Designed and built by the Fairey Aviation Company to meet an Admiralty requirement for a very large four-engined reconnaissance aircraft, it was the world's biggest flying boat when it first flew in 1923.

Not unusual for the era, the design was a biplane, with the engines mounted as two push-pull pairs between the upper and lower wing, each driving a four-bladed propeller.

The first N.4 (named Atalanta) was that assembled by Phoenix Dynamo with a hull designed by Charles Nicholson, built by the Gosport Aircraft Company[2] was also transported to the Isle of Grain, but never flown and scrapped as the service lost interest in large flying boats.

[2] The second N.4 (also named Atalanta) completed in 1921, first flew on 4 July 1923 powered by four 650 hp (485 kW) Rolls-Royce Condor IA piston engines.

[1] The hull designed by Linton Hope, built on the Clyde by yacht builders Fyffes and delivered to The Fairey Aviation Company at Hamble, Southampton for assembly and transport to the Isle of Grain.