[1] Introduced to replace Massey's General GG,[1] the 81 was paired with the Model 82 (which used kerosene, or tractor vaporizing oil {TVO}, as it was known in Britain)[2] and was very similar to the Model 101 Junior,[1] which first appeared in 1939.

[3] It was offered in standard-tread and row-crop versions, as was the Model 20 that followed it.

[1][4] With a base price of around C$800,[5] it was competitive with the C$900 John Deere A.

[1] The 124 in3 was rated at 21 hp (15.7 kW) at the belt,[1] and was manufactured by Continental, like all Massey-Harris tractors at the time.

[4][6] The Royal Canadian Air Force used blue-painted standards as aircraft tugs,[1] out of under 2,600 standard-tread 81s made.