I don't recognize this AC

[Park]

A B-17D or earlier ? I've never seen that nose before.

 

[Capt. Vick]

It's an Italian Piaggio P. 108 WWII bomber

 

[Thorlifter]

Nice one Capt Vick. I sure didn't recognize it

 

[Park]

Now that I look at it again I notice the cockpit windows and the gear doors, not a B-17. But I would have never known.

 

[GrauGeist]

The props and cowlings are different, too.

 

[Airframes]

And the wing, wing position and fuselage cross section.

 

[GrauGeist]

Funny thing that I did notice, is that the props have what looks like a Hamilton Standard logo on them...lol

 

[evangilder]

Probably Hamiltini

 

[Wurger]

 

[Wayne Little]

haven't seen one of them before...

 

[tyrodtom]

Mussolini's son Bruno, was killed in a P-108 crash in 1941.

 

[Matt308]

... and remote turrets on the wings.

 

[al49]

I don't know what it is but I don't think is a Piaggio P 108.
Some nice pictures of it can be found here
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/aircraft-picture-requests/piaggio-p-108-a-84.html
Cheers
Alberto

 

[GrauGeist]

It's definately a Piaggio P.108, but the nose turret (usually above the bombadier) is gone on this version. The transport version has the glass nose and turret removed...

 

[A4K]

Good call Jim! I didn't have a clue what it was!

 

[krieghund]

It looks like an early B-17C. Added a table for comparison too.

 

[mudpuppy]

Thanks for that image to compare the P108 with the B-17...I can see some similaities there too. And now i can see the remote gun turrets on the outboard engines; I wonder how well those worked?
Derek

 

[Elmas]

Mussolini's son Bruno, was killed in a P-108 crash in 1941.

that was this one:

 

[tyrodtom]

that was this one:

View attachment 190740

That looks like a survivable crash. Or did a flying propeller blade get him?

 

[Elmas]

Sorry, the right image is not the aforementioned but this one:

The cause of the accident was a typical landing stall, even if Bruno Mussolini was a very experienced pilot.
"The cockpit section was separated from the rest of the aircraft and Bruno Mussolini died of his injuries. The machine did not catch fire but was nevertheless totally destroyed in the impact. Five members of the crew were injured and three were killed. Bruno was one of the three killed." (From wiki)

Piaggio P.108 Prototype MM.22001. with the green and ochre camouflage. Guidonia, 1940

A P.108B, without the front turret:

Piaggio P. 108B. Night training at Guidonia airfield, waiting for the first war mission on Gibraltar of 28 June 1942