The HARVARD is a single-engine, tandem-seat, advanced training aircraft. It was originally designed by North American Aviation, but Canadian Harvard’s were built under licence by Noorduyn Aviation and Canadian Car and Foundry. Noorduyn built a total of 2,800 for the RAF and RCAF during the Second World War and Canadian Car and Foundry built a further 550 during the post war years. The Harvard was a mainstay of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and continued to serve as a NATO trainer well into the 1960s. Many Harvard’s are still flying today in the hands of private owners and are regularly seen at air shows.
The Museum’s Harvard was largely reconstructed from wreckage found on remote Roderick Island on the B.C. coast and restoration was completed in 2012.
