jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. First flying in 1943 it entered service with 616 squadron in July 1944. Confined to operations only over the United Kingdom to preserve the secrets of its technology, the Meteor was soon used on anti-V1 patrols. Their terrific acceleration allowed them to be very effective in this role, accounting for fourteen V1s by the end of the war, a good total from only a small number of airframes.
With the Allied air superiority they did not suffer the same problems as the ME262s, that of Allied fighters attacking the short legged jets at their most vulnerable stage, during take-off or landing. By mid-1945 the squadron was operational over Germany, being engaged in ground attacks and fighter sweeps. But the squadron failed to encounter any enemy jets during their sorties. The Meteor would go on to have a long and successful career with a multitude of air forces.