That look's great Chris.  You ought to duplicate it - kit bashing a Brodak Smoothie 

Chris, buddie - Patternmaster?, I dont' get it. The Brodak kit is very a reproduction of the Palmer/Veco version. I just completed one (Smoothie on the Grass post). Your Dad's is a cool looking airplane.  Has sort of a pre-WW2 interceptor vibe. It would be an easy kit-bash and with your pic and post as documentation (with your permission) - Classic legal IMHO. 

Wow,     I didn't know that.  The wing on the plane I built was pretty darn thin (or so I thought).  I'll go compare it to the Veco Smoothie kit I have in the archive!  At any rate, it is waaay thinner than a Patternmaster (but I know you were just making a point.)  PC

Thanks Bill. I'm glad to hear that the kit wing was authenticated by Bob Palmer-for awhile there I was afraid I would have to build another one before VSC.   PC

I had the extreme pleasure of sitting next to Bob Palmer at a restaurant at VSC one year. He was a joy to be with. He would be quiet for a while and then would talk about airplanes, or the Lockheed Skunk Works, or even RC boats.

He even talked about trolling for fish with an RC boat!

Believe me, when Bob talked We All Listened! He was sharp as a tack.

I have an 8 x 10 picture on the wall of my office, with Bob, Bill Byles, Dale Gleason, and myself that I treasure. I will have to scan it so all can see.

Chris, that wing gear really makes the airplane! I have seen Green Box Noblers that looked better with a wing gear and wheel pants. This is the first Smoothie I have seen with a wing gear. My hat is off again to your father.

Chris, I thought I would step in here for a minute, and add my input to the conversation re: the Brodak Smoothie.

I am the person who drew up the plans for Brodak's version. Bob Palmer and I spent hours on the phone going over details so the plans could be as true to his original as possible. Bob sent me his original drawings, hand drawn on butcher paper to use, so I could get it right. I returned the originals to Bob when I finished the new plans, but did make a copy for my own archives. I'm sure that the originals are in the possession of the owner of Bob's estate.

Just to clarify exactly what airfoil is used on the Brodak version, NACA 0018, but that doesn't include the flap legnth in the calculation, so it's more like 0016. NACA 4 digit airfoils were  used on most of his other designs, and it wouldn't be a stretch that he would use it on the Smoothie.

He relayed this information to me personally during one of our many phone conversations.

When the Smoothie was first conceived, he wanted a plane that would handle wind and turbulence. So, since he worked at Lockheed, he went to the Design Dept. and asked them what would be a good airfoil for that purpose. They told him that the airfoil they were using on the stab of a new plane they were working on would probably do the job. It was the Herky Bird's stab airfoil that was used for the first Smoothie.

He built and finished the  new plane. He found that it did handle wind and turbulence well, but in normal air, it didn't have the qualities, esp. in the turn, that he wanted, so he built and finished another, using his more normal 4 digit airfoil. This second plane was the one he preferred.

Bob apparently always looking for an edge, finished up the second plane in an identical color and trim scheme. He told me that when he went to a contest, he had both planes in his trunk. If it was windy, out came the thin winged first version. If it was normal conditions he would use the second version, as it handled better in normal conditions.

He also told me a little about what happened and why the first version was the one published, and kitted.

He was on a trip, out of the country, if I remember correctly, and Henry (Heco, or later Veco) sent off the wrong plan to the publisher. Bob wanted the second version to be published and kitted, Henry kitted the first version, apparently, I am assuming, so the kit and published plans would match.

This was all told to me personally by Mr. Palmer himself. I believe it can't get much better than that.

Both version 1 and 2 should be OT legal, in all PAMPA OT contests.   

Great story John, thanks!  BTW: Great job on the plans in all the Brodak kits I have seen-definite keepers. 

Thanks John,
I made some ribs to replace the broken ones on the Smoothie. I'll see if I can find the drawings or the ribs. (I guess I gave away how far I went on the repair!)
Chris...

This thread sent me rushing to the garage "workshop" to check out my unbuilt Dumas Smoothie kit. It does indeed have the razor-sharp leading edge, rearward high point and thin wing as in the photo. Very much like the super-critical airfoil on the P-51 and early Century series jets of the time and would have been very familiar to Lockheed engineers around 1952. Hard to believe it would fly stunt at all. I have the Brodak kit and also the ARF with thicker wing, which are also overall a larger model with many differences in construction compared to the Veco/Dumas line. Both fly amazingly well in wind with the thicker blunt wing. Must be the eliptical tips. Anybody have a supportable opinion about what, exactly, makes the Smoothie (either type) good in wind?

Hi all
In my much younger days I built a mid 50s Veco Smoothie but it was the cowled version.  A little on the heavy side but I remember it flying very will in the July wind in Walnut Creek, Ca.  Now that I am retired I bought the Brodak Smoothie kit but want to convert it to the Veco cowled version.  I plan on installing a reworked Fox  40 ABC deluxe.  Does anyone know how I can get my hands on a good readable full size copy of the complete set of the original Veco plans which include:Plans, step by step instructions and the instruction sheet for the cowling.  I tried the AMA and what they sent me was incomplete. I would be willing to pay any reasonable related expense.
Thanks,
Lon Retzloff

Hi Lon:

Welcome aboard. It sounds like you want to build the inverted engine version, as shown on the Veco/Dumas box and on the drawings that came with the old kits. If so, Pete Cunha who lives in the Bay Area has one flying. Don't know if you are still around Walnut Creek. In any case, your Brodak kit plans already show the centerline and the thrust line. You only need to modify or cut new ply formers and locate the engine bearers along the top of the engine centerline rather than below, and then build a cowl and top blocks like a zillion other stunters. I can probably photocopy and send you the parts of the Veco drawings that show the inverted engine installation. Not much detail.

How's this guys?

I took the files for the Brodak Smoothie, and made itinto the inverted version. All  it takes is to make a few modifications, and a new F-2 bulkhead. I'd like to get the dimensions for Franks' Wing mounted gear, and I could add that also.

I wanted to thank everyone for their input.  I did contact Tom Dixon. I now have in my possession plans for 4 different versions of the Smoothie, one of which is Tom's Smoother.  This should keep me quiet and busy for a while.
Lon