Transformers: Generation 1: In the many stories of Jetfire (who was referred to as Skyfire in the TV series, known in Italy as Aquila) told through the numerous Generation 1 continuities, there is one constant aspect - an early alliance with the Decepticons, which has served only to convince him to side with the Autobots. Jetfire's dedication to the Autobot cause is matched only by his devotion to scientific and technological advancement - this, he believes, is the only way in which victory over the Decepticons can be achieved. It is this overriding belief that tempers his bravado in battle, but nevertheless, he is often one of the most eager Autobots to plunge into combat, and his position as one of the fastest usually means he is the first to do so. Jetfire is created from the same mold as Macross's VF-1S Valkyrie.

On Cybertron before the war, Skyfire was a scientist and explorer working with Starscream. Together they investigated an uncharted planet (Earth), where they failed to find any signs of intelligent life. Skyfire wished to scrutinise the planet further, and moving in close enough to the planet a polar wind storm swept him up and buried him beneath the Arctic ice. Starscream searched for his friend, but was unable to locate him and returned to Cybertron alone.
Millions of years later, in 1984, the Decepticons excavated the frozen Skyfire while draining heat energy from the Earth's core and reactivated him. Reunited with his old friend, Starscream, Skyfire joined the Decepticon ranks. When the Autobots arrived, Skyfire engaged in battle with them, but then saved the Autobots' human allies Sparkplug and Spike Witwicky when they became stranded on an ice floe. Naively, he took the two to Megatron under the impression he would not harm them, but when Megatron took them as prisoners, Skyfire started to question his allegiance. When Starscream ordered him to destroy the captured Autobot search party, he refused, and Starscream turned his weapons on him, leaving him heavily damaged. Repaired by Ratchet, he joined the Autobot side and engaged in a dogfight with Starscream which ended when he sacrificed himself to stop the core drain, burying himself in ice once again in the process.
A short time later, however, Skyfire was recovered by Wheeljack and Sideswipe and immediately participated in an attack on the Decepticons in Peru, where they were once again attempting to use the Earth's core energy for their own ends. Skyfire was almost permitted to destroy the villains' new weapon by Thundercracker, but was then blasted by Starscream and repaired with some difficulty by Spike.
Skyfire would go on to make semi-regular appearances in the immediate future, helping the Autobots evacuate their base when the volcano it was embedded in became active, and flying a squad of troops to battle the Insecticons. His last appearance came early in the show's second season, when he and most of the other Autobots were corrupted by the Decepticons into attacking human military installations. Freed from the evil control by Jazz, he then flew Optimus Prime into space to put a stop to the Decepticons' plans for a satellite.