A Canadian designed and built single-engine bush plane, the Noorduyn Norseman was designed to operate from unimproved surfaces. Introduced in 1935, the Norseman remained in production for almost 25 years with over 900 produced.

A high winged monoplane, the aircraft had an all-welded steel tubing fuselage covered with fabric. The wings were of all wood construction and were fabric covered as well. The Norseman was designed with a rugged landing gear that was equally at home on floats, skis or wheels. Wartime versions were powered by a 550 hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp engine.

Until 1940, Noorduyn had sold only seventeen Norseman aircraft, mainly to commercial operators in Northern Canada and to the RCMP. However, once the war started the RCAF ordered thirty-eight as wireless and navigational trainers for the BCATP. The Norseman remained in production for almost twenty-five years with over nine hundred were produced.