Engine power was increased to 150 kW (200 hp) and a safety system to jettison the fuel tank through a ventral hatch (in case of onboard fire) was installed.

In the four months before the Armistice, Italian ace Leopoldo Eleuteri scored the only confirmed aerial victory in an A.1, over an Austrian reconnaissance aircraft.

(This latter publicity stunt backfired somewhat when one week later a mechanical fault in the aircraft caused Locatelli to make a forced landing behind enemy lines and be taken prisoner).

At the time of the Armistice, 186 were operational, of which 47 aircraft were ordered to remain on hand with training squadrons, and the remainder were to be put into storage.

The initial impression of pilots during the conflict (mostly American volunteers) was extremely favourable, on account of its high speed and fuel capacity and, curiously, the maneuverability disdained by Italian airmen.

The Lublin-built machines were some 80 kg (180 lb) heavier than the original Italian design and exhibited frequent problems with their engines and with the quality of their welds.

The Russians, anxious to save money, planned to manufacture their own Synchronised machineguns for the aircraft, but failed to produce these themselves, and as a consequence the A.1s were flown unarmed.

[1] The Ansaldo A.1 was popular among Soviet pilots because of its maneuverability and easy handling, although problems with the engines and other defects emerged over time.

In an attempt to secure post-war markets, Ansaldo undertook a number of promotional activities in both North and South America.

The aircraft's high speed proved attractive to record-hunters; US aviation ace Eddie Rickenbacker set a national airspeed record in one in 1920, and one was flown with a Curtiss D-12 engine to third place in the 1921 US Pulitzer air race.