The Musketeer Mark I replaced the Chipmunk as the main trainer for the Canadian Forces. All of the Canadian Forces Musketeers were based at No. 3 Flying Training School and were certified for limited aerobatics. They eventually were replaced by the updated Musketeer Mark II. A total of 4,455 Musketeers (all versions) were built between 1963 and 1983.

Interestingly, Beechcraft required that the Canadian government not resell the Musketeers as airworthy after they were taken out of service because of the structural defects the trainers had suffered from many years of aerobatics and which was the reason for their replacement. They were either donated to aircraft museums or used for both military and civilian maintenance training.

The Musketeer in the Museum’s collection is one of 24 ordered by Canada’s military in 1970. Under its original tail number of 13401 it entered service on March 18, 1971. On April 4, 1973, it was renumbered as 134201 which is the tail number it wears now. It was in service at the No. 3 Flying Training School at CFB Portage La Prairie, Manitoba from 1971 to 1987. In 1971 it was the lead aircraft in the Musket Gold demonstration team, flown by team leader Captain G. Swiggum. This Musketeer was retired on October 22, 1987. It was displayed in the Air Park at Portage La Prairie, Manitoba until 2014 when it was transferred to the National Air Force Museum of Canada.