could a "badly smoking" P47 ...stop to smoke?

[Flyingkag]

Hey all,

working about a lost in airfight P47, I have following question:

That P47 was supposed to have been touched by german Me109 at about 1500 meter high, and seen "smoking badly" by witness (wingman) before being MIA...

But a ground witness saw it - a short time later- very low just some seconds before the final crash, and the plane didn't smoke, according to his (seeming very strong) statement.

Could someone have an explanation about it?

Is it possible that such a probably heavily damaged plane - "smoking badly"- could be "OK again" in flight and let one witness observe a "not smoking" incoming plane one minute later?

Thanks for any possible help and explanaition,

regards,

Mathias

[Nick Beale]

Maybe the fire went out because the pilot cut the fuel supply or switched off the engine altogether, or it blew out with the air speed. (Also some bombers had built-in extinguishers but I don't know if any fighters did).

Another possibility is that the German pilot mistook exhaust smoke for smoke from a fire, this happened a lot on both sides.

[paul kroon]

Could it have been a glycol-stream?
pp

[drgondog]

Originally Posted by paul kroon

Could it have been a glycol-stream?
pp

Not with a P-47. Possible oil burning or as noted above a fire which was started by the explosive round that died in flight.

[Flyingkag]

Hey guys,

thanks for your very interesting answers!

I guess that the plane flew about 6 miles before crashing, and it had a runing engine as he was observed just before crash. So I believe that we cannot imagine that pilot had cut out the engine or fuel alimentation.

But maybe (?) was it possible to cut it (to stop the fire)...and start it again in flight some time later?

I believe a P47 is a bad glider plane...

Could such a P47, with damaged and smoking engine, keep flying one minute long, but downing from 1500 meters to zero...? Or would it have downed quicker?

What means for you the fact that the plane was last seen in a "slight turn" as smoking badly? Wounded pilot or damaged commands?

Thanks for your precious help!

mathias

[drgondog]

The P-47 could have taken severe damage to the engine, including destruction of one or more cyclinders - which would explain loss of power, but not stopping engine, and oil burning around the damaged cylinders..

slow turn could be due to rudder damage or pilot loss of control due to wounds - but if only rudder, ailerons could offset directional control.

[Flyingkag]

thanks for answer Drondong!

I agree with you;

but what about the "bad black smoke" seen in air by wingman and...no more visible one minute later, by witness on ground, just some seconds before the crash???

Does it mean that there would have been no more oil to burn?

Problem for me is to understand WHY the plane was at first smoking badfly and one minute later...no more, but with still runing (loosing altitude) motor.

Any idea?

Mathias

[drgondog]

Only the ideas advanced.

[Flyingkag]

it's not to bad!!!

Thanks for your precious help!

Mathias

[waroff]

The fuel tank was self sealed, but it is necessary a few seconds so that the hole gets blocked