The Fleet Fort Model 60K was the only aircraft designed and built by Canadians in World War II. The rest of the aeroplanes produced in this country were constructed under
license. The Fort was also the first all-metal monoplane built by Fleet Aircraft of Canada (Fort Erie); and it was intended as a cheaper version of the Harvard, also an intermediate trainer. The Fort's maiden flight occurred in 1940, and the RCAF took an additional 100 on strength in 1941.
Initially, the RCAF did not want to order the Model 60K, and their doubts proved valid. The Fort was relatively easy for pilot trainees to master, thereby making it unsuitable for transition to combat aircraft (e.g., Hawker Hurricane). Also, the RCAF decided that pilots who had soloed in Finches and Tiger Moths could proceed to Harvards without training on Forts. The Forts were then used to train wireless operators until the last Model 60K was retired in 1946.
The CWH Fort was the prototype that was employed by the National Research Council Test and Development Establishment until it was assigned to 2 Wireless School in 1942. The Museum acquired this aircraft in 1979. The following year, Fleet Aerospace, having just rebuilt the Cornell, volunteered to return the Fort to airworthy status. It is the only example of this type, world-wide, to still fly.
