Honorable Enemy Ace

A sub-trope of Worthy Opponent that pilots a vehicle (most commonly a mech or plane), in a war, against the protagonist. The Honorable Enemy Ace‍'‍s vehicle tends to be a (mostly) stock vehicle of their faction with the addition of a distinctive paint job, even if his opponent pilots an Ace Custom. Due to the vehicular nature of combat, an Honorable Enemy Ace and the protagonist(s) never meet (at least, not knowingly) until after their relationship is established, and will only know their rival's name through military intelligence (if at all).

Honor is an important part of the Honorable Enemy Ace - it's in the name, after all. An opponent who disregards the Rules of War (whatever they might be in the story) or stoops to dirty tricks need not apply.

Sometimes overlaps with Char Clone.

Examples of Honorable Enemy Ace include:

Anime and Manga

Char in the original Mobile Suit Gundam is a Zeon mobile suit pilot that the audience (but not the protagonists) first sees averting You Have Failed Me... and knowing all his underlings by name. He pilots a Zaku II, which differs from the examples that serve as Cannon Fodder only by its enlarged antenna, red paint job and superior speed. Despite Amuro being in what is unquestionably the most advanced mobile suit at the time, Char keeps up with him by being Weak but Skilled while Amuro has barely skimmed the manual on his mobile suit. For most of the series, Amuro and the rest of White Base's crew only assume (correctly) that the pilot they're fighting is the famed Red Comet due the red and speedy Zaku II they fight matching his description, while Char only knows Amuro as the pilot of the "white mobile suit". Char ceases to be an example in his later appearances in the Universal Century.
While Overman King Gainer doesn't have mass-produced "overman" mecha, the rest of this trope applies to Cynthia, the Siberian Railroad's Honorable Enemy Ace to Gainer's Ace Pilot.

Comic Books

Soontir Fel in the X-Wing Rogue Squadron comics defies the mold of Imperial officers by refusing to engage in the plunder, war crimes, and adultery of his superiors and is a skilled enough pilot to give Rogue Squadron trouble. While Rogue Squadron pilot advanced X-Wings, Fel uses a mere TIE Interceptor with stripes. While Fel knows a reasonable deal about Wedge since his wife is secretly Wedge's runaway sister living under an assumed name, Wedge and the rest of Rogue Squadron only know him through reputation. Only when he's captured and realizes the Empire's fear of him defecting while captured puts his wife in danger does he defect in exchange for his wife being extracted. Even then, when he's re-captured by a sane Imperial faction that won't threaten her, he goes right back to Imperial service.. He even holds the title "Baron" to make his inspiration clear.
This was the schtick of DC Comics character Hans von Hammer, the Enemy Ace of World War I. A Silver Age character with his own book for a decade or so, von Hammer was inspired by the historical Red Baron, and was an unusual Anti-Hero character in an era when comics normally were slavishly subservient to the Comics Code. Most of his stories were Strictly Formula, revolving around his aerial battles, internal brooding, and visits with his only friend, a wolf in the Black Forest.

Newspaper Comics

In Peanuts, Snoopy as the World War I Flying Ace respects the Red Baron, as much as he hates the guy for shooting down his doghouse on a regular basis. While shaking his fist in the air, occasionally he accepts his crash landings with grace.

Oral Tradition, Folklore, Myths and Legends

This was basically Karna's whole deal in Hindu Mythology; Krishna himself notes that Karna is an honorable enemy and The Ace when it comes to combat or archery. In fact, Karna would have been on the hero's side of the Pandavas hadn't been utter jerks to him for being a charioteers' son, and Drona refused to teach him due to not being a kshatriya. Duryodhana got an Even Evil Has Standards combined with a Pragmatic Villainy moment and makes Karna King of Anga to earn his loyalty and let him quality for a tournament. Indeed, when Karna learns that he is the Pandavas' eldest brother and the real heir to the kingdom, he refuses to tell anyone, even if it ended a Succession Crisis peacefully because it would surpass Duryodhana's claim to the throne, and he says he owes Duryodhana his loyalty. When Duroydhana himself finds out the truth after Karna dies, he tearfully says Karna should have told him; Duryodhana would have supported Karna's claim for the throne.

Video Games

"Yellow 13" of Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies of whom narration notes "His heart felt compassion towards the weaker enemies he downed" pilots a Su-37 (uncommon, but not exclusive to Yellow Squadron in this universe) with yellow trim and is able to survive multiple sorties with player character Mobius 1 (who would himself be an example were the story shown from the other side). Near the end after catching a child engaged in sabotage against his side, he allows the child to escape rather than kill the child or take action that would result in such an execution.

Western Animation

Avatar: The Last Airbender: One could easily mistake Zuko for being a Royal Brat and a bully before his Heel Face Turn, given how he invades the Southern Pole village and pettily pokes Sokka with his own war staff before demanding the Avatar's location. Episode two, however, reveals that Zuko is actually more honorable than most of the Fire Lord commanding officers: he will not land a cheap shot at a defenseless opponent in an Agni Kai, which Iroh commends him for in the challenge, and doesn't like burning down villages For the Evulz. The crew also notes that Zuko is a bully but will pull his own weight during an emergency on the boat. A lot of the series features Zuko struggling with that he thinks honor is, and how he eventually regains it.
Steven Universe
- Before her Heel Face Turn, Peridot was one, especially compared to later Homeworld Gems like Bluebird Azurite. Her specialty was piloting ships and mechas on behalf of the Diamond Authority, but she was by-the-book and strict to follow protocol until circumstances forced her to ally with the Crystal Gems. For this reason, Jasper's orders to break the script and capture Steven, whom she mistakes for Rose Quartz, alive to present to Yellow Diamond annoys Peridot. Thing is, from her perspective, she was just doing her job to ensure the Cluster, a superweapon that would destroy the Earth, and proves that her expertise is the Gems' best bet to stop it.
- Centipeetle, revealed to be a Nephrite, was a pilot of a crew during the war as revealed in "Monster e Reunion". She could have escaped the Corruption but didn't want to leave her crew behind and spent her last conscious moments searching for them amid the panic and chaos.
- Lars gains a Red-Baron opponent who is also a Nephrite after stealing her ship. She's shown that she is a good pilot, and will engage in banter with him.

Real Life

The Red Baron Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen, who won the respect of the western allies in World War I with his colorful but otherwise stock plane (which he only adopted in the middle of his flying history and wasn't that unusual among his peers) and skilled flying, is the Trope Maker. After he was finally shot down, the opposition gave him a full funeral.