I would DEFINITELY not recommend a scale mode for your first kit; unless you find a sport-scale Citabria or Decathon. The Cessna 195 has a dual tapered wing and will stall and snap on slow approach like a trainer won't. And for the most part not a second model to fly, either. Scale landing gear doesn't take abuse well. Second planes tend to be short lived (you think you have it all figured out and get cocky and . . . bam!)

My second kit when I got back into R/C after a LONG absence was a Top Flight Contender 60. If you have a mentor to trim it out and maiden or buddy you on a maiden it could be a good choice. It has rugged going for it. I still have mine and it has survived some hard knocks.

But it's not really a beginner kit. If you take your time in the nose carving and pick up covering techniques pretty quickly. The open turtle-deck and wing tips are fiddly to cover; but the kit instructions are very good.

I'd definitely say an Ugly Stik, (or Road Runner, Dog House, similar shoulder wing "stik" designs). But there just aren't any kits being offered.

Goldberg Tiger II or a Sig Four-Star look like about the best bets. I've never built either so I don't know how the kits are for instructions and completeness, but they should be very good based on the company reputations.