Don't get too carried away by thoughts of a really high performance 2nd plane (this includes warbirds). While it is your money, you will waste it by buying something too "hot" for you to handle (I'm not insulting your abilities -- I have seen many new pilots dig holes with advanced 2nd planes). You will learn a great deal from something conventional, but capable, like a Hobbico Avistar. It looks a bit plain, but it will have more capability than yourself for quite a while.

When you can squeeze everything that there is to squeeze from an Avistar (or something similar), you will be ready to spend your hard-earned bucks on some hot rod or warbird.