Breda developments of Z.1018 Leone
In late 1942 the designer of the Z.1018, Zappata, moved to Breda to try and get the project back on track.
Breda had been underutilised with the failure of the Ba.88 Lince, but had considerable experience of all-metal aircraft construction, and so their facilities in Milan were well placed to take up production of the Z.1018 Leone and contracts were awarded for 400 aircraft. As Breda set up an assembly line for the aircraft, Zappata returned to the drawing boards and resumed work on development models of the Leone.
Four models were proposed, BZ. (Breda Zappata) 301 high altitude bomber, BZ.302 high altitude fighter, BZ.303 night fighter, torpoedo bomber, and BZ.304 tank destroyer. In September 1943 approval was given to construct a prototype BZ.301 as the Leone III and three prototypes of the BZ.303 as the Leone II.
The BZ.301 was minimally changed from the Z.1018, but reverted to the original twin-tail layout and featured an extended inner wing section. The BZ.303 was a significant rework, looking more like the original Z.1018 prototype. One of the BZ.303's was to be built with DB604 engines as the BZ.303bis.
However all too little too late. Allied bombers destroyed the Breda facility on 30 April 1944 before any aircraft were completed.