6 Of The Fastest World War II Fighters, Ranked By Top Speed

War, what is it good for? This is a question with very few reasonable answers. However, war is undeniably a driver of technological advancement: The rapid evolution of combat planes during WWII is a prime example of this in action. At the start of the war, biplanes were still common among many air forces; and just six short years later, we were at the beginning of the jet age. 

What did this mean in terms of aircraft speed? For instance, the Armstrong Whitworth Siskin has been called the slowest fighter of WWII — at a paltry 156 mph. Yet, it was mostly out of service and replaced by the Hurricane by 1939, saving it from a fate of being considered the worst fighter of WWII. At the other end of the scale, the Horten Ho X was a German concept aircraft that was never completed, but had a projected top speed of 684 mph. 

This list only considers WWII fighter planes that could boast meaningful service during the conflict. To give a comprehensive snapshot of the rate of fighter development during WWII, we've chosen a selection that covers everything from lumbering biplanes to rocket-powered contraptions that were arguably more dangerous for the pilot than the opposition. 

Just for fun, let's set a baseline to see just how far aircraft evolution pushed on in WWII. In terms of aircraft evolution, the Gloster Gladiator can be described as a transitional design. Introduced in 1937, it was the last RAF biplane fighter and the first fighter to feature an enclosed cockpit. Unfortunately, it was already outdated by the time it took to the skies. Despite this, it went on to feature in several theatres of combat, and an adapted version proved ideal as a carrier-borne fighter. It also famously played a significant role in the defense of the besieged Mediterranean island of Malta.

Powered by an 850 horsepower British Mercury IX engine, its confirmed top speed was listed at 253 mph. However, a maximum top speed of 257 mph was possible. It also boasted a service ceiling of 33,500 feet and a range of close to 444 miles. Despite its drawbacks, the Gloster Gladiator was resilient enough that the last operational Gladiator wasn't retired from service until 1953.

Moving up by 100 mph or so, we come to the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk — or "Tomahawk," as it's often referred to. Famously, this fighter often featured its underslung air intake cowling painted as a snarling shark-like mouth, giving it a ferocious appearance. Yet, appearances can be deceiving and in actuality, there is one word that can sum up its performance as a combat aircraft — average.

However, despite flaws that included poor high-altitude performance, underwhelming armaments, and the lack of self-sealing fuel tanks, the P-40 went on to have a long and distinguished WWII record. Powered by an Allison V-1710-33 engine, the Warhawk boasted a top speed of 351 mph, a range of 730 miles, and a service ceiling of 32,398 and it saw action in most theatres of the conflict. It was too vulnerable against Luftwaffe fighters to feature much in North European operations. The P-40 had more success in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe, where it served in operations where its lack of high-altitude performance was less important.

It's impossible to curate such a list without mentioning one of the most iconic aircraft of WWII: the Supermarine Spitfire. Powered by the legendary Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, the Spitfire had an illustrious career throughout the conflict and beyond. It was also one of the most heavily developed aircraft of WWII, with its initial frame and design proving to be versatile enough to support numerous upgrades throughout the war. 

Perhaps most famously was the role the Spitfire played in the Battle of Britain. Paired against Messerschmitt BF109 — an equally iconic Axis aircraft — the Spitfire had just enough of an edge to stop the Luftwaffe from gaining control of British skies. But to say that the Spitfire's influence stopped there would be doing the fighter a serious injustice. Its adaptability allowed it to excel in a variety of roles, including reconnaissance, bomber escort, and ground attack missions.

Later versions of the Spitfire — such as the Mk IX and Mk XIV — incorporated improved armaments and more powerful engines, ensuring the aircraft remained relevant throughout the war. With a top speed of over 400 mph in its later variations, the Spitfire was a potent and feared fighter throughout the war. It last flew operationally for the Irish Air Corps in 1961, marking the end of an illustrious career.

Speaking of iconic, the P-51 Mustang is debatably the most acclaimed American fighter of WWII. This is ironic, as the initial brief for the design was driven by the RAF's need for more Curtiss P-40 aircraft. The designers at North American Aviation looked upon this as an opportunity and it quickly developed a P-51 Mustang prototype. It was only because the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) took delivery of two of the initial British order that the plane was noticed in its home market. However, the first iterations of the fighter didn't match all the design specifications. 

Specifically, its poor high-altitude performance restricted the first iterations of the plane to mostly low-level operations. It wasn't until the airframe was matched with the Rolls-Royce engine that the Mustang truly came to life. With the introduction of the Merlin engine, the fighter became capable of 441 mph at high altitudes (30,000 ft), around 100 mph more than the first Allison V-1710-39 powered iterations. The plane went on to perform in every theater of WWII, and eventually saw action in the Korean War. It is a testament to the plane's longevity that a limited production run was commissioned in 1967 for use in a counter-insurgency role.

At the beginning of the war, biplanes were still being phased out. By the end of the war, the jet engine was being phased in. Leading the charge was the Messerschmitt Me 262: Its shark-like features, swept-back wings, and twin underslung jet engines set an evolutionary path that led directly to today's 5th generation fighters. It's fair to say that the Me 262 arrived too late to have any great impact on the war. However, for the Allied forces, this was certainly a blessing. 

Although it first took flight on July 18th, 1942, its development was a long and drawn-out affair. Designers and engineers had to battle the hurdles of the new jet engine technology, material shortages, and the concerted Allied efforts to disrupt German manufacturing capabilities.

Ultimately, it wasn't until the middle of 1944 that the Me 262 had its first combat mission. It recorded its first air combat victory on July 26, 1944, against a De Havilland Mosquito, a plane that was no slouch itself. While the final production count of the model is believed to have been over 1,400 aircraft, the Luftwaffe was never able to get operational levels above 200 aircraft.

Certain fighter planes seem to exist somewhere in the blurred lines that lie between madness and genius. The Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet is one such example. The aircraft was the first design to feature swept-back wings. But, just to throw a touch of madness into the mix — it was also rocket-powered.

It was also decidedly dangerous for the brave souls that flew it. According to the National Museum of the United States Air Force, the hazardous fuels used to power the rocket motor had a nasty tendency to explode and kill the pilot. The dangerous nature of the plane is adequately demonstrated by the fact that the only operational Me 163 Komet group accounted for nine kills, but at the cost of 14 aircraft.

With a range of about 50 miles and a flight endurance of under eight minutes, the Me 163 was restricted to quite specific tactics. After taking off (and jettisoning its takeoff dolly) the plane used its incredible climb rate of 31,500 feet per minute to climb above Allied bomber formations. From here — and with its fuel spent — it would dive through the bomber formation at high speed, firing as it went. The maneuver was repeated as long as momentum allowed. It would then glide to the ground and land on any suitably flat piece of land. It was during this phase that the plane was most vulnerable to attacks from Allied fighters.