1941 HARVARD II – FE788

Believed to be the oldest flying Harvard in Europe and the third oldest in the world. G-CTKL was the 31st Harvard built by Noorduyn and was supplied directly to the Royal Canadian Airforce.

  • Completed at the Noorduyn factory at Cartierville, Montreal, Canada, 23rd July 1941.
  • Delivered to Royal Canadian AF as 3064 Aug 5th 1941.
  • On its delivery flight from Uplands to Alymer, it suffered aileron lock up over Trenton, where the pilot F/Lt ‘Bitsy’ Grant made a precautionary landing. It soon entered service with the 14th SFTS at Alymer, where it served with both A and C flights with the line number ‘59’ painted on the side of the fuselage.
  • Struck off charge: Oct 11th 1957.
  • Rebuilt by CCF as Harvard IV and delivered to the Italian Air Force under the Mutual aid programme as T-6H-2M/MM54137 Dec 1957-1974.
  • Last flight June 14th 1974.
  • Stored, Bergamo, June 1974-1981
  • Robs Lamplough, Duxford, UK, Nov 21st 1981
  • Stored Botley (Later Woolston), 1982-1983
  • Registration G-BKWZ reserved but not taken up, 1981-1983
  • Tim Lane, Dorchester, Apr 22nd, 1983-1987
  • Registered as G-CTKL
  • Restored to airworthy condition, at Dorchester from 1983-1987.
  • First flight off rebuild, Dunkeswell, June 10th, 1987.
  • Jeff A. Carr, Dunkeswell, Sept. 8th, 1987.
  • Gavin Keegan, North Weald, 1991-1992.
  • A.P. Williams, 1998.
  • Michael Simpson July 26th, 2001-2008.
  • Based North Weald, USN/SNJ-3/54137/69
  • Painted as FE788, a Harvard IIB, which was operated by the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down from December 1943.
  • Based at Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar 2011.
  • Europe’s Oldest Harvard.
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