Nairana was being built by Dennys as a fast ferry but in June 1915 she was launched to clear the slip for war work and laid up. In 1917 the ship was requesitioned and taken back to the yard for completion as an aircraft carrier similar to HMS Pegasus with land planes forward and seaplanes aft. She served with the Grand Fleet in 1918, at Archangel in 1919 and paid foo and was sold to the Tasmania Steamship Co. in 1920.