The Harvard aircraft was a single-engine trainer that was used by the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Canadian Navy during World War 2. It was part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, which trained thousands of pilots and aircrew for the war effort. The Harvard was known as "the pilot maker" because of its important role in preparing pilots for combat.

The Harvard was derived from the North American NA-26 design, which was first flown in 1938. It was built under license by Canadian companies, such as Noorduyn Aviation and Canadian Car and Foundry. It had a wingspan of 42 feet, a length of 29 feet, and a height of 12 feet. It had a Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 Wasp radial engine, capable of producing 600 horsepower. It had a top speed of 180 miles per hour, a range of 750 miles, and a ceiling of 22,400 feet. It had provision for machine guns, rockets, and practice bombs, but they were rarely used. It had a cockpit for two pilots, one in the front and one in the back.

The Harvard had different marks, such as the Mk I, IIA, IIB, III, and IV. The most common mark used by the RCAF was the Mk IIB, which was an anglicized version of the American AT-6A. It had a fixed rear canopy section, an altered instrument panel, and a British style control column. The Mk IIB was also fitted with the capability to hold a .303 caliber air operated machine gun on the starboard wing and a cine-camera in the port wing, with a gun-sight for the front cockpit. The plane was equipped with hardpoints under the wings in order to carry 8 practice bombs.

The Harvard was used for various aspects of advanced flying, such as aerobatics, formation, cross-country, instrument, and night flying. The trainees had to complete a minimum of 80 hours on the Harvard, before they could take their final test and receive their wings. The Harvard was known for being tough and reliable, but also demanding and unforgiving. It had a distinctive snarl, produced by the tips of the propeller blades breaking the sound barrier. It was a challenging aircraft to fly, but it also taught the pilots valuable skills and confidence.

The Harvard served in Canada until 1965, when it was replaced by more modern trainers. It was also used by other countries, such as the USA, the UK, Australia, and South Africa. It was one of the most produced and widely used aircraft of its era, with more than 20,000 airframes built. It was a significant aircraft in the history of Canadian aviation, and a symbol of the contribution of Canada to the Allied victory in World War 2.