ORIGINAL: tIANci
Some good 2nd planes:
WM T34 - smooth as silk and easy to fly
WM Super Sport 40 - more aerobatic than the T34, landings are slightly hot only if you do not flare her.
WM Rambler 45 - big 40 sized plane, good tail dragger
Phoenix Scanner - cheap and nice to fly, good first low wing trainer
VMAR - STAY AWAY!!! Hehehe ...
All the above planes are not hard to handle on a dead stick.
we are on the same wave length! except i always have to stick a line in for the WM Rambler 30! :-) the 45 is nice but the retracts are an added level of complexity that i woudn't want in a second plane. the kyosho calmato is another pretty and good flying low wing trainer.