Designed as a fighter, the Ansaldo SVA found a role as a reconnaissance aircraft, having very good performance and long range. Piloted by Gino Allegri, 11777 took part in a famous leaflet raid to Vienna on 9 August 1918. The SVA.5 was a single-seater but a two-seat SVA.9 carried the inspirator of the raid, the nationalist and poet Gabriele D'Annunzio.

The aircraft was designed by Umberto Savoia and Rudolfo Verduzio and built by Ansaldo; hence the abbreviation SVA in the type.

Savoia, Verduzio (designers) and Ansaldo (company) set out to build a fighter but the resulting SVA was deemed unsuitable for that role. It could however fly very far, high and fast and so became an excellent reconnaissance plane. This is one of the aircraft of the propaganda Flight over Vienna in 1918. The Lion of St. Mark was the insigna of the 87a squadriglia 'Serenissima' and the painting depicts general Gabriele d'Annunzio, the organiser of the famous flight.