The medium-class semi-rigid airships (M type) were designed by the military engineers and officers Gaetano Arturo Crocco and Ottavio Ricaldoni.

Between the end of 1913 and 1914 the M.2 performed numerous test flights, including one on the route of Ferrara, Ancona, Capo Gargano, Gulf of Manfredonia and back covering 1,200 km while being 21 hours in the air without any technical stopover, conquering the Italian record for duration and distance without stopping.

After the Kingdom of Italy entered the war on 24 May, the airship was immediately used in operational missions as a part of coastal airpatrols and subsequent bombing of Austro-Hungarian ships.

On 8 June 1915, upon returning from a bombing mission against the Whitehead torpedo factories and the Ganz & Co. Danubius shipyards in Fiume, the airship, under the command of Captain Castracane, was hit and seriously damaged.

Città di Ferrara attempted to return to base, but approximately 20 km from Premuda it was spotted by the Austro-Hungarian patrolling marine aircraft marked Lohner L 48 piloted by Lschlt.

The M.2 started to burn and fell into the sea: impact on the water or drowning caused the death of two crew members, while the survivors were picked up by an Austro-Hungarian torpedo boat and taken prisoner.