Boy, I was trained at a R/C club.
I would recommend a high wing trainer type plane instead of starting with a low wing warbird.
Do some searches of the beginners forums and you will find lots more advice.
I'd also recommend you buy a flight simulator (Real Flight, Pheonix, etc.) and use that until you get comfortable with stick control and orientation.
Good luck to you, don't get discouraged crashing and rebuilding are inevitable in this hobby. But as you get better, they become fewer and farther in-between.