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Razgriz Squadron's F-14A: The Most Gorgeous Fighter Ever to Fly, Real Life or Virtual

We've been on a bit of a Grumman kick in the last couple of weeks. As it turns out, the Navy aerospace contractor from Long Island, New York, made a lot more than just fighter planes. But let's be real, we're all about the jets around here, and we don't mean the god-awful football team.
Razgriz F-14A 7 photos
Photo: Project Aces
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The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is one of the most iconic Navy-based fighter aircraft in history during any period of aviation. It's also world-renowned for being the preferred pin-up poster darling of the 1980s. Right up there with the Lamborghini Countach and the first Ducatti Superbikes.

Some seriously sexy paint jobs got slapped on the Tomcat from models A through D in its day. Including the iconic Jolly Roger and Playboy Bunny variants, probably being the most memorable and well celebrated in their day.

But what if we told you the F-14s most stunning paint scheme came not in service with the U.S. Navy, Air Force, or even the Iranians. But rather, with the Air Forces of the Osean Federation. First of all, Osea? Is that like, some Baltic sea resort?

We're afraid not. Osea is one of the several major warring nations in the Ace Combat video game universe known as Strangereal. In this universe, modern jet fighters from real life do battle in storylines that are captivating at best and totally cheesy at worst.

Razgriz F\-14
Photo: Project Aces
But at least the gameplay is fantastic, and that's all that matters. But of all the iconic jets in the Ace Combat franchise that you can fly, perhaps none is more beloved, in no small part to its dashing good looks, than Razgriz Squadron's Grumman F-14A Tomcat. Now, the F-14A is somewhat of a wet noodle in terms of the Tomcat's overall development.

Since the F-14 was one of the only U.S. jets not to have a YF-prototype, all the kinks and bugs had to be worked out. The Osean Federation's solution for this problem in the Ace Combat timeline is to spray a fresh coat of menacing jet-black paint, tell its pilots to sack up and send them out to shoot down enemy planes. Usually of the Yuktobanian Air Force, the main antagonists of Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.

Spoiler alerts ahead, you've been warned. But for those who don't care all that much, feel free to read ahead. Razgriz squadron bears its name from an in-game mythological creature of the same name. Something similar to the mythical Valkyrie of our stories.

This is represented in the squad emblem, a long-haired woman with a winged helmet. The group was formed from the remnants of the Osean Wardog Squadron, splintered during the war with Yuktobania during the timelilne of the game.

Razgriz F\-14
Photo: Project Aces
This emblem, grey-gradient background with crimson border and all, contrasts marvelously with the jet-black paint of Razgriz Squadron's F-14As in a way that makes some of the cooler U.S. Navy paint jobs look dull by comparison.

The F-14 was always somewhat of a sports car of the sky. When the variable-geometry wings famous on these Tomcat fold into optimal supersonic flight geometry, it gives the impression there's a squadron of sentient rifle bullets flying across the battlefield.

As the controller of the game's main character "Blaze," it's your job to lead this squadron of sleek black jets into combat in a combination of air to air, air to ground, and air to ship missions in some of the most exciting gameplay ever to come to the Playstation 2.

Needless to say, when enemy fighters spot four black bodies and that emblem coming towards them, they either run the heck away or eat machine gun fire and missiles for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Razgriz F\-14
Photo: Project Aces
Razgriz Squadron's F-14 has cameoed in a number of AC franchise games since their debut in the fifth main installment. Most recently, it's been spotted in Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown. Some things just get better with age. But what's your favorite fighter jet paint scheme? Is it a real-life one or something from a movie or video game? Let us know in the comments down below.
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