Jay, the Fly Baby Biplane was my first giant scale airplane. I was stationed in Bitburg, Germany in 1981-1985 when I was in the Air Force. In 1982 I won $500.00 on the Super Bowl pool. I bought the FB Biplane kit, gas engine, covering material, and a new radio. Things were a lot cheaper then. I spent a year-+ building the Fly Baby Bip. A friend & I were on a German Air Show team with a group of German flyers. For 2 years we traveled around Europe performing at events. Over the course of 22 years, my first FB Bip flew in 7 countries and 5 US states. In 2004, I sold it to another modeler in West Virginia. It still looked great, in a short time I wished I had never sold it. In 2006, I traded for another FB Bip, it looked ragged and I wanted to make it look like my original. So I striped it, repaired & recovered, new engine, and radio. Yes, it did fly great!! well I did managed over stress the wings, top wing can off. I still have it, to some day repair it.
So I do recommend the Fly Baby Biplane and it is a great first giant scale airplane. Here are pictures of my first Baby taken in 2001 after flying at an event and the Baby II in 2006.
Fly Baby, 1982
Fly Baby II
I build and fly World War 1 1/4 scale plane now and of course they are Balsa USA kits. Keep us posted on you progress, if you have any questions, this is the place to ask them.
Fair Winds & Happy Flyin'
Rich