Larry,

the King Altair and Simla are older classics (early R/C - certainly the Simla) with quite different lines and flight performance than say a Boxer or Wild Beat. The Boxer was designed to be competitive yet easy to build and fly. The Wild Beat is an earlier turnaround design but the evolution of a series of models by a well known competitive Japanese designer called Akiba. It was also originally an MK kit - fantastic kits. Depending on your age (or at least I have so surmised), you might find yourself more inclined toward one era of design or another. The ZEN is a much more recent design (probably within the last 10 years) and is kitted as an ARF as you pointed out by a company which puts together ARF's of "relative" quality. Having said that, it is supposed to be a good flyer. Regardless, it is an ARF so you really have to consider whether it is part of the list depending on whether you want to build or assemble.

In my experience I would recommend, if this is your first pattern build, a wood fuse with foam core flying surfaces. Since coming by original Wild Beat MK kits is pretty hard, you would have to go the glass fuse route with that one when Don has gotten the mold sorted out. But..., although I generally agree with Chris (at least in principle) that glass/foam models build faster than wood models, in practice, I have to say that building a classic glass/foam kit takes me as long (if not longer) as a wood model. The reason for that is due to the fact that framing up a model is less than 50% of the work in getting a pattern ship airborne. Also, glass fuses have to be painted while wood models can be covered. That's something else that you might want to factor in. If you are an "always paint my models" kind of guy then this is a non issue but if you want it up in the air fast, then covering does take less time and effort. The results are different though - no question.

So now that I've finsihed pontificating..., I'd have to recommend going with the Boxer. I think it would make a great candidate as an entry into classic pattern building. Don (FF) might be able to fix you up with some cores if you don't have that equipment. I'd also have to say that I think the Wild Beat might be just adequately powered with a YS 120 unless built very light. Don's glass fuses might actually help there if he's able to produce a lighter version for your YS.

I would build a Boxer 90 and put the 120 in it...

David.