Fri May 24, 2019 3:26 pm
Fri May 24, 2019 3:45 pm
Fri May 24, 2019 3:54 pm
Fri May 24, 2019 5:00 pm
Fri May 31, 2019 1:55 pm
Fri May 31, 2019 2:05 pm
JohnTerrell wrote:As mentioned, it is the same airframe that had been known as "Betty Jane".
A P-51B and a P-51C are absolutely identical - the only difference is place of manufacture. During WWII, in the ETO, there were about 10 P-51B's/C's that were modified in the field with the addition of a rear seat and canopy - highly unlikely they were ever referred to as a "TP-51B" or "TP-51C" - no dual controls, and with far less precision in fit and finish than the Collings airplane, which has custom-built and crafted rear canopy, cockpit, etc. The Collings aircraft was newly-built by Pacific Fighters, completed in 2004. It has the data plate identity from a wartime-wrecked P-51C, in which the remains were recovered in England. The "Betty Jane" markings it had previously were of a P-51B, as were the 4th FG markings it had before that. ("Boise Bee", or "Bee", is another restored P-51C painted in the markings worn by a P-51B - but again, there is no physical difference between the two other than the data plate.)
Fri May 31, 2019 3:44 pm
Fri May 31, 2019 4:14 pm
Ryan Harris wrote:The Malcolm hood was a field mod only and could be fit to any B or C.
Fri May 31, 2019 8:42 pm
Sat Jun 01, 2019 10:47 am
GRNDP51 wrote:Got it, like the D & K (besides prop, which some K's got Hamilton's anyway). I always just associate the B with the malcolm hood and C's to have the sharp razorback canopy. So there were B model's built without the malcolm hood? To me that's similar to asking if there were K's built without the AeroProducts prop.