Back in 1930 Macchi decided to build a new better version of the M.41bis in order to be specifically prepared to be launched from catapults of Regia Marina's warships.
It was build following the very same pattern as the previous M.41bis, it had the very same dimensions and was overall identical to that one.
It was also armed with two forward-firing 7.7mm machine guns it had plywood and fabric skinning and it was also powered by a 420hp Fiat A.20 engine set in a pusher configuration placed on struts above the hull and below the upper wing. It had also a vertical radiator.
It differed from the M.41bis in having reinforced wing cellules and catapult pick-up points in order to speed up deploying and undeploying operations from the sea into ships. It had also an extra inclined steel tube between the hull, interplane struts and upper wings, instead of M.41bis's wires only.
It was accepted into service by the Regia Marina so Macchi built a small number of them (no more than 12) and served briefly on board of some Regia Marina's warships during the early-to-mid 1930s before being replaced by both IMAM Ro.43 and IMAM Ro.44.
Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macchi_M.71
2. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters
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