A four engine strategic bomber Piaggio P.108B of Italian Regia Aeronautica’s 274th Squadriglia Bombardamento Grande Raggio (Long Range Bombardment Squadron) in night training at Guidonia Airfield, near Rome, waiting for transfer to Decimomannu, in Sardinia, for the first war mission on Gibraltar of 28 June 1942. Victor Sierra 

Italian strategic bomber

Italian pre-war heavy bomber, father of the Piaggio P 108 the four engined bomber of the Regia Aereonautica in ww2. The P 50 I was a 4 engined bomber with the uncommon solution of two engines with pushing props, as you can see. DVX

Piaggio P 50 I

A group of Italian strategic bombers P.108B of 274ª Squadriglia Bombardamento a Grande Raggio ready for a night long-range mission. The first mission of this large plane, only four engines strategic bomber of Axis forces (the German FW-200 was a maritime patrol aircraft), was against Gibraltar on 28 June 1942 with five aircrafts. Because engine troubles and enemy’s reaction, the results were disappointing. One aircraft was forced to return to Decimomannu due to engine trouble while the other four bombed the target with 66 bombs 100 kg (220 lb) and six bombs 250 kg. But three P.108s, short of fuel, were forced to land in Spain, two of which  crashed or suffered some damage in forced landings. A third plane landed in Majorca and was quickly refueled and took off for Italy. The damages inflicted to Gibraltar were very small. Several other missions were launched until October, which resulted in some damage and further losses. Victor Sierra