Parnall began work on a single-seat anti-airship fighter aircraft in 1916 based on the designs of A. Camden-Pratt, initially intended to meet an aircraft specification from the Admiralty. A large, wooden two-bay staggered biplane, it was finished and initially tested in late 1916.
The Scout reportedly flew twice in late 1916 under Admiralty testing; however, it was found to be heavy, slow, and unsafe. As such it was returned to Parnall in the same year and no further development progressed.