A total of 50 aircraft were completed by Gloster within six months of the order's placement, while a further 40 were locally assembled in Japan at the Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal.

This firm also acquired the rights for Nieuport's Nighthawk fighter, a promising design that had been let down by its use of the unreliable ABC Dragonfly radial engine.

[2] Both the longerons and main spars were composed of Ash, limited used of metal was made for elements such as the joining plates between the wings and the fuselage.

Only the 'Sparrowhawk III model was designed for shipborne operations; as such, aircraft were outfitted with an arrestor hooks attached to the axels of the landing gear, as well as hydrovanes on the struts of the gear to reduce the probability of the aircraft overturning if required to perform an emergency water-based landing; floatation bags were also install in the fuselage to assist with this same eventuality.

[6] A quick-release mechanism attached to the landing gear enabled the engine to reach maximum RPM prior to any moment of the aircraft, shortening the takeoff.

[7] The construction of the Sparrowhawk was largely achievable by using the existing stocks of stored Nighthawk components, this approach allowed for Japan's order to be fulfilled within the space of six months.

[12] Initially, the ten Sparrowhawk IIIs were used for flight training operations from ramps built on one of the gun turrets of the battleship Yamashiro, as the carrier Hōshō was not yet ready.