As for kits I use the 4*60 to teach with, for someone looking for something like it in an ARF I send them to H-9 for the Pulse 60, pretty much the same plane as the 4* but with some better features, I like the colors too. Classics?? In my shop I have the Ariel, Daddy Rabbit, Hots 60 and the CG Extra. You don't get much more classic then that. I lost my 60 size and 80 inch Kaos late last year, replaced them with another Bridi design, the Dirty Birdy, lost it in my first mid air. Building another Sukhoi 29 right now and have a big Bipe I scratch built, the Boeing F4B-2 from John Tanzer plans. Classic 1/2As in my shop are the Baby Turkey and Little Gasser. Do you notice a pattern here?? Not one ARF mentioned and every one of them an old design. If I had the money right now I would be stocking up on the Top Flight warbird kits, either size. Once they come out as ARFs I have noticed it only takes a couple of years before the kits are discontinued. Grab them while you can.
For me Big, you are just singing to the choir. I don't own any of the new designs and I don't own an ARF of any type. I have nothing against the new planes or ARFs, I just like the older designs and I can just buy the plans and cut my own kits. I also build planes of all sizes but have gone back to the smaller 60 size or there abouts. I'm sold on the clasics.