The 8th and 15th US army air forces deployed both B-17s and B-24 heavy bombers to destroy vital German war critical targets during WWII. This video will address 13 parameters related to the combat effectiveness of each bomber by comparing these metrics. It will become well apparent the the B-17 is superior to the B-24 when used in the European theater. The B-17 had fewer combat losses per sortie, better bomb accuracy, exhibited better formation flying qualities and visibility, higher crew survivability during water ditching and less accidents than the B-24 platforms.