Marine Corps aviation is the story of machines and men (and now women). Just as individuals are introduced in historical narratives by full name, rank, and service, so too are the various aircraft flown by Marines. History and Museums Division writing guides dating back to World War II have required aircraft to be identified by manufacturer, model number, and name using contemporary nomenclature. Getting this right can be a research project in itself. This is made more accurate and easier by this occasional paper that updates two previous division publications-Marine Corps Aircraft, 1913-1960, published in 1961 and subsequently revised in 1967. The author has reviewed and expanded the previous efforts into a comprehensive edition that lists Marine aircraft from the Curtis E-1 through the Lockheed KC-130J Hercules. The 470 entries provide the most complete reference for historians and curators to date.
