Piaggio P.108
Encyclopedia
The Piaggio
P.108 Bombardiere was the only Italian four-engine heavy bomber
used by the Axis powers
during World War II
. The prototype
first flew in 1939 and it entered service in 1941.
It was one of a handful of Italian combat aircraft that could match the best manufactured by the Allies.
Four versions of the P.108 were designed, but only one, the P.108B bomber, was produced in any quantity before the armistice. The other variants included the P.108A anti-shipping aircraft with a 102 mm (4 in) gun
, the P.108C, an airliner
with an extended wingspan and re-modelled fuselage
capable of carrying 32 passengers, and the P.108T transport version designed specifically for military use. Only one P.108A and 24 P.108Bs were built. The combined total number of all versions (and prototypes) is 35. Most of the P.108Cs were subsequently modified for use as military
transport aircraft
and could accommodate up to 60 passengers.
Nine P.108 Ts were used by Luftwaffe
transport units until the end of the war.
during World War II. It was a development of the earlier underpowered and wooden-structured P.50-II
which was unable to take-off at its designed maximum weight.
The designer of the aircraft was Giovanni Casiraghi, an experienced engineer who had previously worked in the USA from 1927 to 1936. On the basis of his experience he designed a radically new aeroplane. The P.108 was an all-metal low wing bomber with a retractable under-carriage. During the ministerial competition of 1939, it won the Regia Aeronauticas contract for a new bomber, over the Cant Z.1014 as it became obvious that the other competitors could not deliver useful numbers of aircraft to the Italian Royal Air Force before the mid 1940s.
The first prototype P.108B flew on 24 November 1939. It performed extremely well in a series of tests and required refining in only a few small details, but it took some time for pilots to get used to the new aircraft. The P.108 was delivered to a single unit, the 274a Squadriglia (274th Squadron) in 1941. But there were several accidents, one of them involving the son of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini
. On 7 August 1941, Bruno Mussolini
, commander of the 274a Squadriglia, was piloting one of the prototypes of the "secret" bomber. He flew too low and crashed into a house. The cockpit section separated from the rest of the aircraft and although the aircraft did not catch fire, it was nevertheless totally destroyed in the impact. Mussolini died of his injuries.
By the end of 1941, the P.108B had flown just 391 flying hours, which does not compare favorably with the 9,293 hours flown by the first 12 B-17s. Nonetheless, the new bomber showed much promise. The average Italian bomber cost around 2.1 million lire
, the SM.79
cost 1.7 million lire, while the P.108 cost 5.2 million lire. With a single squadron of nine P.108s capable of flying 1,100 km (700 mi) with 3,500 kg (7,700 lb), the estimated efficiency was comparable to a group of 26 SM.79s covering 1,000 km (620 mi) with 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). The total cost of the aircraft was 46.8 and 45.6 million lire respectively, but only 54 crew were required to man the P.108s compared to 130 required to man the SM.79s.
The P.108B's engines were designed to be more powerful than those propelling the B-17, and most of its defensive gun turrets were remote-controlled, but its reliability fell short of the typical Allied heavy bombers, and this type remained relatively unknown until the 1970s.
The second series, designated P.108B II, were a revised sub-category having had the nose turret
removed. While this reduced defence against head-on attacks, the aircraft was operated mainly at night. The speed gain was 10 km/h (6 mph), due to weight reduction and the more aerodynamic nose.
The P.108 was an all-metal, four-engine bomber, with a crew of eight. It had a very robust modern structure (with a 6 g
tolerance) designed by Giovanni Casiraghi, and built almost entirely of duralumin
.
Provision for the crew included a two-pilot cockpit
with five to six crew members located in the mid-fuselage
and nose; like early B-17 Flying Fortresses, the P.108 had no tail turret. The most noticeable feature was the nose, having a separate structure for the bombardier/bomb-aimer
, with the front turret above him; similar to the nose of the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
with the lower part protruding from the rest. The P.108's tail was even larger, because of the need to stabilise the heavy, powerful aircraft (30,000 kg/66,000 lb and up to 4,500 kW/6,000 hp at take-off, around 20% heavier than early B-17s).
was a much larger concern that also designed and manufactured airframes and powerplants, but limited its production to aircraft like the BR.20
Cicogna, a conventional medium bomber
.
The P.108 was equipped with four air-cooled 18-cylinder P.XII radial engines, which always suffered from reliability problems, but produced 1,010 kW (1,350 hp) at 3,000 m (9,800 ft), with 1,120 kW (1,500 hp) at takeoff, and drove three-blade constant-speed Piaggio propellers. The P.XII was basically two Piaggio P.X engines in tandem, which were versions of the French Gnome-Rhône 9K
Mistral made under license, themselves being license-built Bristol Jupiter
s. Alfa Romeo
also lacked a powerful, modern engine, and its 1,010 kW (1,350 hp) AR.132s were two Bristol Mercury
s in tandem.
Its 12 self-sealing fuel tank
s could hold around 12,000 L (3,100 US gal), and the eight oil
tanks, two for each engine, held a total of 350 L (90 US gal). The combination of a heavy airframe and powerful engines resulted in high fuel consumption, and the P.108's performance at high altitude was mediocre, with a practical ceiling of about 6,000 m (19,700 ft) and a theoretical 8,000 m (26,300 ft). By comparison, the B-17C was capable of attaining a 3,000 m (9,840 ft) higher ceiling.
The P.108 could reach speeds of 420 km/h (260 mph) at 4,300 m (14,100 ft), which was slower than several types of biplane
. Whereas the B-17C was capable of 515 km/h (319 mph) at over 7,000 m (23,000 ft) and so was practically immune to fighter
interception until 1942; even if its range and bombload, 3,220 km (2,000 mi) with 1,800 kg (4,000 lb), were slightly inferior to those of the P.108's 3,335 km (2,070 mi) with 2,000 kg (4,400 lb).
The aircraft could fly 2,500 km (1,600 mi) with a bombload of 3,500 kg (7,700 lb), and 3,600 km (2,200 mi) with 600 kg (1,300 lb). Though much better than a typical Italian bomber (800–900 km/500-560 mi carrying 1,000 kg/2,200 lb), this was not impressive compared to the Avro Lancaster
, able to fly 3,100 km (1,900 mi) carrying 4,000 kg (8,800 lb), and the B-24
, about 3,220 km (2,000 mi) with the same load. Even SM.82s, normally with around half of the P-108's fuel (around 5,500 L/1,500 US gal), were able to reach long-range targets, such as Gibraltar, when adapted to carry the necessary additional fuel.
The bomb bay was located centrally in the fuselage, and divided longitudinally into three sections which prevented it from carrying heavier bombs like the 800 kg (1,800 lb) types. This was a considerable limitation, and similar to the Short Stirling
, the P.108 was hampered by having a bomb bay divided into insufficiently large sections, whereas the SM.82 was capable of accommodating larger loads (being able to be used both in transport and the bomber role). In the torpedo-bomber configuration, three torpedoes could be carried under the belly and the wings.
s. One Breda "O" 12.7 mm (.5 in) with 450 rounds was fitted in the nose, and a Breda "G9" 12.7 mm (.5 in) in a retractable ventral turret, with 400-450 rpg. In addition to these two fully hydraulically-powered turrets, there were two 7.7 mm (.303 in) guns in the flanks, with 500 rpg. The wing armament, which constituted the main defence of the aircraft, consisted of two radio-controlled, hydraulically-powered Breda "Z" turrets with 600 rpg in the outer-engine wing nacelles, linked to one of the two cupolas in the fuselage "hump", with an operator in each. The wing turrets represented the most innovative aspect of the P.108's technology.
Although considered a very advanced design, the operational suitability of the wing nacelle turret installations was questionable.
s. It was armed with a modified high velocity Ansaldo
1941 model (90/53 mm) gun mounted in a redesigned nose. This was considered to provide the best combination of precision and range of all Italian artillery, and in several versions was used as an anti-aircraft and anti-tank gun by the Army and the Navy. To be more effective in its new role, the size of the gun was increased from 90 mm (3.5 in) to 102 mm (4 in), a non-standard Italian artillery calibre, and fired shells weighing 13 kg (30 lb) as opposed to the standard gun's 10 kg (20 lb), with a muzzle velocity of over 600 m/s (1,970 ft/s). This weapon has only been superseded in calibre, on aircraft, by the low velocity 105 mm (4 in) modified M102 howitzer
(23 calibre
s in length) carried on a mobile mounting in the flanks of the AC-130
's 3.2 m (10.5 ft) wide fuselage. The gun together with its recoil system weighed 1,500 kg (3,300 lb). Due to it being a re-bored smaller gun, its weight was relatively low for its calibre.
The P.108A was not particularly unusual at the time, as medium bombers such as the North American B-25 Mitchell and even smaller attack-aircraft like the Henschel Hs 129
were fitted with high-velocity 75 mm (2.6 in) guns despite being one or two categories lighter.
The gun was mounted longitudinally in the fuselage centreline, at a depressed angle, and had a very strong recoil action which the 27 tonne (30 ton) airframe was nevertheless able to absorb. The amount of ammunition that could be carried was around 50-60 rounds for the main gun, as well as up to three standard torpedo
es or two radio-guided torpedoes (a secret weapon which was never used in combat), and finally the standard defensive weapons in the fuselage and wings. The 102 mm (4 in) gun was intended to be fitted with a ballistic sight with an analogue computer, and a six or 12 round mechanical loader.
Initial modifications were made to MM.24318 which on 16 December 1942 flew to Savona, Villanova d'Albenga airfield. The modifications were completed in February 1943, and testing commenced on 3 March.
Testing of the P.108A was satisfactory, achieving a maximum speed of around 440 km/h (270 mph) due to the more aerodynamic redesigned nose. It flew to Furbara on 19 March, and later to Pisa on 16 April, where it carried out a series of firing trials at altitudes between 1,500 and 4,500 m (4,900 and 14,800 ft) to collect the ballistic data for negative angles of elevation that was required to allow the computing gunsight to be produced. After totalling 24 hr, 40 min of flight and weapons trials, it returned to Albenga. Enthusiasm was high when it was presented as the new official attack machine at Furbara on 22 May, and it was planned to build five further P.108As, as well as convert another five or possibly all P.108s available. But on 29 June, it was decided to produce no more than five aircraft, and in July, the order was further limited to two, and eventually cancelled. On 6 and 8 September, the lone P.108A made other weapons tests over the sea, finally equipped with the S.Giorgio calibration/aiming system. German forces took control of the P.108A and painted it in their insignia, but it was damaged soon afterwards by Allied bombing. Repaired by 7 April 1944, it finally flew to Rechlin where it was probably destroyed in one of the many Allied bombing raids.
Although the P.108A proved to be capable, and fired over 280 shells in testing, the Armistice and the never-ending change of priorities halted its development. The use of such large aircraft in a dangerous anti-ship role was however questionable (at sea level 360 km/h (220 mph) was the best safely achievable), the cost was even greater than standard bombers, and the improved naval anti-aircraft defences (Bofors 40 mm gun
s, P-F shells, and fire-control radar) led Germany to rely on (relatively) long-range missiles like the Henschel Hs 293
and Fritz X
. These were much more effective, as was demonstrated on 9 September 1943, when the Italian Navy was attacked by their ex-allies. The Germans launched a number of missiles against the Italian battleships, sinking the Roma
and damaging the Italia
, causing over 1,300 deaths. The three armoured decks of RM Roma could withstand hits from battleship-calibre guns, with over 200 mm (7.9 in) thickness overall, so such results were well outside the capabilities of a medium calibre gun, even when air-transported.
wasn't realised, so in 1940, it was proposed to use the P.108C as an "interim" transport, awaiting the P.126C and even the P.127C six-engined variant. They were planned to have a pressurised cabin
to accommodate 32 passengers in a wider fuselage, but no armament. The prototype first flew on 16 July 1942, when there were no longer any transatlantic lines to serve. Despite this, and the inability of Piaggio to deliver P.108B bombers on time, an order for a further five P.108Cs was placed.
On 26 March 1941, the P.108T military cargo version was ordered. This unpressurised variant was fitted with one Caproni
dorsal turret, one Breda
in the ventral turret, and two flank machine guns, all of 12.7 mm (.5 in) calibre, and was capable of 440 km/h (270 mph). Through a ventral door 4.8 m (15 ft 9 in) long and 1.9 m (6 ft 3 in) wide, it was possible to fit two Macchi C.200
s. Internal volume was over 77 m³ (2,700 ft³), and could carry up to 60 soldiers, eight torpedoes or 12 tonnes (13 tons) of cargo. After many changes in design, the first P.108T flew on 7 September 1942. Although the 148ma Squadriglia was intended to use both P.108Cs and P.108Ts, only a few were built before the Germans took control of production, subsequently at least 11 other examples were completed.
Four P.108Cs and five P.108Ts were handed over to the Luftwaffe
and used on the Eastern Front
, notably during the 1944 evacuation of Axis
troops from the Crimea
following the fall of Sevastopol
. The P.108C (civil airliner
, with 32 seats) and T (military transport) were more reliable than the bomber variants, and their capability of carrying heavy loads (such as two dismantled fighters) was important, as the Luftwaffe did not have many heavy transport aircraft, relying mainly on the smaller Ju 52
s. These aircraft also had four 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine gun
s as defensive armament, with one in a dorsal turret, one in a ventral position, and two waist positions.
One example, known as "Die General", was destroyed on Salonicco airfield. Transportfliegerstaffel 5 operated most of these aircraft and used them until the end of the war, with one assigned to the links between Italy and Germany and the other on the Eastern front. On 10 August 1944, an air raid destroyed six of them. Another four were destroyed or captured in 1945. The P.108T-2, a postwar version, was proposed but without success, and thus ended the P.108 series history.
, with a potential speed of 490 km/h (304 mph), 6 × 20 mm and 4 × 12.7 mm (.5 in) guns and a bomb load of up to 4,800 kg (10,600 lb).
and North African theatres and first saw action in an unsuccessful day mission against a destroyer on 6 June, releasing 10 160 kg (350 lb) bombs. The aircraft were effectively used a few weeks later, with a night bombing raid over Gibraltar
on 28 June 1942.
in Sardinia
, one (MM.22004) was forced to return due to engine trouble while the other four bombed with 66 100 kg (220 lb) and six 250 kg (550 lb) bombs. Three of them, short of fuel, were forced to land in Spain
, two of which (MM.22001 and 22005) crashed or suffered some damage in forced landings. The third (MM.22007) landed in Majorca, a former Italian base in the Spanish Civil War, and thanks to the Spanish pro-Axis policy was quickly refueled and took off from Palma de Majorca
for Italy. The two others remained in Spain: MM.22001 crashed on a beach when it was approaching Valencia airport and was written off, MM.22005 suffered minor damage and was stored at San Javier air base but was repaired and tested by the Spanish Air Force. Several other missions were launched until October, which resulted in some damage and further losses. An attempt to change to SM.82s was an expedient (as was the P.108, expecting more from the future P.133).
For a chronology, there were sorties to Gibraltar (without the endurance problems that dogged the first mission), during the night of 3 July (MM.22601 failed to return), 24 September (MM22004 and 22603), 20 October (MM.22002 (written off during an emergency landing after engine failure on takeoff), MM.22004, 22006 and 22007) and 21 October (MM.22602 (destroyed during an emergency landing at Bona
in Algeria
) and two other P.108s), when the "peak" was reached. Each of these missions, involving one to four aircraft (15 sorties in total), was unsuccessful and resulted in around 33% losses. The results were poor, with one Hudson
and some artillery positions destroyed on the ground in the first, "big" mission and further unspecified damage in the others, despite intensive long-range mission crew training between 3 July and September. On 28 October, MM22007 force-landed in Algeria on its third sortie, making in total at least 16 sorties with one aircraft missing, two lost in Spain, two lost in Algeria and one lost in Italy.
", more losses were sustained when these aircraft flew missions over Algeria and other African targets. The Allies had over 160 warships and 250 merchant ships in the region. The Luftwaffe had 1,068 aircraft in the II
and X. Fliegerkorps
, the Regia had 285 aircraft in Sardinia of which 115 were torpedo-bombers. At least three were downed over Africa in this series of raids, for the most part claimed by Beaufighter
s. Nonetheless, in Algeria they struck targets in Bône (now called Annaba
), Algiers
, Blinda, Philippeville (now called Skikda
), Maison Blanche and Oran
.
Some ships were damaged by P.108s in the latter and Algerian raids and over other targets they destroyed some aircraft. These bombers were the only ones capable of flying the 2,000 km (1,240 mi) to Oran. The 274 Squadriglia had only eight P.108s and with them performed only 28 sorties in eight night missions, during a whole month. Three were shot down by night fighters, which on only one occasion were repelled by the wing turrets. Two P.108s were shot down by 153 Sqn Beaufighters in the attack over Algeria's port and the last of these missions was flown on 20 January. Serviceability dropped to one or two aircraft and so with the need for refurbishment, the P.108s returned to the mainland.
night fighter
s. Only one ship was damaged - this closed the career of 274ma and the P.108B.
The last of the 24 P.108Bs ordered was delivered in August. Of these aircraft, six were lost to enemy action (three over Algeria, two over Sicily and perhaps one over Spain), four to accidents (including the one involving Mussolini) and three to forced landings (one in Algeria and two over Spain).
This aircraft was too complex and difficult to develop without support from the Air ministry and other larger concerns, such as Fiat. None was forthcoming, and while Piaggio was still struggling to debug and produce the P.108B, there were many other requests for the 'C' model airliner, the P.108T military transport, and the 'A' anti-ship versions. Finally, there was also the new strategic bomber, the P.108bis or P.133 to be developed as the "final solution" for Italian bombers, and other projects, such as the P.126, P.127, P.130 to be considered.
Following the P.108Bs' last missions, a few P.108T transports continued to be used until the end of the war, mainly on the Eastern Front when Germany needed to evacuate their encircled troops, even carrying over 100 troops at a time (maximum load was 12 tonnes/13 tons, the total payload was around 14 tonnes/15 tons). The P-108Cs and Ts proved to be more reliable than the bombers, following successful efforts to improve and modify them. One was destroyed in a flying accident over Germany, early in 1945, while the others were used until the end of the war.
P.108 Prototype
P.108A Artiglieri: Anti-shipping version. One built.
P.108B Bombardiere: Heavy bomber version. 24 built.
P.108C Civile: Civil transport version. Uncertain number built, but probably six.
P.108M Modificato: Intended modification of P.108B with heavier armament. None built
P.108T Trasporto: Transport version. More than 12 (including converted P.108Cs).
P.133: Advanced version of the P.108B with better engines and increased bombload. Not completed.
Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic) : Regia Aeronautica
Nazi Germany : Luftwaffe
Piaggio Aero
Piaggio Aero Industries is an aircraft manufacturing company born from the former Rinaldo Piaggio SPA, an Italian company. The company is one of the world's oldest airplane manufacturers, and its planes have been well known from the early days of aviation history.Today, Piaggio Aero Industries is...
P.108 Bombardiere was the only Italian four-engine heavy bomber
Heavy bomber
A heavy bomber is a bomber aircraft of the largest size and load carrying capacity, and usually the longest range.In New START, the term "heavy bomber" is used for two types of bombers:*one with a range greater than 8,000 kilometers...
used by the Axis powers
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
first flew in 1939 and it entered service in 1941.
It was one of a handful of Italian combat aircraft that could match the best manufactured by the Allies.
Four versions of the P.108 were designed, but only one, the P.108B bomber, was produced in any quantity before the armistice. The other variants included the P.108A anti-shipping aircraft with a 102 mm (4 in) gun
Gun
A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
, the P.108C, an airliner
Airliner
An airliner is a large fixed-wing aircraft for transporting passengers and cargo. Such aircraft are operated by airlines. Although the definition of an airliner can vary from country to country, an airliner is typically defined as an aircraft intended for carrying multiple passengers in commercial...
with an extended wingspan and re-modelled fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
capable of carrying 32 passengers, and the P.108T transport version designed specifically for military use. Only one P.108A and 24 P.108Bs were built. The combined total number of all versions (and prototypes) is 35. Most of the P.108Cs were subsequently modified for use as military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
transport aircraft
Cargo aircraft
A cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft designed or converted for the carriage of goods, rather than passengers. They are usually devoid of passenger amenities, and generally feature one or more large doors for the loading and unloading of cargo...
and could accommodate up to 60 passengers.
Nine P.108 Ts were used by Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
transport units until the end of the war.
Design and development
The P.108 was unique in the history of Italian aviation, as it was the only four-engine strategic bomber used by the Regia AeronauticaRegia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
during World War II. It was a development of the earlier underpowered and wooden-structured P.50-II
Piaggio P.50
-External links:*...
which was unable to take-off at its designed maximum weight.
The designer of the aircraft was Giovanni Casiraghi, an experienced engineer who had previously worked in the USA from 1927 to 1936. On the basis of his experience he designed a radically new aeroplane. The P.108 was an all-metal low wing bomber with a retractable under-carriage. During the ministerial competition of 1939, it won the Regia Aeronauticas contract for a new bomber, over the Cant Z.1014 as it became obvious that the other competitors could not deliver useful numbers of aircraft to the Italian Royal Air Force before the mid 1940s.
The first prototype P.108B flew on 24 November 1939. It performed extremely well in a series of tests and required refining in only a few small details, but it took some time for pilots to get used to the new aircraft. The P.108 was delivered to a single unit, the 274a Squadriglia (274th Squadron) in 1941. But there were several accidents, one of them involving the son of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
. On 7 August 1941, Bruno Mussolini
Bruno Mussolini
Bruno Mussolini was the second son of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and Mussolini's wife Rachele.-Biography:Bruno Mussolini was born in Milan in Lombardy. His father, Benito Mussolini, was the editor of "The People of Italy" newspaper before the birth and, on 22 April, needed to be away for...
, commander of the 274a Squadriglia, was piloting one of the prototypes of the "secret" bomber. He flew too low and crashed into a house. The cockpit section separated from the rest of the aircraft and although the aircraft did not catch fire, it was nevertheless totally destroyed in the impact. Mussolini died of his injuries.
By the end of 1941, the P.108B had flown just 391 flying hours, which does not compare favorably with the 9,293 hours flown by the first 12 B-17s. Nonetheless, the new bomber showed much promise. The average Italian bomber cost around 2.1 million lire
Italian lira
The lira was the currency of Italy between 1861 and 2002. Between 1999 and 2002, the Italian lira was officially a “national subunit” of the euro...
, the SM.79
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero was a three-engined Italian medium bomber with a wood and metal structure. Originally designed as a fast passenger aircraft, this low-wing monoplane, in the years 1937–39, set 26 world records that qualified it for some time as the fastest medium bomber in the...
cost 1.7 million lire, while the P.108 cost 5.2 million lire. With a single squadron of nine P.108s capable of flying 1,100 km (700 mi) with 3,500 kg (7,700 lb), the estimated efficiency was comparable to a group of 26 SM.79s covering 1,000 km (620 mi) with 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). The total cost of the aircraft was 46.8 and 45.6 million lire respectively, but only 54 crew were required to man the P.108s compared to 130 required to man the SM.79s.
The P.108B's engines were designed to be more powerful than those propelling the B-17, and most of its defensive gun turrets were remote-controlled, but its reliability fell short of the typical Allied heavy bombers, and this type remained relatively unknown until the 1970s.
The second series, designated P.108B II, were a revised sub-category having had the nose turret
Gun turret
A gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
removed. While this reduced defence against head-on attacks, the aircraft was operated mainly at night. The speed gain was 10 km/h (6 mph), due to weight reduction and the more aerodynamic nose.
Technical details
G-force
The g-force associated with an object is its acceleration relative to free-fall. This acceleration experienced by an object is due to the vector sum of non-gravitational forces acting on an object free to move. The accelerations that are not produced by gravity are termed proper accelerations, and...
tolerance) designed by Giovanni Casiraghi, and built almost entirely of duralumin
Duralumin
Duralumin is the trade name of one of the earliest types of age-hardenable aluminium alloys. The main alloying constituents are copper, manganese, and magnesium. A commonly used modern equivalent of this alloy type is AA2024, which contains 4.4% copper, 1.5% magnesium, 0.6% manganese and 93.5%...
.
Provision for the crew included a two-pilot cockpit
Cockpit
A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft, from which a pilot controls the aircraft. Most modern cockpits are enclosed, except on some small aircraft, and cockpits on large airliners are also physically separated from the cabin...
with five to six crew members located in the mid-fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
and nose; like early B-17 Flying Fortresses, the P.108 had no tail turret. The most noticeable feature was the nose, having a separate structure for the bombardier/bomb-aimer
Bombardier (air force)
A bombardier , in the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force, or a bomb aimer, in the Royal Air Force and other Commonwealth air forces, was the crewman of a bomber responsible for assisting the navigator in guiding the plane to a bombing target and releasing the aircraft's bomb...
, with the front turret above him; similar to the nose of the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
The Armstrong Whitworth A.W.38 Whitley was one of three British twin-engine, front line medium bomber types in service with the Royal Air Force at the outbreak of the Second World War...
with the lower part protruding from the rest. The P.108's tail was even larger, because of the need to stabilise the heavy, powerful aircraft (30,000 kg/66,000 lb and up to 4,500 kW/6,000 hp at take-off, around 20% heavier than early B-17s).
Engines and performance
Piaggio was one of the few Italian aviation industries that had the capability to develop both aircraft and engines; their P.XII engines, although unreliable, were among the most powerful of their time. FiatFiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
was a much larger concern that also designed and manufactured airframes and powerplants, but limited its production to aircraft like the BR.20
Fiat BR.20
The Fiat BR.20 Cicogna was a low-wing twin-engine medium bomber produced from mid-1930s until the end of World War II by the Turin firm. When it entered service in 1936 it was the first all-metal Italian bomber and it was regarded as one of the most modern medium bomber of the world...
Cicogna, a conventional medium bomber
Medium bomber
A medium bomber is a bomber aircraft designed to operate with medium bombloads over medium distances; the name serves to distinguish them from the larger heavy bombers and smaller light bombers...
.
The P.108 was equipped with four air-cooled 18-cylinder P.XII radial engines, which always suffered from reliability problems, but produced 1,010 kW (1,350 hp) at 3,000 m (9,800 ft), with 1,120 kW (1,500 hp) at takeoff, and drove three-blade constant-speed Piaggio propellers. The P.XII was basically two Piaggio P.X engines in tandem, which were versions of the French Gnome-Rhône 9K
Gnome-Rhône 9K
|-Applications:*IAR 15...
Mistral made under license, themselves being license-built Bristol Jupiter
Bristol Jupiter
The Bristol Jupiter was a British nine-cylinder single-row piston radial engine built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. Originally designed late in World War I and known as the Cosmos Jupiter, a lengthy series of upgrades and developments turned it into one of the finest engines of its era.The...
s. Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
also lacked a powerful, modern engine, and its 1,010 kW (1,350 hp) AR.132s were two Bristol Mercury
Bristol Mercury
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Bridgman, L, Jane's fighting aircraft of World War II. Crescent. ISBN 0-517-67964-7* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9...
s in tandem.
Its 12 self-sealing fuel tank
Self-sealing fuel tank
In aviation, self-sealing fuel tank is a fuel tank technology in wide use since World War II that prevents fuel tanks primarily on aircraft from leaking fuel and igniting after being damaged by enemy fire....
s could hold around 12,000 L (3,100 US gal), and the eight oil
Motor oil
Motor oil or engine oil is an oil used for lubrication of various internal combustion engines. The main function is to lubricate moving parts; it also cleans, inhibits corrosion, improves sealing, and cools the engine by carrying heat away from moving parts.Motor oils are derived from...
tanks, two for each engine, held a total of 350 L (90 US gal). The combination of a heavy airframe and powerful engines resulted in high fuel consumption, and the P.108's performance at high altitude was mediocre, with a practical ceiling of about 6,000 m (19,700 ft) and a theoretical 8,000 m (26,300 ft). By comparison, the B-17C was capable of attaining a 3,000 m (9,840 ft) higher ceiling.
The P.108 could reach speeds of 420 km/h (260 mph) at 4,300 m (14,100 ft), which was slower than several types of biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
. Whereas the B-17C was capable of 515 km/h (319 mph) at over 7,000 m (23,000 ft) and so was practically immune to fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
interception until 1942; even if its range and bombload, 3,220 km (2,000 mi) with 1,800 kg (4,000 lb), were slightly inferior to those of the P.108's 3,335 km (2,070 mi) with 2,000 kg (4,400 lb).
The aircraft could fly 2,500 km (1,600 mi) with a bombload of 3,500 kg (7,700 lb), and 3,600 km (2,200 mi) with 600 kg (1,300 lb). Though much better than a typical Italian bomber (800–900 km/500-560 mi carrying 1,000 kg/2,200 lb), this was not impressive compared to the Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
, able to fly 3,100 km (1,900 mi) carrying 4,000 kg (8,800 lb), and the B-24
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
, about 3,220 km (2,000 mi) with the same load. Even SM.82s, normally with around half of the P-108's fuel (around 5,500 L/1,500 US gal), were able to reach long-range targets, such as Gibraltar, when adapted to carry the necessary additional fuel.
Bomb load
The P.108 had a large bomb bay which was capable of carrying either:- 7 × 250 or 500 kg (550 or 1,100 lb) bombs.
- 34 × 100 kg/220 lb (true weight: 129 kg/284 lb).
- 38 × 50 kg/110 lb (true weight: 69 kg/152 lb) bombs.
The bomb bay was located centrally in the fuselage, and divided longitudinally into three sections which prevented it from carrying heavier bombs like the 800 kg (1,800 lb) types. This was a considerable limitation, and similar to the Short Stirling
Short Stirling
The Short Stirling was the first four-engined British heavy bomber of the Second World War. The Stirling was designed and built by Short Brothers to an Air Ministry specification from 1936, and entered service in 1941...
, the P.108 was hampered by having a bomb bay divided into insufficiently large sections, whereas the SM.82 was capable of accommodating larger loads (being able to be used both in transport and the bomber role). In the torpedo-bomber configuration, three torpedoes could be carried under the belly and the wings.
Defensive armament
The defensive armament of the first P.108 series consisted of eight Breda-SAFAT machine gunBreda-SAFAT machine gun
Breda-SAFAT was a series of machine-guns mounted on Italian aircraft during World War II. The weapon came in 7.7mm and 12.7mm variants. The 7.7mm model was similar to the M1919 Browning machine gun and could use some types of .303 British ammunition. The 12.7mm version could fire a...
s. One Breda "O" 12.7 mm (.5 in) with 450 rounds was fitted in the nose, and a Breda "G9" 12.7 mm (.5 in) in a retractable ventral turret, with 400-450 rpg. In addition to these two fully hydraulically-powered turrets, there were two 7.7 mm (.303 in) guns in the flanks, with 500 rpg. The wing armament, which constituted the main defence of the aircraft, consisted of two radio-controlled, hydraulically-powered Breda "Z" turrets with 600 rpg in the outer-engine wing nacelles, linked to one of the two cupolas in the fuselage "hump", with an operator in each. The wing turrets represented the most innovative aspect of the P.108's technology.
Although considered a very advanced design, the operational suitability of the wing nacelle turret installations was questionable.
- The wing turrets were vulnerable to battle damage, icing and jamming, and were notoriously unreliable owing to the complexity of the sophisticated gun control and computing device (the hydraulic systems had circuits stretching for several metres to the external engine turrets).
- Firepower endurance was adequate for limited combat such as that likely to be encountered during night missions, but insufficient for the needs of extended combat. A total of 300 rounds, fired at full ROF by the Bredas (no synchronizer present, different to fighter installations) was enough for only 25 seconds of use (around 12 two-second bursts). American bombers generally had 500 rounds for each 12.7 mm (.5 in) machine gun and often carried extra ammunition.
- In contrast to the fuselage turrets, there was no possibility of maintaining, reloading or repairing the wing turrets while on a mission.
- The mainly rear-directed field of fire was poor, partially blocked by the tail surfaces, with fire in a frontal arc possible only with high degrees of elevation (avoiding the propellers, again due to the lack of a synchronizer), and no capability against targets below.
- If the wing turrets were disabled, the P.108 was left with only two 12.7 mm (.5 in) and two 7.7 mm (.303 in) machine guns, leaving many blind spots all around the bomber, because none of the flank, nose, or ventral guns' fields of fire covered attacks from the rear or above.
P.108A
In response to a request in November 1942, the P.108A Artigliere "gunship" was developed for anti-shipping duties as an alternative to torpedo bomberTorpedo bomber
A torpedo bomber is a bomber aircraft designed primarily to attack ships with aerial torpedoes which could also carry out conventional bombings. Torpedo bombers existed almost exclusively prior to and during World War II when they were an important element in many famous battles, notably the...
s. It was armed with a modified high velocity Ansaldo
Gio. Ansaldo & C.
Ansaldo was one of Italy's oldest and most important engineering companies, existing for 140 years from 1853 to 1993.-From foundation to World War I:...
1941 model (90/53 mm) gun mounted in a redesigned nose. This was considered to provide the best combination of precision and range of all Italian artillery, and in several versions was used as an anti-aircraft and anti-tank gun by the Army and the Navy. To be more effective in its new role, the size of the gun was increased from 90 mm (3.5 in) to 102 mm (4 in), a non-standard Italian artillery calibre, and fired shells weighing 13 kg (30 lb) as opposed to the standard gun's 10 kg (20 lb), with a muzzle velocity of over 600 m/s (1,970 ft/s). This weapon has only been superseded in calibre, on aircraft, by the low velocity 105 mm (4 in) modified M102 howitzer
M102 howitzer
First introduced during the Vietnam War, the M102 was the light-towed 105 mm howitzer used by the United States Army in the Vietnam War, the First Gulf War, and most recently in the Iraq War.- An Air Mobile Howitzer for the Vietnam War :...
(23 calibre
Caliber (artillery)
In artillery, caliber or calibredifference in British English and American English spelling is the internal diameter of a gun barrel, or by extension a relative measure of the length....
s in length) carried on a mobile mounting in the flanks of the AC-130
Lockheed AC-130
The Lockheed AC-130 gunship is a heavily-armed ground-attack aircraft variant of the C-130 Hercules transport plane. The basic airframe is manufactured by Lockheed, while Boeing is responsible for the conversion into a gunship and for aircraft support...
's 3.2 m (10.5 ft) wide fuselage. The gun together with its recoil system weighed 1,500 kg (3,300 lb). Due to it being a re-bored smaller gun, its weight was relatively low for its calibre.
The P.108A was not particularly unusual at the time, as medium bombers such as the North American B-25 Mitchell and even smaller attack-aircraft like the Henschel Hs 129
Henschel Hs 129
The Henschel Hs 129 was a World War II ground-attack aircraft fielded by the German Luftwaffe. Its nickname, the Panzerknacker , is a deliberate pun—in German, it also means "safe cracker"...
were fitted with high-velocity 75 mm (2.6 in) guns despite being one or two categories lighter.
The gun was mounted longitudinally in the fuselage centreline, at a depressed angle, and had a very strong recoil action which the 27 tonne (30 ton) airframe was nevertheless able to absorb. The amount of ammunition that could be carried was around 50-60 rounds for the main gun, as well as up to three standard torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
es or two radio-guided torpedoes (a secret weapon which was never used in combat), and finally the standard defensive weapons in the fuselage and wings. The 102 mm (4 in) gun was intended to be fitted with a ballistic sight with an analogue computer, and a six or 12 round mechanical loader.
Initial modifications were made to MM.24318 which on 16 December 1942 flew to Savona, Villanova d'Albenga airfield. The modifications were completed in February 1943, and testing commenced on 3 March.
Testing of the P.108A was satisfactory, achieving a maximum speed of around 440 km/h (270 mph) due to the more aerodynamic redesigned nose. It flew to Furbara on 19 March, and later to Pisa on 16 April, where it carried out a series of firing trials at altitudes between 1,500 and 4,500 m (4,900 and 14,800 ft) to collect the ballistic data for negative angles of elevation that was required to allow the computing gunsight to be produced. After totalling 24 hr, 40 min of flight and weapons trials, it returned to Albenga. Enthusiasm was high when it was presented as the new official attack machine at Furbara on 22 May, and it was planned to build five further P.108As, as well as convert another five or possibly all P.108s available. But on 29 June, it was decided to produce no more than five aircraft, and in July, the order was further limited to two, and eventually cancelled. On 6 and 8 September, the lone P.108A made other weapons tests over the sea, finally equipped with the S.Giorgio calibration/aiming system. German forces took control of the P.108A and painted it in their insignia, but it was damaged soon afterwards by Allied bombing. Repaired by 7 April 1944, it finally flew to Rechlin where it was probably destroyed in one of the many Allied bombing raids.
Although the P.108A proved to be capable, and fired over 280 shells in testing, the Armistice and the never-ending change of priorities halted its development. The use of such large aircraft in a dangerous anti-ship role was however questionable (at sea level 360 km/h (220 mph) was the best safely achievable), the cost was even greater than standard bombers, and the improved naval anti-aircraft defences (Bofors 40 mm gun
Bofors 40 mm gun
The Bofors 40 mm gun is an anti-aircraft autocannon designed by the Swedish defence firm of Bofors Defence...
s, P-F shells, and fire-control radar) led Germany to rely on (relatively) long-range missiles like the Henschel Hs 293
Henschel Hs 293
The Henschel Hs 293 was a World War II German anti-ship guided missile: a radio-controlled glide bomb with a rocket engine slung underneath it. It was designed by Herbert A. Wagner.- History :...
and Fritz X
Fritz X
Fritz X was the most common name for a German guided anti-ship glide bomb used during World War II. Fritz X was a nickname used both by Allied and Luftwaffe personnel. Alternate names include Ruhrstahl SD 1400 X, Kramer X-1, PC 1400X or FX 1400...
. These were much more effective, as was demonstrated on 9 September 1943, when the Italian Navy was attacked by their ex-allies. The Germans launched a number of missiles against the Italian battleships, sinking the Roma
Italian battleship Roma (1940)
Roma, named after two previous ships and the city of Rome, was the fourth Vittorio Veneto-class battleship of Italy's Regia Marina...
and damaging the Italia
Italian battleship Littorio
|-External links:...
, causing over 1,300 deaths. The three armoured decks of RM Roma could withstand hits from battleship-calibre guns, with over 200 mm (7.9 in) thickness overall, so such results were well outside the capabilities of a medium calibre gun, even when air-transported.
P.108C/T
While the P.108B's troubled development continued, Piaggio's workload was further stressed by the request for new transport aircraft, capable of long-range flights to South America for Linee Aeree Transcontinentali Italiane (LATI). The intention in 1939 to license-build the Boeing 307Boeing 307
The Boeing Model 307 Stratoliner was the first commercial transport aircraft with a pressurized cabin. This feature allowed the plane to cruise at an altitude of 20,000 ft , well above weather disturbances. The pressure differential was 2.5 psi , so at 14,700 ft the cabin altitude...
wasn't realised, so in 1940, it was proposed to use the P.108C as an "interim" transport, awaiting the P.126C and even the P.127C six-engined variant. They were planned to have a pressurised cabin
Cabin pressurization
Cabin pressurization is the pumping of compressed air into an aircraft cabin to maintain a safe and comfortable environment for crew and passengers when flying at altitude.-Need for cabin pressurization:...
to accommodate 32 passengers in a wider fuselage, but no armament. The prototype first flew on 16 July 1942, when there were no longer any transatlantic lines to serve. Despite this, and the inability of Piaggio to deliver P.108B bombers on time, an order for a further five P.108Cs was placed.
On 26 March 1941, the P.108T military cargo version was ordered. This unpressurised variant was fitted with one Caproni
Caproni
thumb|right|300px|[[Caproni Ca.316]] seaplane at its moorings.Caproni was an Italian aircraft manufacturer founded in 1908 by Giovanni Battista "Gianni" Caproni....
dorsal turret, one Breda
Breda-SAFAT machine gun
Breda-SAFAT was a series of machine-guns mounted on Italian aircraft during World War II. The weapon came in 7.7mm and 12.7mm variants. The 7.7mm model was similar to the M1919 Browning machine gun and could use some types of .303 British ammunition. The 12.7mm version could fire a...
in the ventral turret, and two flank machine guns, all of 12.7 mm (.5 in) calibre, and was capable of 440 km/h (270 mph). Through a ventral door 4.8 m (15 ft 9 in) long and 1.9 m (6 ft 3 in) wide, it was possible to fit two Macchi C.200
Macchi C.200
The Macchi C.200 Saetta was a World War II fighter aircraft built by Aeronautica Macchi in Italy, and used in various forms throughout the Regia Aeronautica . The MC.200 had excellent manoeuvrability and general flying characteristics left little to be desired...
s. Internal volume was over 77 m³ (2,700 ft³), and could carry up to 60 soldiers, eight torpedoes or 12 tonnes (13 tons) of cargo. After many changes in design, the first P.108T flew on 7 September 1942. Although the 148ma Squadriglia was intended to use both P.108Cs and P.108Ts, only a few were built before the Germans took control of production, subsequently at least 11 other examples were completed.
Four P.108Cs and five P.108Ts were handed over to the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
and used on the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
, notably during the 1944 evacuation of Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
troops from the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
following the fall of Sevastopol
Sevastopol
Sevastopol is a city on rights of administrative division of Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea peninsula. It has a population of 342,451 . Sevastopol is the second largest port in Ukraine, after the Port of Odessa....
. The P.108C (civil airliner
Airliner
An airliner is a large fixed-wing aircraft for transporting passengers and cargo. Such aircraft are operated by airlines. Although the definition of an airliner can vary from country to country, an airliner is typically defined as an aircraft intended for carrying multiple passengers in commercial...
, with 32 seats) and T (military transport) were more reliable than the bomber variants, and their capability of carrying heavy loads (such as two dismantled fighters) was important, as the Luftwaffe did not have many heavy transport aircraft, relying mainly on the smaller Ju 52
Junkers Ju 52
The Junkers Ju 52 was a German transport aircraft manufactured from 1932 to 1945. It saw both civilian and military service during the 1930s and 1940s. In a civilian role, it flew with over 12 air carriers including Swissair and Deutsche Luft Hansa as an airliner and freight hauler...
s. These aircraft also had four 13 mm (.51 in) MG 131 machine gun
MG 131 machine gun
The MG 131 was a German 13 mm caliber machine gun developed in 1938 by Rheinmetall-Borsig and produced from 1940 to 1945...
s as defensive armament, with one in a dorsal turret, one in a ventral position, and two waist positions.
One example, known as "Die General", was destroyed on Salonicco airfield. Transportfliegerstaffel 5 operated most of these aircraft and used them until the end of the war, with one assigned to the links between Italy and Germany and the other on the Eastern front. On 10 August 1944, an air raid destroyed six of them. Another four were destroyed or captured in 1945. The P.108T-2, a postwar version, was proposed but without success, and thus ended the P.108 series history.
P.133
The final development of the P.108, the P.133 prototype, was almost complete by the time of the Armistice (8 September 1943), but the program was dropped soon afterwards and the aircraft was never finished. It was designed to have a lighter structure and several improvements in performance, which were partially influenced by a captured B-24B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
, with a potential speed of 490 km/h (304 mph), 6 × 20 mm and 4 × 12.7 mm (.5 in) guns and a bomb load of up to 4,800 kg (10,600 lb).
Operational history
P.108Bs were deployed in the MediterraneanMediterranean Theatre of World War II
The African, Mediterranean and Middle East theatres encompassed the naval, land, and air campaigns fought between the Allied and Axis forces in the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and Africa...
and North African theatres and first saw action in an unsuccessful day mission against a destroyer on 6 June, releasing 10 160 kg (350 lb) bombs. The aircraft were effectively used a few weeks later, with a night bombing raid over Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
on 28 June 1942.
Gibraltar
The first operation to Gibraltar was almost a disaster; out of five aircraft which set out from DecimomannuDecimomannu
Decimomannu is a comune in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian autonomous region of Sardinia, the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea ....
in Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
, one (MM.22004) was forced to return due to engine trouble while the other four bombed with 66 100 kg (220 lb) and six 250 kg (550 lb) bombs. Three of them, short of fuel, were forced to land in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, two of which (MM.22001 and 22005) crashed or suffered some damage in forced landings. The third (MM.22007) landed in Majorca, a former Italian base in the Spanish Civil War, and thanks to the Spanish pro-Axis policy was quickly refueled and took off from Palma de Majorca
Palma de Mallorca
Palma is the major city and port on the island of Majorca and capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. The names Ciutat de Mallorca and Ciutat were used before the War of the Spanish Succession and are still used by people in Majorca. However, the official name...
for Italy. The two others remained in Spain: MM.22001 crashed on a beach when it was approaching Valencia airport and was written off, MM.22005 suffered minor damage and was stored at San Javier air base but was repaired and tested by the Spanish Air Force. Several other missions were launched until October, which resulted in some damage and further losses. An attempt to change to SM.82s was an expedient (as was the P.108, expecting more from the future P.133).
For a chronology, there were sorties to Gibraltar (without the endurance problems that dogged the first mission), during the night of 3 July (MM.22601 failed to return), 24 September (MM22004 and 22603), 20 October (MM.22002 (written off during an emergency landing after engine failure on takeoff), MM.22004, 22006 and 22007) and 21 October (MM.22602 (destroyed during an emergency landing at Bona
Annaba
Annaba is a city in the northeastern corner of Algeria near the river Seybouse. It is located in Annaba Province. With a population of 257,359 , it is the fourth largest city in Algeria. It is a leading industrial centre in eastern Algeria....
in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
) and two other P.108s), when the "peak" was reached. Each of these missions, involving one to four aircraft (15 sorties in total), was unsuccessful and resulted in around 33% losses. The results were poor, with one Hudson
Lockheed Hudson
The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter...
and some artillery positions destroyed on the ground in the first, "big" mission and further unspecified damage in the others, despite intensive long-range mission crew training between 3 July and September. On 28 October, MM22007 force-landed in Algeria on its third sortie, making in total at least 16 sorties with one aircraft missing, two lost in Spain, two lost in Algeria and one lost in Italy.
Algeria and Africa
Following the Allied invasion of French North Africa, codenamed "Operation TorchOperation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
", more losses were sustained when these aircraft flew missions over Algeria and other African targets. The Allies had over 160 warships and 250 merchant ships in the region. The Luftwaffe had 1,068 aircraft in the II
2nd Air Corps (Germany)
II. FliegerkorpsFor more details see Luftwaffe Organization was formed 11 October 1939 in Frankfurt am Main from the 2. Flieger-Division. The Corps was relocated to the Mediterranean theatre of operations on 15 November 1941...
and X. Fliegerkorps
10th Air Corps (Germany)
X. FliegerkorpsFor more details see Luftwaffe Organization was a formation of the German Luftwaffe in World War II, which specialised in coastal operations. It was formed 2 October 1939, in Hamburg from the 10...
, the Regia had 285 aircraft in Sardinia of which 115 were torpedo-bombers. At least three were downed over Africa in this series of raids, for the most part claimed by Beaufighter
Bristol Beaufighter
The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter, often referred to as simply the Beau, was a British long-range heavy fighter modification of the Bristol Aeroplane Company's earlier Beaufort torpedo bomber design...
s. Nonetheless, in Algeria they struck targets in Bône (now called Annaba
Annaba
Annaba is a city in the northeastern corner of Algeria near the river Seybouse. It is located in Annaba Province. With a population of 257,359 , it is the fourth largest city in Algeria. It is a leading industrial centre in eastern Algeria....
), Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
, Blinda, Philippeville (now called Skikda
Skikda
Skikda is a city in north eastern Algeria and a port on the Gulf of Stora, the ancient Sinus Numidicus. It was known as Philippeville until the end of the Algerian War of Independence in 1962...
), Maison Blanche and Oran
Oran
Oran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest...
.
Some ships were damaged by P.108s in the latter and Algerian raids and over other targets they destroyed some aircraft. These bombers were the only ones capable of flying the 2,000 km (1,240 mi) to Oran. The 274 Squadriglia had only eight P.108s and with them performed only 28 sorties in eight night missions, during a whole month. Three were shot down by night fighters, which on only one occasion were repelled by the wing turrets. Two P.108s were shot down by 153 Sqn Beaufighters in the attack over Algeria's port and the last of these missions was flown on 20 January. Serviceability dropped to one or two aircraft and so with the need for refurbishment, the P.108s returned to the mainland.
Sicily
The final action took place over Sicily, when the 274ma was reinforced up to the basic force of eight machines. They flew 12 sorties against the invasion force between 11 and 22 July. Losses included two aircraft destroyed and two others badly damaged, mainly by Beaufighter and MosquitoDe Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
night fighter
Night fighter
A night fighter is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility...
s. Only one ship was damaged - this closed the career of 274ma and the P.108B.
The last of the 24 P.108Bs ordered was delivered in August. Of these aircraft, six were lost to enemy action (three over Algeria, two over Sicily and perhaps one over Spain), four to accidents (including the one involving Mussolini) and three to forced landings (one in Algeria and two over Spain).
After the armistice
When the armistice was declared on 8 September 1943, only nine aircraft remained. Eight were sabotaged so as not to fall into German hands, the last one was flown to southern Italy, where it was involved in a landing accident. P.108Bs ended their activities with a total of about 15 missions over Gibraltar, 28 over North Africa, 12 over Sicily and some other reconnaissance and anti-shipping sorties (of which only one is known).This aircraft was too complex and difficult to develop without support from the Air ministry and other larger concerns, such as Fiat. None was forthcoming, and while Piaggio was still struggling to debug and produce the P.108B, there were many other requests for the 'C' model airliner, the P.108T military transport, and the 'A' anti-ship versions. Finally, there was also the new strategic bomber, the P.108bis or P.133 to be developed as the "final solution" for Italian bombers, and other projects, such as the P.126, P.127, P.130 to be considered.
Following the P.108Bs' last missions, a few P.108T transports continued to be used until the end of the war, mainly on the Eastern Front when Germany needed to evacuate their encircled troops, even carrying over 100 troops at a time (maximum load was 12 tonnes/13 tons, the total payload was around 14 tonnes/15 tons). The P-108Cs and Ts proved to be more reliable than the bombers, following successful efforts to improve and modify them. One was destroyed in a flying accident over Germany, early in 1945, while the others were used until the end of the war.
Variants
Production totals of the P108C and T are unclear, but combined there were approximately 16 built, with most of the P108Cs subsequently converted to the transport version.- Prototype : MM 22001
- Series 1 : MM 22002—22008, MM 22601—22604
- Series 2 : MM 24315—24326
- Series 3 : MM 24667—24678
P.108 Prototype
P.108A Artiglieri: Anti-shipping version. One built.
P.108B Bombardiere: Heavy bomber version. 24 built.
P.108C Civile: Civil transport version. Uncertain number built, but probably six.
P.108M Modificato: Intended modification of P.108B with heavier armament. None built
P.108T Trasporto: Transport version. More than 12 (including converted P.108Cs).
P.133: Advanced version of the P.108B with better engines and increased bombload. Not completed.
Operators
Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic) : Regia AeronauticaRegia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
Nazi Germany : LuftwaffeLuftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....