In 1917, Chikuhei Nakajima, chief designer of the Yokosuka Arsenal aircraft factory designed a new reconnaissance floatplane, with a prototype of the new design, powered by a 140 hp (104 kW) Salmson water-cooled radial engine, making its maiden flight early in 1918.
Around 3,200 Salmson 2s were built in France, 2,200 by Salmson and the remainder by the Latécoère, Hanriot, and Desfontaines, companies.
A preserved Salmson 3 Ad engine, similar to a British Salmson AD.3, is on public display at the Deutsches Museum, Munich.
On 3 September 1917, he scored his second win, downing a Salmson over Rodern for Jasta 41's first victory.
Initial production aircraft were powered by 200 hp (149 kW) Salmson engines, but the majority of production aircraft were fitted with 200–220 hp (149–164 kW) Mitsubishi-built Hispano-Suiza 8 V-8 engines.