The post-war era is categorized by "generations" of jet technology:

Originally, aircraft were used for reconnaissance during World War I. The "fighter" was born when pilots began mounting machine guns to prevent enemy observation, leading to the development of synchronized gears that allowed firing through propeller blades.

Early subsonic jets like the MiG-15 and the "Century Fighters" series (e.g., F-100 Super Sabre).

The end of the war saw the first operational jet fighters, such as the Messerschmitt Me 262 . 3. The Jet Age and Generations

Supermarine Spitfire (UK), Messerschmitt Bf 109 (Germany), and the North American P-51 Mustang (USA).