RE: ARF vs Kit build?
Can't say for the Top Flite rendition but I just picked up a Modeltech International Spit Mk. IX that looks promising.
I had built, (yeah...from a kit but a lotta work nonetheless) the Sterling Spitfire back in the late '70's. The box was a balsa factory with enough wood to build two planes. Talk about over-engineering.
This latest attempt is a "quick-build" with decks, wings and stabilizer pre-sheeted foam core. It's a .46 size and I'll be putting a .52 4 stroke up front to run inverted. The company is defunct but the kit looks 90% scale in appearance. No retracts or flaps so this will be simply a fun-fly affair.
PointMagu