I flew the B-24 in Combat in the Pacific. My aircraft was "Ruff Knights". number 550. My ground crewman did the Nose Art.
The B-24 was faster, could carry more bombs and fly further
than the B-17. Later I flew the B-17 in the States and the B-29. I much preferred the B-24 over The B-17.
The B-17 was sloppy and reminded me of the C-47. Some have said the B-24 was difficult to fly. I didn't
think so and I had to pull out of some very dangerous situations at times.. We flew 34 missions out of Saipan and the last 6
out of Guam.. My ground crew chief, later told me he and Ruff Knights (550) were shipped to Okinawa. When the war
was over Ruff Knights along with the rest of the fleet was bull dozed into a huge canyon or ditch and covered over. It would cost
too much to fly them back. Leonard Porter, Lt. Colonel USAF, Retired.