Italo-German cooperation: Piaggio P.108 with BMW 801 engines?

[Default Setting]

Throughout WW2, Germany tried and repeatedly failed to develop a suitable heavy bomber. What if it had cooperated with Italy to accelerate the development of the Piaggio P.108, possibly having its own built under license by Dornier or some other company, and fitted it with BMW 801 engines?

It wouldn't have been a game changer, and in any case probably wouldn't have been available in large numbers until 1941, but could it have improved Germany's strategic bombing capabilities on the Eastern front?

[NARSES2]

Interesting idea. I couldn't see it happening in the "real" world for various reasons, most of which would have been political, but given the Italian's did licence build German engines maybe they re-engined it and the German's "borrowed" some ?

As you say it could have proved useful on the Eastern Front if the Luftwaffe could have sorted out how to use it - politics again ?

I've got the SH kit in the stash as well 

[Default Setting]

Interesting idea. I couldn't see it happening in the "real" world for various reasons, most of which would have been political, but given the Italian's did licence build German engines maybe they re-engined it and the German's "borrowed" some ?

That could indeed have been the way around political snags: an informal quid pro quo. "You get the license for our engines at a really advantageous price (and maybe a bunch of technical advisors to speed up production), and in exchange we get first dibs on your heavy bombers" or something to that effect.

Aside from the engines, one change I see the Germans making is adding a tail gun position, as in the He 177.

[jcf]

Piaggio P.XI RC.35, 18-cylinder
Weight: 850 kg (1,874 lbs)
Length: 1,700 mm (66.93 in)
Diameter: 1,410 mm (55.51 in)

BMW 801C, 14 cylinder
Weight: 1,012 kg (2,231 lb)
Length: 2,006 mm (79 in)
Diameter: 1,290 mm (51 in)

The engine installation; mounts, systems connections etc., would need redesign, and
you'd be adding ~650 kg, or more with the complete installation, forward of the cg.
Real world engine swaps are fairly complicated, unless like some period civil aircraft
a variety of engine choices are adressed in original design. How long the engineering,
installation testing, and flight testing would take is anybody's guess.