North American Harvard training aircraft played a significant role in Canadian aviation history. The term "Harvard" is often used to describe the Canadian version of the North American T-6 Texan, an advanced trainer used during and after the Second World War. The Harvard was a rugged, versatile aircraft, mainly used for pilot training. It was equipped with a radial engine and was widely used to teach advanced flying skills, navigation and aerobatics. Several thousand of these aircraft were used in Canada during the war and in the years that followed.