* AccidentalInnuendo: In the first film, Tim Thomerson (Col. Masters) flubs his line "Don't 'Come on, dad' me." in a very unfortunate way with the result being: [[{{Squick}} "Don't come on me, dad."]]
* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic:
** "Never say die! Iron Eagle! Nothing's forever! Now or ever! Never say die! Iron Eagle! Never look back! Never say diiiiiie!"
** "Old Enough to Rock and Roll" played during the epic Cesna vs Honda race.
** "One Vision" by Music/{{Queen}}.
** All four films have pretty solid orchestral scores from the likes of Music/BasilPoledouris, Amin Bhatia, Music/HarryManfredini, and Paul Zaza. The orchestral music from the start of ''Aces'' is [[https://youtu.be/1ACkyPqwlCU?t=360 especially cool]].
* EnsembleDarkhorse:
** The five Russians from the second movie (especially Yuri) are better liked than most of their American counterparts for being more professional and dignified while still having their own NotSoAboveItAll RagtagBunchOfMisfits traits.
** Stockman from the third movie never gets any action scenes but is still a pretty popular supporting character for being a BenevolentBoss and CoolOldGuy whose actor plays his role convincingly.
* FirstInstallmentWins: The first movie is often considered to be the most memorable of the series, to the point of becoming a CultClassic.
* HilariousInHindsight:
** In the fourth movie, Doug Masters is a ShellShockedVeteran who works as a crop duster pilot. He may or may not be similar to [[Film/IndependenceDay Russell Casse]]...
** The climax of the second movie is this considering ''Film/TopGunMaverick'' has an identical climax as well.
* MoralEventHorizon: Nakesh ordering the sniper to gun down Ted Masters.
* {{Narm}}: Many instances, but perhaps the dogfight dialogue between Nakesh and Doug is the most prominent example:
-->'''Nakesh:''' You may deal directly with me, now: Colonel Akir Nakesh!\\
'''Doug:''' And you can deal with me, Doug Masters!
* OlderThanTheyThink: Many people find this to be derivative of ''Film/TopGun'', but the first movie was released five months before that movie on January 17th.
* ParodyDisplacement: Most of you probably know this film as having the same plot as ''[[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Faster Than the Speed of Love]]''.
* QuestionableCasting: In ''Aces: Iron Eagle III'' Leichmann, Palmer, Horikoshi and BigBad Kleiss are WWII veterans... and played by actors far too young to have served at the time; Horst Buccholz (born 1933), as Leichmann, was 12 years old when that war ended and he's the '''oldest''' (Sonny Chiba [Horikoshi] was born in 1939, and Christopher Cazenove [Palmer] and [[Film/MightyMorphinPowerRangersTheMovie Paul]] [[Film/HotFuzz Freeman]] [Kleiss] were both born in 1943).
* {{Sequelitis}}: The first movie is considered a CultClassic. The remaining three... less so.
** Of the sequels, ''Aces'' is the [[SurprisinglyImprovedSequel most well regarded]] for the crazy premise ([=WW2=] pilots using old warplanes against modern military equipment), as well as fleshed-out supporting characters who work better with Chappy (thanks to being closer to him in age), a more substantial set of antagonists, better direction and improved stunts and special effects.
----