With the end of its wartime contracts in 1945, Fairchild ventured back into familiar territory with the design and manufactures of a modern bush plane, the F-11 Husky.

The Fairchild Husky was a rugged, mainly metal (wing surfaces were fabric covered aft of the front spar) transport able to haul up to eight passengers and cargo.

Although the Fairchild Husky had many desirable features, it never became popular because of its original 450 hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp Jr. engine was not powerful enough.

With only 12 Huskies completed, Fairchild Industries went bankrupt, forcing the eventual demise of the parent company in 1948 and the surrender of its charter in 1950.

A number of airframes were converted to a later standard and although plans were made to switch to turbine power, all the later redesigns remained paper projects only.

Both the Western Canada Aviation Museum in Winnipeg, Manitoba and the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario have restored examples in their collections.