The aircraft had been designed and built as a class project at Pasadena Junior College.

Flight operations were conducted at Alhambra Airport in the former Western Air Express hangar.

Harlow in turn bought one-third interest in Porterfield Aircraft Corporation.

[citation needed] The company and facilities were subsequently used to build aircraft assemblies and components throughout the war.

[6] Harlow also bought Alhambra Airport for $350,000 that year ($5.92 million in 2023), with the intention of building the Cadet there, but resold the aircraft rights to Call Aircraft Company in 1946 for $5,000 ($78,000 in 2023), and the airport to real-estate developers.