Breda Ba . 88 The Breda Ba . 88 " Lince " ( Italian : Lynx ) was a ground - attack aircraft used by the Italian " Regia Aeronautica " during World War II . Its streamlined design and retractable undercarriage were advanced for the time , and after its debut in 1937 the aircraft established several world speed records . However , when military equipment was installed on production examples , problems of instability developed and the aeroplane ' s general performance deteriorated . Eventually its operational career was cut short , and the remaining Ba . 88 airframes were used as fixed installations on airfields to mislead enemy reconnaissance . It represented , perhaps , the most remarkable failure of any operational aircraft to see service in World War II . Design and development . The Breda Ba . 88 was designed to fulfill a 1936 requirement by the " Regia Aeronautica " for a heavy fighter bomber capable of a maximum speed of 530 km / h ( 329 mph ) ( more than that of any other aircraft existing or being planned at the time , ) , armament of 20 mm cannons and range of 2 , 000 km ( 1 , 240 mi ) . It first flew in October 1936 . The project was derived from the aborted Ba . 75 also designed by Giuseppe Panzeri and Antonio Parano . Technical description . The Ba . 88 was an all - metal , twin - engine , two - crew , high - speed monoplane , with a high - mounted wing . It employed a " concentric " fuselage design , with a framework of steel tubes and a metallic skin covering which was both streamlined ( having a very small fuselage cross - section ) and strong . However , this internal load - bearing structure was very complex and of outdated design , as monocoque designs were starting to be developed elsewhere . The internal struts resulted in excessive weight compounded by manufacturing delays . The narrow confines of the fuselage would require the Ba . 88 to carry bombs in a semi - external structure , much to the detriment of the aircraft ' s aerodynamics . The all - metal wings had two longerons , and housed the engine nacelles , undercarriage main elements , and the majority of the 12 self - sealing fuel tank s ( the only protective armour in the aircraft ) , providing a 1 , 586 L ( 419 US gal ) total capacity . All three undercarriage units were retractable , which was unusual for the time . The aircraft was powered by two Piaggio P . XI air - cooled radial engines . They were of the same type as used in other projects such as the Re . 2000 , and drove two three - blade , continuous - speed 3 . 2 m ( 10 . 4 ft ) diameter Breda propellers . The engine nacelles also carried the two main undercarriage units . It had a twin tail to provide the dorsal 7 . 7 mm ( 0 . 303 in ) Breda - SAFAT machine gun with a better field of fire . As for armament , the aircraft had three nose - mounted 12 . 7 mm ( 0 . 5 in ) Breda machine guns with 400 , 450 and 400 rounds respectively . Another Breda ( 7 . 7 mm / 0 . 303 in caliber , with 250 - 500 rounds ) with a high arc of fire , was fitted in the rear cockpit and controlled by a complex motorised electrical system . A modern " San Giorgio " reflector gunsight was fitted , and there was even a provision to mount a 20 mm cannon instead of the central Breda - SAFAT machine gun in the nose . The payload was composed of three bombs of 50 kg ( 110 lb ) , 100 kg ( 220 lb ) and 250 kg ( 550 lb ) , or a Nardi dispenser for 119 2 kg ( 4 lb ) bomblets . All these weapons gave the Ba . 88 impressive armament for its time . The forward pilot ' s cockpit was fully instrumented , with an airspeed indicator capable of reading to 560 km / h ( 350 mph ) , gyroscope and an altimeter ( useful to 8 , 000 m / 26 , 250 ft ) . Testing and evaluation . Despite its structural weight liabilities , the single - tailed prototype set a speed record over a 100 km ( 60 mi ) circuit on 3 February 1937 by reaching 518 km / h ( 322 mph ) , taking the record away from France . Another record was obtained on 10 April 1937 when it achieved 475 km / h ( 295 mph ) over 1 , 000 km ( 620 mi ) . Piloted by Furio Niclot Doglio , the Ba . 88 prototype had two 671 kW ( 900 hp ) Isotta - Fraschini K 14 engines . This record speed was increased to 554 km / h ( 344 mph ) when the modified prototype , using a double tail , was re - equipped with the definitive engines ; the 746 kW ( 1 , 000 hp ) Piaggio P . XI - RC40s . This time it broke German records in a 100 km ( 60 mi ) stage at an average speed of 554 . 4 km / h / 344 . 5 mph ( with 1 , 000 kg / 2 , 200 lb load ) on 5 December 1937 . Finally on 9 December 1937 , another world record was set when averaging 524 km / h ( 326 mph ) over 1 , 000 km ( 621 mi ) with a 1 , 000 kg ( 2 , 200 lb ) load . The Ba . 88 had all the design specifications to be a very effective heavy fighter - bomber . It had a slim , streamlined shape ( noted by all aviation observers ) , a rugged structure , heavy firepower , long range and high speed , with the same horsepower of medium bomber s such as the Br . 20 ( but at 9 tonnes / 10 tons vs . 5 tonnes / 6 tons ) . Despite its promising beginning , the addition of military equipment in the production series aircraft resulted in high wing loading and detrimental aerodynamic effects with a corresponding loss of performance , below any reasonable level . The contract was subsequently canceled , but production was later resumed , mostly for political reasons to avoid closing production lines of Breda and its satellite company IMAM . Production . Production numbers of the first series ( production started in 1939 ) were 81 machines ( MM 3962 - 4042 ) made by Breda , and 24 by IMAM ( MM 4594 - 4617 ) . The first series included eight trainers , with an elevated second pilot ' s seat . This was one of the few combat aircraft to have a dedicated trainer version , but it was not enough to prevent the overall failure of the programme . The second series totalled 19 Breda ( 4246 - 4264 ) and 24 IMAM ( MM : 5486 - 5509 ) machines fitted with small engine cowling rings . There was a limited evolution in this series , with the second series mainly being sent straight to the scrapyard . Operational history . Two " Gruppi " ( Groups ) were equipped with the Breda Ba . 88 on June 1940 , operating initially from Sardinia against the main airfield of Corsica , with 12 aircraft on 16 June 1940 and three on 19 June 1940 . The crews soon found that the Bredas were extremely underpowered and lacked agility , but the lack of fighter opposition resulted in them being able to perform their missions without losses . Later , 64 aircraft became operational serving 7º " Gruppo " in the North African Theatre with 19º " Gruppo " stationed in Sardinia , but their performance remained extremely poor resulting in 7º " Gruppo " being grounded from the end of June until September , when the Italian offensive against British forces started . Of three aircraft used , one was not even capable of taking off , and another could not turn and was forced to fly straight from their base at Castelvetrano to Sidi Rezegh . With anti - sand filters fitted , a maximum horizontal speed of 250 km / h ( 155 mph ) was reported in some cases and several units were even unable to take off at all . These machines were fitted with " Spezzoniera " Nardi dispensers ( with 119 kg / 262 lb bomblets ) , 1 , 000 rounds for the three 12 . 7 mm ( 0 . 5 in ) machine guns and 500 rounds for the 7 . 7 mm ( 0 . 303 in ) Bredas . Although the weapons were not loaded to full capacity and the aircraft was lightened by eliminating the rear machine gun , observer , bombs and some fuel , lessening the weight did not substantially affect the aircraft ' s performance . Such attempts to reduce weight failed to achieve positive results . By mid - November , just five months after the start of the war on 10 June 1940 , most surviving Ba . 88s had been phased out as bombers and stripped of useful equipment , and were scattered around operational airfields as decoys for attacking aircraft . This was a degrading end for the new , ( theoretically powerful ) Breda Ba . 88 . This action forced the " Regia Aeronautica " to use totally outdated aircraft in North Africa , such as the Breda Ba . 65 and Fiat C . R . 32 . As an additional problem , Regia Aereonautica remained without any suitable heavy fighter , a notable weakness for a major air arm . Similar " heavy fighter - zerstorer " projects were developed in several countries . In France , the Breguet Br . 690 even with only 1 , 044 kW ( 1 , 400 hp ) was more capable than the Ba . 88 . Despite some problems of reliability , the Br . 690 showed a practical usefulness that the Breda never achieved . It is notable that the Ba . 88 was also a contemporary of the Messerschmitt Bf 110 , with no great differences in hp , weight , P / W ratio or wingload . But the difference in success was immensely in the Bf 110 ' s favour . Niclot was the only pilot capable of flying this machine at its best ( and only in the racer version which was much lighter ) , while the average pilot was not capable of using it effectively . Despite its impressive world records and aggressive , slim shape , the Ba . 88 was a failure and totally unable to undertake combat missions . Its structure was too heavy , wing loading too high , and the engines were quite unreliable with insufficient power . The Piaggio P . XI was quite powerful , but never reliable , leading also to the overall failure of the Reggiane Re . 2000 . ( Hungary substituted the engines with similar ones for the first license - produced examples ) . Three Ba . 88s were modified by Agusta plant in late 1942 , to serve as ground - attack aircraft . The Ba . 88M had the wingspan increased by 2 meters ( 6 ft 6½ in ) to alleviate wing - loading problems , dive brakes , Fiat A . 74 RC . 38 engines and nose armament increased to four 12 , 7 mm ( 0 , 5 in ) Breda - SAFAT machine guns . Evaluated at Guidonia , they were delivered to the 103° " Gruppo Autonomo Tuffatori " at Lonate Pozzolo on 7 September 1943 , the day before Italian Armistice . Later they were evaluated by Luftwaffe pilots and that was the last heard of this mediocre aircraft .