B-17s vs B-24s: Which Was The Better Bomber?
YouTube / WWII US Bombers
One of the common arguments that came out of WWII is: Which was the better bomber? The B-17 Flying Fortress or the B-24 Liberator?
B-17 Flying Fortress
Boeing ended up producing 13,000 B-17s with the B-17G variant achieving the top performance. It was 70 feet long, had a 103-foot wingspan, and its four Wright R-1820-7 engines provided 1,200 hp.
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It also had a range of 2,000 miles and a cruise speed of 158 knots. It was operated by a 10-man crew and used a total of 12 M2 Browning machine guns.
B-24 Liberator
Manufactured by Consolidated aircraft, over 18,000 B-24s were produced. The B-24J variant featured a wingspan of 100 ft, and was powered by four Pratt & Whitney R-1830 engines.
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The Liberator is also equipped with 10 M2 Browning machine guns.
A Comparison
Both aircraft have the same payload capacities and armaments and use M2 browning machine guns. However, the B-17 was considered more spacious with no defensive positions compared to the B-24’s six.
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On the other hand, the B-24 had a higher cruise speed and a significantly lower service ceiling than the B-17.
The B-24 was easier to produce because of its straightforward design while the B-17 was known for its extreme durability.
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In conclusion, both planes were used in WWII depending on what specific mission was needed. Both planes contributed differently to the outcome of the war because of their design, and function.
