ORIGINAL: skydve76
Trainer airframes run 1000 to 1500 and I can get the l-39 for aprox 2500.
Another airplane to consider is the Modellbau F-86D. While it is not 100% scale, it looks nice, has a great envelope and is gentle enough to act as a trainer, and with the K-80- spirited enough to let it really rip.
With pipe and gear around $ 1000, with engine less than $ 3000.
Worth thinking about in my book, it is a lot of fun to fly.
Greg