how could a "badly smoking" P-47...stop to loose smoke?

[Flyingkag]

Hey all,

I asked such a question for a couple of years, but maybe some news members on forum or "old rabbits" have an idea about such a question today?

In one P-47 crash history, the wingman of the MIA pilot said in the MACR that last time he saw his leader, he was "at about 4000 feet, in a slight turn, his P-47 smoking baddly".

BUT a witness on the ground (14 on that time), who witnessed the same crashing P-47 on that day, said that the plane was NOT smoking as it flow over him at low altitude, (100 meters high), and he saw it fly down and down and crash on teh ground; He says that the plane was NOT smoking before hitting teh ground,and is 100% sure of that fact.

Could it give a mechanical /technical explanation about the "badly smoking plane"..."stoping of smoking"... if we try to consider that both statements should be corresponding with what happened "really" on that day?

(...pure speculation with statements, sure! Truth is rarely black or white, but most of times a mix of greys) )

Thanks for any help!

Mathias