ORIGINAL: noveldoc
Check out the BTE models Flying King. Big old solid flying airplane. BTE kits are famous for having great wood selection and high quality cut, not burned, parts that really fit together.
It is in your price range and appears kits are available.
It is sold as a trike but talk to Bruce at the number on the web site and he'll tell you how to do a simple tail dragger set up. Many people have done that.
See it at
http://www.btemodels.com/flyin_king.html
Tom
I've built and flown both the SR Telemaster and Flyin' King. They are no where similar. Both are good planes, but the FK weighs more and not as much "fun" to fly as the Telemaster. Don't get me wrong about BTE planes. I think Bruce manufactures higher quality kits than anyone out there. I've built the Delta Vortex, Flyin' King, Venture and the Sig Wonder(Bruce's design). But the Telemaster is in a class of its own. Way to much fun. Telemaster kits show up regularly in the RCU classifieds and on other auction sites.