The F.2A operated on anti-submarine patrol missions. Each plane could carry two 230 lb (104 kg) bombs under the lower wings. It was also defended by a machine gun position in the nose and three machine guns at mid-fuselage stations.

They were painted with dazzle schemes, not as an attempt at camouflage, but the exact opposite - to make them recognizable at a glance in the air and to be able to see a downed boat at sea. The first example of the benefit of this practice took place on June 4 1918, when three Felixstowe based boats and two from Great Yarmouth were involved in a fight with German seaplanes. One of the Yarmouth boats (either N4298 or N4289) was painted in red/yellow stripes and was the only one easily recognized of the five boats concerned. After this the others crews were allowed to paint their boats in similarly garish colours and patterns