Best Bomber Killing Aircraft......

[cheddar cheese]

Thanks for the info, nice pics too

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I have a bunch of pics on my computer I have a whole folder dedicated to the Luftwaffe aircraft and next I am going to do the allies starting with the British and the US. I try to collect as many pictures and specs and break them down by type.

[cheddar cheese]

Thats exactly what I do. Apart from the specs that is. I also have a whole folder with pictures of the P-38 in, I currently have 156 and counting!

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Damn you love that Lightning dont you?

[cheddar cheese]

Yep

I have about 10 of the P.108, I would have more, if I could find more

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I can help you. I dont have any either. What aircraft was the P.108. I cant remember that one.

[cheddar cheese]

Piaggio P.108: Italian Heavy Bomber

[plan_D]

That first P.108 picture is good...you can just picture all of those surrendering, it's so easy to do.

[cheddar cheese]

I happen to think its a good pictue too, but for different reasons

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Ah yes I know which aircraft you are talking about. Yeah the first one was good.

The Piaggio P.108 B was the only heavy four-engine bomber to see service with the Regia Aeronautica during World War Two. Too few were built to play a significant role in the war, only 163 P.108 Bs having been built. The P.108 B was an all-metal cantilever low-wing monoplane with an retractable under-carriage, driven by four 1,350 hp Piaggio P.XII radial engines. The first prototype was finished in 10/39 and had a very advanced defensive armament for its day of two 7.7 mm machine waist guns, a 12.7 mm machine gun in the lower turret and a similar weapon in the nose turret, and two remotely-controlled twin gun turrets in outer engine nacelles. The first Allied bomber with a similar armament was the Boeing B 29, developed four years later. The bomb load of the Piaggio comprised of 7,700 lbs, all carried internally in the bomb bay.

The only unit of the Regia Aeronautica ever to fly the P.108 B was the 274th Long-Range Bombardment Group. This unit was formed in 5/41 around the first machines that came off the assembly lines. The training of the crews lasted far longer than anticipated and in 6/42 the 274th became operational. The most spectacular raids with the P. 108 B were flown in 10/42 when several night attacks against Gibraltar were undertaken from Sardinia. Several versions were derived from the P. 108 B: such as the P.108A, which had a 102 mm anti-shipping gun in the nose; the P.108C airliner and the P.108T transport. The latter two versions had a larger diameter fuselage for transporting passengers or freight. They were hardly used by the Regia Aeronautica, the main user being the German Luftwaffe. In 9/43, after the Italian armistice, the Luftwaffe had captured all fifteen P.108 Cs and P.108 Ts built. They were used at the Russian front, as part of Luftflotte 2, where they performed sterling duties, among others during the evacuation of the Crimea in 1944.

Model Piaggio P 108
Horsepower 1350 x 4
Engine Piaggio P.IIX RC 35
Max Speed 420 km at 3,900 m
Range 3,520 Km
Max Elevation 8,050 m
Wingspan 32 m
Height 7.70m
Weight 17,320 Kg
Max Weight 29,885 Kg
Length 22.92m
Crew 6
Payload 3,500 Kg
Armament 6 x 12,7 mm + 1 x 12,7 mm + 2 x 7.7 mm

Here is the only pic of the P.108 I have at this moment. I have not started on my Italian folder yet.

[cheddar cheese]

Yeah I got that one and the information

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

It the only one I have right now.

[cheddar cheese]

There is my two - I have a few others I can post too if you like.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

sure go ahead that way I can already copy them

[cheddar cheese]

Ok, here you go