A detail of the most interesting feature of the Piaggio P.108: the twin-barrel remote controlled Breda Z2 turrets installed upper the external engine cowlings, each armed with a pair of 12.7mm (0.50) Breda-SAFAT machine guns (0.50). This feature was adopted only by another strategic bomber of the WW2, the American Boeing B-29. Excluding the only 12.7mm in the nose turret , not adopted by the series aircraft (P-108B), and a part the weapons of the remote controlled turret, the Piaggio four-engines airplanes had a 12.7mm machine gun in a belly turret and two 7.7mm waist machine guns (one right-hand, the other left-hand). Victor Sierra

The P.108’s most interesting feature

An Italian bomber Piaggio P.108B warm-up its engines before the take-off. The aircraft has the upper surfaces finished in dark olive green and hasn’t the lengthened exhausts. Therefore is a plane not still prepared for the night missions accomplished on 1942 by few P.108 of 274th Squadriglia against Gibraltar. Cleary visible the four radial engines double row 18 cylinder Piaggio P.XII RC.35, power output 1,350 HP (993 kW), take off power 1,500 HP. The lacking reliability of this engine was the principal sources of the many troubles of this, in a sense excellent, aircraft, the only authentic strategic bomber of the Italian Air Force. Victor Sierra

Warming-up the engines

Benito Mussolini at his desk, 1920s.  From the look on his face, it looks as though he may be having (and losing) an argument with his furry colleague as to who is the REAL Duce ... Best regards, JR.