Check out this new article at
RetroMechanix.com about a NACA proposal for a jet powered research aircraft dating from September 1943:
From late 1942 through 1943, a young assistant aeronautical engineer at the NACA Ames Aeronautical Laboratory named Richard C. Scherrer made a series of jet engine and aircraft proposals, culminating in the September 13, 1943 proposal shown above. While his jet engine and aircraft designs never left the drawing board, Scherrer went on to have an outstanding career in the aerospace industry, as you will find out in the accompanying article. It features 42 images, including several drawings of the proposed engines and aircraft.
-Jared