Collins Foundation 'Betty Jane'

[The Ripper]

Does anyone know the aeroplane's current status? I saw around Christmas time, there was talk this aeroplane was going to England to be flown over there for a season, and have since seen a picture of the fuselage in a shipping jig, but that talk has only come from one source.

I've also seen mentions about the aeroplane going into deep maintenance. Does anyone have any more information?

Thanks

[JohnB]

And for those of us who don't memorize temporary nicknames of airplanes we don't own (aside from the rarer stuff and B-17s and B-29s) pray tell, what is Betty Jane?

[BigGrey]

And a sweet flying one at that. I like the shoulder room in the back seat compared to a D.
I heard deep maintenance also.

[JohnTerrell]

I still remember a photo of the aircraft on one of its first test flights, at which time it had the rear cockpit covered over by a conversion-assembly (may have been multiple parts/panels) that made it look just like a stock single-seater (the only noticeable difference being the antenna mast that is positioned farther back on the spine). Does anyone know if that is still possible/conversion-assembly parts still around for it?

[Taigh Ramey]

Pappy posted this on facebook which gives a good look at her current status

https://www.facebook.com/jim.goolsby.1/posts/1333331323391615

[Randy Haskin]

When did Betty Jane go from being a "replica" TP-51C to having an actual NAA/wartime ID and just being considered a straight-up warbird?

When Muszala was building this 15-ish years ago, it was commonplace among the warbird community to talk about it as the "replica P-51C" (obviously acknowledging it was assembled with a number of "real" NAA parts he'd collected), but now people seem surprised when I mention that it wasn't a restoration of a known wreck/airframe or a dataplate rebuild.

When did an ID get attached to the airplane? What's the history of that ID?

Not trying to take anything away from the airplane -- it is beautiful, and Muszala's work is terrific -- but the "historian" in me is curious.