Piaggio P. 32 bis, third time's a charm... right?

MuccoPazzino · November 4, 2024, 4:07pm

Would you like to fly this?

YEP!
NO :(

0 voters

The P.32bis, after replacing the Asso XI engines with the 1,000 hp radial Piaggio P XI RC 40 engines, in its final configuration and with full armament, during takeoff for its last, tragic flight on February 25, 1938.

General History of the Piaggio P.32

The Piaggio P.32 was developed in the mid-1930s in response to the Regia Aeronautica’s request for a new medium bomber to strengthen Italy’s aerial capabilities. Designed by the renowned Italian aeronautical engineer Giovanni Pegna, the aircraft was intended to fulfill both tactical and strategic missions, with a focus on enhancing speed, range, and bomb load capacity compared to existing models.

First Flight and Initial Issues

The P.32-I first took to the skies in 1936. It was a bold design, featuring a twin-engine configuration with Isotta Fraschini Asso XI RC 40 engines, each producing 825 horsepower. The aircraft had a unique twin-tail structure and a sturdy build intended for carrying heavy bomb loads.

Development of the P.32-II

To address the issues, Piaggio quickly began work on an improved version, the P.32-II. This variant introduced several changes to correct the stability and power shortcomings of the original design.

Despite these modifications, the P.32-II still failed to meet performance expectations, necessitating further refinement.

Despite these efforts, the P.32-II still did not meet the performance expectations, prompting further development.

AND HERE WHEN FINALLY COME TO THE FULCRUM OF THE SUGGESTION:

Introduction of the P.32 bis

In January 1936, a contract was signed for a limited series of P.32bis (three units), even though the evaluation of the first prototype had yet to be completed. The aircraft made its inaugural flight in Reggio Emilia on February 23, 1937, piloted by Mario Gamna (whom Pegna had successfully recruited from Piaggio). By this time, 11 months after the order, ragardless of all the efforts the production was still too slow, with only two aircraft nearing completion.

Tests on the adjacent airfield revealed structural flaws in the wings, while the Asso engines continued to demonstrate their limitations and unreliability. Additional complications arose due to the unresolved armament configuration, which affected the weight distribution in the fuselage and, consequently, the aircraft’s balance. This issue was compounded by operational difficulties with the P.32 in service with the 18th Wing. In March 1937, a new requirement surfaced: two special aircraft needed to be prepared quickly for the famous Blue Riband race, scheduled for August 20-21, 1937, on the Istres-Damascus-Paris route. The Caproni Ca405C “Procellaria” was the result, derived from two P.32bis aircraft under construction , with the Ministry of Aeronautics’ approval.

In the summer of 1937, work resumed to complete the P.32bis order.
Test flights of the prototype continued in an effort to resolve the issues, but by December 1937, flights revealed that the aircraft’s performance remained below contractual expectations due to insufficient engine power. As a result, this aircraft underwent the same modification as the P.32 had a year earlier. In January 1938, the Asso engines were replaced with 1,000 hp Piaggio P XI RC 40 radial engines. In this new configuration, the P.32bis was flown by Gamna on February 12, 1938, showing improvements in overall characteristics and finally exhibiting normal takeoff behavior thanks to the counter-rotation of the two propellers.

However, these observations were preliminary and did not lead to a complete testing cycle.

On February 14, 1938, a second prototype of the P.32bis, equipped with Piaggio P.XI RC.40 engines, took flight.

A few days later, on February 25, during its return to the airfield, the aircraft suffered a failure of the left engine, followed by a fire. In the emergency landing, mechanics Casali and Pugi, despite severe injuries and burns, managed to escape the wreckage, while Gamna attempted to exit through the hatch above the cockpit. Unfortunately, his fellow crew members were unable to assist the ill-fated pilot, who likely suffered leg fractures and was unable to escape, ultimately perishing in the flames.

Soon after, the Italian Royal Air Force canceled the order for 22 P.32bis units that were already in production.

These events negatively impacted the P.32s in service with the XXXVII Group, under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Arnaldo Lubelli. The 47th Squadron continued to operate aircraft without the nose turret (replaced with a mock-up), a clear indication that the evaluation program had been abandoned. The first Piaggio-powered models had been delivered, although without armament, but accidents persisted. According to some accounts, at least one accident resulted in the aircraft catching fire, with tragic consequences for the crew, though the 18th Wing’s historical log, usually a reliable source, makes no mention of it.

Not long after every P.32 was abandoned.

Sad picture:

Furbara Range, year 1942: a wreck of a P.32/I.F. is used as a ground target during bombing tests.
(Not the one i am suggesting but you get the idea of where the P.32s ended up.)

Conclusion

The Piaggio P.32 serires represents an interesting chapter in the history of Italian aviation in the 1930s. Although it did not achieve the hoped-for operational success, it offers an example of the challenges and innovations faced by the Italian aeronautical industry in attempting to create modern and effective bombers for the Regia Aeronautica.
The iterative improvements from the P.32-I to the P.32 bis highlight the challenges and complexities of advancing aviation technology in a rapidly evolving military landscape.

In Warthunder the Piaggio P.32 bis could be a rank 3 bomber, with a very nice top speed and a respectable bomb load, its two older brothers could be foldered togheter at rank 2.

Specifications

Structure and Design

Crew: 5 members (pilot, co-pilot, bombardier/navigator, forward gunner, rear gunner)
Length: 16.2 meters
Wingspan: 17.5 meters
Height: 4.7 meters
Wing Area: 59 m²
Empty Weight: 6800 kg

Engines

Type: Two Piaggio P.XI R.C.40 radial engines, hree-blade metal propellers, one right-handed and
one left-handed, with variable pitch.
Power: 1,000 HP each

Performance

Maximum Speed: 420 km/h
Minimum Speed: 130 km/h
Range: 2500 km
Service Ceiling: 8,000 meters

Armament

Defensive Armament

Machine Guns:

1 Breda SAFAT 7.7 mm machine gun in forward turret, Breda H.
2 Breda SAFAT 12.7 mm machine guns in dorsal turret, Breda M1.
1 Breda SAFAT 12.7 mm machine gun in remotely operated ventral turret, X1 type, experimental.

Offensive Armament

Bomb Load:
- Up to 2000 kg of bombs in the internal bomb bay

NOTE: some of these images are not the Piaggio engines refit, but are the Asso engines, i chose to put them in any way so that’s possible to see more of the aircraft body, since the engine’s shape is the only thing different from the two sub-versions. Look at the picture on the top of the suggestion for reference.

Images

Italia