The last surviving original crew member of 'Thunderbird', B-17G 42-38050 assigned to the 303rd BG, passed away on Dec. 1.
S/SGT Walter E. Hein was the ball turret gunner on the aircraft's original crew during 24 missions over Europe.
'Thunderbird' is the subject of Keith Ferris' huge mural painting in the Smithsonian, and the namesake for Lone Star Flight Museum's B-17.
Thunderbird went on to fly 112 total missions over Europe with multiple crews, survivng the war only to be scrapped.
Godspeed SGT Hein ...
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