RE: First Kit Build
LumaSea is exactly right. You now have the skills, probably already did before you started on the FF Gillows kit, seeing how well you've executed it. But get a good trainer. The Bridi trainer (RCM also has copies) kits are awsome. They are not die-cut or laser cut, but are machine cut and sanded, which is what I prefer. They are no longer in production, but are available often on the eb*y and here as well. another good line is the oldGreat Planestrainer kits.Great Planesmade a 20, 40 and 60 series trainer, in kit form never as an ARF, which had a fully symetrical airfoil. These were also machinecutkits and sellvery high on the auction sites, but are worth it,IMHO. They were named GP Tainer 20, GP Trainer 40. etc..GP also made a line of "PT" (perfect trainers)trainers. The PT 20, PT 40, etc.. was a flat bottom airfoil and not as good as the older Trainer series, but sell way less and easier to find and are only good to fly as a trainer, not very aerobatic like the previously mentioned.
Be willing to spend about $150 for one ofthe performance trainers (fully sym. airfoil)kits. Since they are found mostly on auction sites, they can vary and you can get lucky, but most often they sell high, everyone wants one... even two.
Their is another I would recomend over all of these, and that would be a Carl Goldberg Falcon 56, in either the MKII or MKIII version. The Falcon is a shoulder wing and has a Fully sym. airfoil but also has a built up, airfoiled stab as well, which really improves on flying characteristics as well as lightning out the tail. The fuse is also built from 1/8" lightply with lightning holes in them. Being a shoulder mounted wing,itwll be much more suited towards performance than a high, or cabin mounted platform. The original Falcon 56 had a balsa fuse and was a bit weaker for the beginer, and they sell very high, I wouldn't sugest getting that one. But a MKII or MKIII sell for less than the Bridi and GP trainers. Reason is, the Goldberg kits were die cut. Even the liteply was die cut. So care is needed and some initial prep work (sanding) to the components would need to be done. But you will save lots of money since these do sell a bit lower. There are also a 1/2a version as well as a 60 sizeSr. Falcon. Both sell very high. The 1/2a is too small to really learn off of and the Sr. is the better flyer over the 56s but again sell for at least $150. The MKII kit is starting to gain value to collectors as well and are selling high too, So I would recomend the MKIII for the value. I alsothink that the CG Falcons design were the highest produced kits.
After a trainer aquick to build and easy to fly sport plane would be good. Jemco had a line of "fun scale" models of the war birds. Never had one but I'm sure someone here can comment on the kits, again, gotta hunt them down as well as they too are no longer in production... sad really.
Hope this helps some..
DM