B-17- and B-24 Liberator squadrons flying over Germany, 1945 (in color)

Introduced in 1938, the Boeing B-17 was the foremost bomber in World War 2. Of the 1.5 million tons of bombs dropped on Germany and its territories by the U.S, 640,000 tons were dropped by the B-17. The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was also an American heavy bomber. Often compared with the better-known Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, the B-24 had a more modern design with a higher top speed, a greater range, and a heavier bomb load; it was also more difficult to fly, with heavy control forces and poor format