List of German World War II jet aces



This list of German World War II jet aces has a sortable table of notable German jet ace pilots during World War II.

Background
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat (The Germans traditionally set the threshold at 10 victories.). During World War II, hundreds of German Luftwaffe fighter pilots achieved this feat flying contemporary piston engine fighter aircraft. However, only 28 pilots are credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft while flying a jet-powered aircraft.

Jet aircraft made their World War II combat debut when Leutnant Alfred Schreiber, flying Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1a ''W.Nr. 130 017 (German language: Werknummer'' – factory serial number), attacked a No. 540 Squadron Royal Air Force Mosquito PR XVI (a photo-reconnaissance aircraft) over the Alps on 26 July 1944.

Although often referred to as the first aerial victory by a jet fighter in aviation history, the damaged Mosquito managed to return to an Allied airfield in Italy. The first jet victory was therefore the confirmed destruction of another No. 540 Squadron reconnaissance Mosquito PR XVI, which was shot down by Leutnant Joachim Weber over Ohlstadt on 8 August 1944.

By 1944–45 the German Luftwaffe committed three new types of jet- or rocket-propelled fighters to combat operations. Besides the Me 262, the rocket propelled Me 163 "Komet" and the He 162 "Volksjäger" had become operational. Although a few claims were made by pilots of the Me 163 and He 162, no pilot achieved ace status on either of these two types.

German jet aces
The list is initially sorted by the number of jet victories claimed.