In 1933 the Ministry of Aeronautics issued a specification for the supply of a new reconnaissance and bombing seaplane to be allocated to the Departments of the Regia Aeronautica with the intent of replacing the Savoia-Marchetti S.78 in service since 1932.
The CRDA CANT, aeronautical division of the Cantieri Riuniti of the Adriatic and later also the Aeronautica Macchi participated in the competition announcement.
The Air Force Genie, however, deemed the project interesting, but significant delays accumulated so that the prototype was only completed in 1935 and was not yet ready for the acceptance tests that were to take place in Nisida in August 1936.
[1] The Macchi also built a scale model that presented to the public at the 1st Milan International Air Show in October 1935, but not getting feedback in the military aviation market decided to stop its development.
Data from Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1938,[1] Guida agli aeroplani d'Italia[2]General characteristics Performance Armament