OK whats verdict on this besides covering issues. Bellcrank? quality of hardware ?? thank you,Dan   

Hey Dan, it is a good flier. Similar to the Oriental, flies good w/ OS . 35.e  Do the  usual ARF mods, re-enforce the firewall w/ tri stock,, check controls carefully. I usually just put good bell ranks and carbon tube / ball link pushrods. Some Brodak's ARFs I've seen have questionable wood in mount beams for engine. Aluminum pads are a good idea.

Dan
I have first ARF Smoothie hanging up waiting to recover elevator and stab where the original film lifted when castor oil from my Fox 35 seeped in after two season. It is a super flier. Fox is a hemi/ stuffer setup with the ceramic piston/ liner setup, and ST tyle NV - running uniflow with Powermaster 29% Castor oil, and Sonictronic GloDevil RC plug with idle bar. Turns a 10-5 APC prop. Perfect 2-4 break . Muffler is tube style from Scott Dinger.
Have a second Smoothie ARC in progress- will use same powerplant setup-   I,m applying my own Iron on
(Ultrakote) . Both versions have had leadouts changed from what was supplied, Also using real Dubro hinges , and Tom Dixon style pushrod from flap to elevator ( Music wire with carbon fiber tube ). Added bushings on the flap and elevator horns. Also modified fwd bulkhead to allow room for longer tank ( see writeup from Garden State Circle Burners), and reinforced the gear mounting ply wood plate with extra internal gussets and some fiberglass.

I have a balsa smoothie looking for a veco 32 for it and a 3" veco bellcrank got a rank and wheels both veco. I know its not a great engine. but if it was good enough for bob it will work for me. jim

Hi Dan,

Pretty sure you are right on the OS .32F.  I know I had a third one at one time.

Bill

I have been flying brodak arfs now for about 7 years without much problems. I have rigged them with carbon fiber pushrods and ball joints and every iteration back to using all stock. Never have had an issue.... til this year.  I had a leadout let go on a P-40 wing. It slid thru the crimp. Their larger planes use a wrapped type termination on the leadouts but the .40 and under size planes use crimps. There have been mentions of failures but I have not seen that many first hand ones so I just normally check them and then pull test. It it tests ok I figure I am fine. This particular wing had had a year of flying on it in a custom airframe. It was resized to a .60 size plane and powered electric. The plane had a good number of flights on it and had passed contest pull tests. This spring on takeoff the up line (fortunately) pulled thru on takeoff. It simply nosed over and stopped. It just pulled thru the crimp. This wing was an arc so I was able to inspect it initially and everything looked proper and fine.

Long and the short has been two mods now for all my planes. All planes with crimpted leadouts get replacement leadouts. The second was incorporated by my entire cl flying group. Each plane gets a pull test before flight every day. Not a big thing. But could be. 

bob branch