Harvard MkII 66-2757 is the closest surviving sister ship to our own 66-2742. It was originally ordered by the RAF as AH195 but was transferred to RNZAF as NZ944.
This aircraft was constructed to Specification N.A.A.1514, according to Contract No. A.96, by North American Aviation Inc., Inglewood. California. The aircraft was not flown by the manufacturer and was certified as being correctly packed 11 March 1941.
NZ944, manufacturer No. 66-2757 was received at No.1 Aircraft Depot on 9 June 1941. After assembly, the aircraft was test flown on 8 July 1941. The following day NZ944 departed on her delivery flight to No.1 Flying Training School (F.T.S.) at Wigram where the aircraft served with the Advanced Training Squadron (A.T.S.). 4 March 1942 saw NZ944 transferred to the Initial Training Squadron (I.T.S.) of No.2 Service Flying Training School (S.F.T.S.) An accident to the aircraft on 4 December 1942 resulted in NZ944 being transferred to the Aircraft Repair Squadron (A.R.S.) until 13 January 1943 for repairs. The A.T.S.
Used the aircraft for a week before returning it to I.T.S. A complete overhaul was carried out by A.R.S. during March 1943 and once more NZ944 returned to I.T.S. A collision with a fence early in November 1943 (probably the 8th) caused damage to the port wing. requiring the replacement of the aileron, flap and wingtip.
The aircraft continued to serve at I.T.S. undergoing a second overhaul from 13 April 1944 to 25 May 1944, before being allotted to No.1 S.F.T.S. at Wigram on 18 August 1944, where the aircraft served apparently without incident until being placed in short term storage on 22 September 1945. By this time the aircraft had flown a total of 1970.25 hours.
It has been on display at the New Zealand Museum of Transport and Technology since 1965. Formally kept outdoors, it was restored and now hangs prominently in the display hall.