08/15/2008. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "Designed by Wilfred Reid to the Air Ministry Specification 3/22 of June 1922 for an F.2B replacement, this two-seat fighter with a metal fuselage and wooden wings flew in May 1923. Frank Barnwell redesigned the aircraft with a lengthened fuselage and revised wings, were after the Air Ministry ordered three aircraft, two (s/n J7236 and J7237) of similar construction to the original prototype, and one (J7248) of all-metal construction to comply to Specification 8/24. The first of these flew on February 4, 1925, but the type turned out not to be the adequate replacement for the F.2B.

The original prototype received a CofA on June 30, 1925 and participated in the 1925 King's Cup Race, and then soldiered on as an engine test bed for the Bristol Jupiter VI. Fitted with long-range tanks in early 1926 it flew over 117 return flights between Filton and Croydon (107 mls, 172 km), culminating on March 8 in 25,074 mls (40,353 km) in a total air time of 225 hr 54 min, without engine problems. Captain Frederick F.R. Minchin flew the aircraft from Croydon to Cairo and back in June-July 1926, covering the 5,400 mls (8,690 km) in 56 flying hours. After endurings test with the Jupiter VIII the aircraft was scrapped in 1928.