RE: Lanier Ripper, didn't like the first day of spring.
The shrike is not a good choice for combat, that's for sure.
Balsa is not your friend in combat. (well, except when you run in to another plane. Then, having the other guy's plane be balsa is convenient in that it greatly reduces any damage done to your plane. But it makes a heck of a mess.)
The Ripper is a good flying plane, and a solid choice for getting in to combat. It's not the hottest bird out there, but it's no slouch either, and you won't spend all your time trying to get it flying, or at least you shouldn't.
Btw, one issue I've seen with some guy's rippers is that somehow they get the spar sticking up, making a bump on top of the wing. I'm fairly sure that the bump hurts performance. I've seen this happen with more than one new guy, so it's something to watch out for.