The three aircraft flown today were all built in 1941 and have been in continuous service for over 60 years due to the care and support of their operators. Harvard #1 and Harvard #3 were both manufactured in Inglewood, California by North American Aviation (the same people who brought the world the P-51 Mustang fighter later in WWII). Harvard #2 is a true Canadian Harvard as it was built under license by Noorduyn Aviation in Montreal, Quebec.

The Harvard is a Pratt & Whitney powered, dual tandem seated, low winged metal monoplane (with the exception of fabric covered control surfaces). It's 600 HP supercharged engine directly drives a 9'1'' metal Hamilton Standard constant speed propeller. This combination of a radial engine and supersonic propeller tips give the Harvard it's distinctive roar.

Originally used as advanced trainers by the RCAF for the purposes of night, formation, aerobatic, light bombing and gunnery (later rocketry), they earned the nicknames of 'The Pilot Maker' and 'Yellow Peril'. A common military saying was simply, "If you could fly a Harvard well, you could fly anything".