Fighter jets are inherently badass and epic machines. After WWII development hit a fever pitch, rapid advancements took what humans were capable of to an entirely new level of insanity. By the mid-1950s, jets capable of traveling faster than sound itself became a reality and gained widespread prominence.
Development didn't stop there either, with fighter jets becoming more and more advanced and capable with each passing year. Reaching their modern form, military fighter jets became the ultimate symbol of power and human achievement.
Yet, as incredible and complex as the technology is, the aesthetic form of fighter jets convey as much power and awe as the engineering does. And to take that form even further, the paint jobs, or liveries, applied to them accentuate their power in the best ways possible.
While the standard active service paint schemes are awesome, these 10 special liveries stand out as some of the most badass and epic of all time.
10 Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon - Battle Of Britain Anniversary
During the early days of WWII, the RAF valiantly fought off the Luftwaffe over the English Channel in what would be known as the Battle Of Britain.
Paying homage to the Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hunter fighter planes that fought in the battle, this modern Eurofighter Typhoon was painted in the WWII-era camouflage those legendary fighters wore, and it looks absolutely awesome.
9 US Air Force F-117 Nighthawk - Stars & Stripes
Typically painted all black, the stealthy F-117 was designed by Lockheed's Skunk Works and prioritized avoiding detection first and foremost.
However, once declassified, the F-117 began doing public air demonstrations. The angular form and sleek black paint was a badass sight already, but to commemorate the Nighthawk's retirement in 2008, an American flag was painted on its underside for one final, and awesomely patriotic show.
8 Italian Air Force F-104 Starfighter - Ferrari F1
The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, also known as “the missile with a man in it,” is an insane fighter jet. Capable of flying at Mach 2, the F-104 served several nations throughout the Cold War.
One such nation was Italy, who used the Starfighter in several roles. Outside of combat though, Ferrari's F1 team set up a race between an Italian Air Force Starfighter and their F1 car of the time. To commemorate the race and Ferrari's patriotic Italian pride, this Starfighter was painted in a Ferrari F1-themed livery, and it looked downright epic.
7 Luftwaffe F-4 Phantom - Phantom Pharewell
Having served the German Luftwaffe for 40 years, the F-4 Phantom was a reliable workhorse of a fighter jet.
However, with the Phantom's technology and capabilities aging, the long-lived fighter jet was retired from the Luftwaffe in 2013. To celebrate such a long service life, this special livery was applied to their last active Phantom. With a stunning metallic blue and gold paint scheme, the Phantom said its goodbye in style with this awesome livery.
6 Turkish Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon - NATO Tiger Meet 2015
A gathering and combat exercise for the air forces of various NATO member nations, the NATO Tiger Meet is a yearly event that's been running since the '60s.
What's truly special about the Tiger Meet is the custom tiger-themed liveries designed and painted onto participating fighter jets. While plenty of awesome liveries have been displayed, Turkey's F-16 from the 2015 Tiger Meet takes the cake as one of the coolest and most aggressive of them all.
5 French Air Force Dassault Rafale - NATO Tiger Meet 2017
In another awesome livery designed for the NATO Tiger Meet, this Dassault Rafale gave a badass twist to the tiger-themed paint job.
Painted in the typical fighter jet grey, the French Air Force designed a realistic claw mark, making it look like the jet was attacked by an animal, ripping open the traditional gray skin to reveal its true colors. Combining that with other details like the tail art results in one awesome livery.
4 US Navy F-14 Tomcat - Black Bunny
One of the single most badass fighter jets in history, the F-14 Tomcat served as both a backbone fighter for the US Navy and as an awe-inspiring piece of pop culture thanks to media like Top Gun.
How do you make such an epic machine even cooler? Give it an all-black paint job with a Playboy bunny logo on the tail. Looking downright sinister, the Black Bunny F-14 was one of several American jets to carry the design, but by far the coolest and most intimidating.
3 Austrian Air Force J35 Draken - Dragon Knights
The Saab J35 Draken (Swedish for "Dragon") is an awesome fighter jet. Designed and made in Sweden, the kite-like Draken served several nations well for many decades.
Among those nations was Austria, who flew the Draken until 2005. Paying homage to the dragon theme of the jet and 45 years of Draken service, this special "Dragon Knights" livery was applied. The sleek black paint looks intimidating and awesome, but the golden outline of the Draken's unique shape just takes it to another level of cool. In addition, the red and white "1,000 Years Of Austria" sister livery is just awesome.
2 Russian Air Force Sukhoi Su-57 - Naval-Digital
Russia's latest advanced fighter jet, the Su-57, takes aim directly at the F-22 Raptor, poising the jet to take its place as the most advanced in the world.
Having made its rounds on the airshow scene, the Su-57 debuted in several incredible liveries. Yet the coolest one showcased is this "Naval-Digital" scheme, making the Su-57 look even more futuristic and intimidating than it already is.
1 Oregon Air National Guard F-15 Eagle - 75th Anniversary
Acting as a reserve force for the US Air Force, and an air militia for their home state, the Air National Guard (ANG) provides air defense for the American homeland.
Established in 1941, the 142nd Fighter Wing serves the Oregon ANG with their F-15 Eagle fighter jets and celebrated their 75th anniversary back in 2016. To commemorate the occasion, this F-15 Eagle was painted in an awesome patriotic Bald Eagle-themed livery, and it looks absolutely badass.