- "Hrimfaxi, it appears you're up against Razgriz itself out there."
- ― Yuktobanian HQ
The 108th Tactical Fighter Squadron, nicknamed Wardog, is the main squadron the player is assigned to in Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War. It was initially a squadron composed primarily of trainees, led by Capt. Jack Bartlett (callsign Heartbreak One), and two other veteran combat pilots. They were engaged off the coast of Sand Island and all the pilots were killed, except for Capt. Bartlett, trainee pilot 2nd Lt. Kei Nagase (callsign Edge), and those on the ground. After this incident, she was moved up to the # 2 position because of her wild flying style. The rest of their flight consisted of the two trainees who had been on the ground during the fight, 2nd Lt. Alvin H Davenport (callsign Chopper) and 2nd Lt. "Blaze".
After Capt. Bartlett was shot down, Wardog Four, known as Blaze, had became the flight leader due to the fact that Lt. Nagase declined command and chose to stay at #2. When "Wardog Leader" Lt. Col. Ford was shot down over Sand Island during an air battle, Blaze found himself the sole leader of the squadron, which now included new member Airman First Class Hans Grimm (callsign Archer). Being stationed on Sand Island Air Force Base, they were constantly on the frontline of the war and had seen battle in battlefields in Yuktobania and Osea, in every climate imaginable; on Yuktobanian soil in landing operations and striking vital targets deep within Yuktobanian airspace. One of these missions including guiding a damaged C-5 Galaxy carrying Osean President Vincent Harling on an emergency landing as he traveled to secret peace negotiations in North Point.
History
During the middle of the war, they were court martialed for allegedly attacking civilian facilities in a Yuktobanian city and were forced to return to Oured for trial. Thanks to a sudden sneak attack by Yuktobanian Forces, they were sent up to prove their loyalty to Osea and destroyed the enemy forces.
Afterwards, they returned to the front lines in Yuktobania. During the POW rescue operation "Ice Cage" in Glubina, Edge was shot down, but was then recovered the next day after surviving and evading forces in harsh Arctic Conditions. Using her M9 sidearm, she managed to capture some of her pursuers, and she also rescued the crew of the gunship that had crashed due to bad weather while trying to rescue her.
A week after her recovery, they supported the large ground operation by the Osean Army, which crushed the Yuktobanian main force in the Jilachi Desert.
Thanks to the success of that operation, they were called back to Osea for a ceremony by the Osean Vice President at a stadium in November City. However, after their fly-over and during the ceremony Yuktobanian forces suddenly appeared and attempted to attack the stadium. The 8492nd Squadron had fooled the Oseans into thinking that it was only a drill. During the immense dogfight, Wardog Three, Captain Alvin H. Davenport, was shot down and killed in action.
Days later, the Wardog Squadron returned to the frontlines of Yuktobania and supported the attack on Cruik Fortress, Yuktobania's largest and last defensive stronghold before the capital city, Cinigrad. With the 108th's support, the fortress fell in half a day. However, when Wardog was returning to base, the 8492nd/Belkan Grabacr fighter squadron attacked them. The Wardog squadron barely escaped to the east. Meanwhile, the Grabacr squadron had convinced the base's CO, Col. Perault, that the Wardog squadron were spies.
During their arrest, they had escaped Osean Military Police and fled Sand Island Air Force Base in multiple Hawk trainer aircraft. Captain Hamilton, from the Osean Military Command HQ, gave a general order to shoot down the Wardogs on sight and dispatched every fighter squadron in the area.
Wardog was sighted over an Osean Aircraft "Grave Yard", by the 8492nd Tactical Fighter Squadron and were pursued. However, the 8492nd lost sight of them and returned to base. Later they reappeared on radar. AWACS Thunder Head, now working against them on orders from Command HQ, vectored Captain Marcus Snow (callsign Swordsman) from the Osean Naval Air Force onto them. They were shot down. A search team was sent to check for survivors, but did not find anything. They were officially listed KIA on December 7, 2010.
However, it is said that the pilots had escaped and operated under a new name. No details were released until a press conference in 2020, 10 years after the war's end.
Gallery
Wardog F-14As
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Wardog in combat
Archer, Chopper and Edge in Sand Island
Jack Barlett, former leader and trainer of the Wardog Squadron after being shot down by the Yuktobanian Air Force.
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Wolfgang "Pops" Buchner also known as Peter N. Beagle, he was the mechanic of the Wardog Squadron and a retired pilot.
A photo of the Wardog Squadron members in the press article named "The four wings of Sand Island" by Albert Genette. From left to right Blaze, Alvin H. Davenport, Hans Grimm and Kei Nagase.
Wardog F-14As in hangar
Wardog in fight
Members
- Ford (Killed In Action)
- Jack Bartlett (Temporary squadron leader and instructor)
- Wolfgang Buchner (Repairmen)
- Blaze
- Alvin H. Davenport (Killed in Action)
- Hans Grimm
- Kei Nagase
- AWACS Thunderhead (Temporary)
- Kirk (Pet)
- Aero (Killed in Action)
- Jive (Killed in Action)
- Mustang (Killed in Action)
- Barney (Killed in Action)
- Cavalier (Killed in Action)
- Svenson (Killed in Action)
- Baker (Killed in Action)
Trivia
- Nagase, Davenport, and Grimm also appear in the seventh level of Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War's multiplayer mode, as the first player's wingmen.
- Although not official, Marcus "Swordsman" Snow was a part of the Wardog Squadron, replacing Chopper's No. 3 spot, in Mission 20 "Ancient Walls". This can be seen by the fact that Blaze and his wingmen still use the Osean Air Force paint livery, as well as the Wardog decals and "Wardog, Launch." during the plane selection screen and takeoff.
- In Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception, an ace, callsign GHOST, uses Wardog's F-5E paint scheme.