RE: Smaller plane
Check out Park Zone's Stryker 27 for a good flyilng, complete and ready to go package. It's a delta wing, push prop plane that is plenty powerful out of the box, will do most all aerobatics you want. The entire package comes in the box including receiver and transmitter. Cost about $180 total and everything is there -- including charger for the battery. Only thing you might eventually want is an extra battery to fly with while one is charging. It has to be hand launched because there's no landing gear, but that also eliminates the drag gear can create too. It's not a "beginner" plane but ist'a fun one.