Dutchman Frits Koolhoven led production of the Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2 at Armstrong Whitworth and designed the FK.3 as an improved aircraft that would be easier to build. 500 production FK.3s were built by AW and by Hewlett & Blondeau at Luton. They mostly served as training aircraft although the type was used operationally by No 47 Sqn which was based in Thessaloniki to fight on the Macedonian Front.