The Fairchild Aircraft Company of Hagerstown, Maryland, was awarded a US Army Air Force contract in 1938 for a tandem cockpit, primary trainer. The aeroplane was called 'Cornell' after the famous university. An overall total of 7260 were eventually constructed by mid-1944.
In this country Fleet Aircraft Company of Canada built 1642 Cornells under license, and they were designated either as PT-23s or PT-26s. The latter were distinguished by their cold-weather, enclosed canopy. The RCAF selected the Cornell as a successor to the Tiger Moth and Fleet Finch, which the Air Force realized in 1941 were already obsolete because they lacked the full instrumentation of the Cornell. The RCAF first flew Cornells in 1940 and retired the last one in 1947.
The Museum's PT-26 Cornell was constructed by Fleet in 1943 and served with 3 Flying Instructor School and 11 EFTS. The Cornell's restoration to flying condition was especially challenging because the aircraft was in a "basket case" condition when retirees of Fleet Aerospace (formerly Fleet Aircraft) began the rebuild. The CWH Cornell is called the Spirit of Fleet II and is dedicated in memory of the 1000th PT-26 that was manufactured in 1943 by Fleet; the employees donated the 1000th Cornell to Canada's war effort.
