This volume provides a chronicle of the aircraft which have served with the Navy, the Marines and the Coast Guard in 80 years-a period which opened with the Curtiss Pusher and comes up to date with thc Grumman F-14A Tomcat variable-geometry fighter. Between these two extremes can be traced, through the contents of this book, the evolution of the carrierbased fighter, the torpedo-bomber, the anti-submarine patrol aircraft and other types with which the Navy and Marine Corps havc fought in three wars, and, when the United States has not been actively engaged in hostilities, have helped to keep the pcacc in many parts of the world.