The only unit of the Regia Aeronautica ( Royal Air Force ) ever to fly the Piaggio P.108 was the " 274th Long @-@ Range Bombardment Squadron " . This unit was formed in May 1941 around the first machines that came off the assembly lines . The training of the crews lasted far longer than anticipated and only in June 1942 the 274th became operational . The most spectacular raids with the P. 108 bombers were flown in October 1942 when several night attacks against Gibraltar were undertaken from Sardinia .