The Canadian-originated Reid Aircraft Company had been acquired by the Curtiss Aeroplane & Motor Company of the USA in 1928 and the company was re-named to the Curtiss-Reid Aircraft Company. The Curtiss-Reid Rambler was a Canadian-designed and built trainer. It was intended to fill the needs of flying clubs springing up across Canada and it possessed several innovative features. It was a sesquiplane with folding wings to facilitate storage and it incorporated Warren truss bracing that eliminated the need for bracing wires. The interplane struts were streamline tubing.

The RCAF evaluated the aircraft type and despite already having a plethora of other trainers, it elected to purchase a small number of the aircraft. Still, the Ramblers enjoyed a relatively productive and lengthy career lasting well into the Second World War.