This is an action-filled, illustrated history of 17 history-making aircraft, bringing to life the stories of their creation and of the men who flew and fought in them. Each chapter then goes beyond the story of the aircraft to relate the experiences of their pilots and aircrew—how the machine resonated in their hands and in their hearts. Colorful characters, iconic missions, and, above all, the diverse fighting machines themselves are detailed in fast-moving, captivating narratives. Illustrating each aircraft is an original painting by a superb aviation artist, along with photographs to help further capture the essential nature of these classic warbirds. Each chapter concludes with a section on "The Legacies", placing the aircraft in further historical context, describing the impact of each, not only on naval history but also on subsequent "MPA", and revealing the sometimes surprising international "bloodlines" that tie them together over a century of aviation history.