Personally, I like the avenger, Its down side is a weak fuse in the ssc version that we have replaced with a fence post. I like the flying stab and my last couple came in at 2 pounds 4 oz. Plenty of room for more Bidi. Not one broken wing in 10 rounds at the nats this year.

I agree with Aaron on the 25 size planes in this respect. The 25s are easier to tune and keep running than the 15 LA's. there is an amount of "Tweaking required to make an ssc ship a good flying bird. Most of it has to do with getting the engine up to rpm. not a problem one you know the secrets but the learning curve is longer ont he 15's. My open B plane was up and running and competitive instanatly. I had to suffer through a couple events with the ssc till i got it right. Most of the guys who fly ssc here had the same experiance.

Battle axes seem to be pretty good equipment, I got to fly one at the nats this year. I still prefer the avenger myself. Kirks design is very durable as well. My best suggestion is fly what the guys in your area will fly so you have a competitive group to fly with. Its also nice if you can swap parts back and forth.

As for the servos, I use full size on my ssc planes to help make weight and 600mah battery packs. On the B ships i use all hs81 mg servos. I stripped a dozen plastic gears on the ailerons. must be the flutter...

Another site to check out. www.hattrickrc.com Mike has some kits and parts you can also buy to make your own creations.