Mr Dewes and a Wānaka team of Twenty24 engineers have been working for two and a-half years on the 80-year-old World War 2 aircraft, which first flew in Texas in 1943 before entering service in the RNZAF.
It was put into storage at Wigram in 1958, then passed through various owners before Mr Dewes bought it in 2020.
After a long absence from the skies, it is due to take off again in March at Wānaka Airport.
But before that can happen, it must be certified by the Civilian Aviation Authority — something it never needed during its military service.
Mr Dewes, a beekeeper and pilot, is looking forward to being the first to fly the restored machine, 65 years after it first flew.
"The Harvard, as far as warbirds terms go, is termed the pilot maker, and it is the necessary evil to get into the heavier warbirds.
"It is a really nice aeroplane to fly, a big heavy aeroplane. I am really looking forward to getting this one up and going and getting history living again," he said.
Callum Smith is the owner-operator of Twenty24 Ltd at Wānaka Airport and he did a pre-purchase check on the aircraft in Ashburton before recommending Mr Dewes buy it.
His team, including engineer Mark Williams, then undertook the restoration.
The original RNZAF camouflage paint scheme was done by Wānaka company, Helisupport.
"My guys have been working pretty hard on it to getting it looking like this, and it is looking good," Mr Smith said.
Within a week of concluding the transaction, "Covid happened".
The aircraft was transported to Wānaka as soon as restrictions were lifted.
"It’s been a major job and we went into a lot more than originally anticipated," Mr Dewes said.
Test flights are planned in the Wānaka area this month to make sure any problems are ironed out.
The goal is to have the aircraft included in the Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow next year.
