Well........this is one of these questions which EVERYONE will have a different answer. some will say a SPAD (Simple Plastic Aeroplne Desighn) and some will say the UCD and then theres the rest.

The setup you mentioned, well i dont know much about the plane but you need a light airframe, powerfull (but not necercerrily big). the tuned pipe will decrease the throttling capability. use a standard scilencer or a throttle pipe.

All planes have different advantages and dissadvantages. with The SPA3D you wont worry about crashing so much. Somthing like the UCD will hover easilly and are big in the air.

Then theres the outher end of the scales..... i lernt to fly 3D on a flip. this is a usless plane to travvel in a strait line, id say its a crap plane if you fly it like that. it just wont do it. when yuo enter 3D tho it really is one of the best there is. Also theres the H9 funtana but i dont know anything about them.

Also theres funflys. this is what i lernt all of my basic aerobatics to my first stages of 3D on. I used the weston UK cougar 2000 ( http://www.westonuk.co.uk ). but you can also use the magic from Model tech. I perfer these as there dead easy to fly with rates but will do almost everything without them. My Cougar 2000 has a Irvine 36 and weighs 1.5kg (3.3lbs i thinks) and has a 2.5:1 power to weight ratio. this is dead easy to hover but wont float around as much as the magic because of its thiner symetrical section.

Thats my words, ill let more exprienced pilots now give there oppinion.

have fun
-ian