The jet fighter that Chris White is flying is a North American F-86 Sabre.
It's been established that Metropolis is not in California. For example, in Czar of the Underworld (1953), Kent and Henderson travel there for the making of a movie in Hollywood. But here, there are a number of clues indicating that it is in California.
These include: the huge map of California on the wall in General Summers' office; the easily-identifiable Los Angeles mountains seen during the flight sequences; and the fact that Perry White's cabin is just a two-hour drive from the Daily Planet building.
These include: the huge map of California on the wall in General Summers' office; the easily-identifiable Los Angeles mountains seen during the flight sequences; and the fact that Perry White's cabin is just a two-hour drive from the Daily Planet building.
The bad guys drive a sporty 1954 Studebaker Champion Starliner Hard-top coupe.
The fight scene at the end is homage to those done on The Lone Ranger, where the two actors also starred.