Dragline--You got lots of good advice here including "aviod dura planes." I don't know about the midstar you like but from experience, I can tell you the 4* 40 or 60 are great flying planes. The 60 is the easiest building kit I have every done. No sheeting, except the center section and the criss cross bracing is just plain georgeous. The Tiger 2 is also a great flying plane--it was my second plane and I flew it with a Super Tigre 45 and later changed to a Saito 56. Either of these planes is a fine second plane. Don't worry about the tail dragger--I think people make it sound a lot worse than it is. Key to it is a couple of degrees of tow-in on the wheels.

Good luck.