The Fairey Campania two-seat seaplane got its name from the ex-Cunard ocean liner Campania which the Admiralty had converted into a seaplane carrier during the winter of 1914-15. Production aircraft, powered by a 186.3kW Sunbeam Maori II or 186.3-257kW Rolls-Royce Eagle engine, entered service in 1917 and eventually operated as armed-reconnaissance aircraft from the carriers Campania, Nairana and Pegasus and from coastal bases until the Armistice, thereafter also seeing action in Russia.
A total of about 60 Campanias were built from the contracts placed with Fairey (for 50 aircraft in two batches), Barclay Curie and Company (for 50) and Frederick Sage and Company/Sunbeam Motor Car Company (for 70).
