The Airspeed Oxford was built to the British Air Ministry specification No. T.23/26 and evolved from the Airspeed Envoy civil transport. It entered service with the Royal Air Force in January 1938.

The 4411th and last Oxford was delivered to RAF by Airspeed on July 14, 1945. The Oxford was also built by deHavilland Aircraft Co., Percival Aircraft Ltd., and the Standard Motor Co. Ltd. with the total number of Oxfords produced over 8000 aircraft.

The Oxford was used in the Service Flying Training Schools (SFTS) in the Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Southern Rhodesia and the middle east. Also employed as a light transport and on communications duties. A small number were made available under reverse Lend/Lease to the US air forces in England.

The first versions were received in Canada from Great Britain in 1939 and were used in numerous roles for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Among others, these roles included navigation training, communication training, radar calibration, air ambulance duties, and training of anti-aircraft crews.

Affectionately known as the "Oxbox", the oxford was a docile twin well suited to the training task.