It was produced with a conventional undercarriage for carrier use, although this could be exchanged for floats for catapult use aboard capital ships.

The Flycatcher was designed to meet the requirements of Specification N6/22 for a carrier and floatplane fighter to replace the Gloster Nightjar, powered by either the Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar or the Bristol Jupiter radial engines.

[1] The first of three prototype Flycatchers made its maiden flight on 28 November 1922, powered by a Jaguar II engine,[2] although it was later fitted with a Jupiter IV.

During its service on the China station, the Flycatcher was active against Chinese pirates in the waters near Hong Kong.

No aircraft survives, but the Fleet Air Arm Museum holds a replica Flycatcher that was built in 1977.