RE: How dumb would it be to start flying a PTS without a trainer?
Add me to the instructor is almost a must list.
I am surprised it has not been mentioned yet, the Hangar 9 PTS planes, both the P-51 and the F-22, are very disputable as to weither they are good trainers or not (and Yes I used to own the P-51, notice I said used to) but at the very least you couldn't have picked a worse trainer to "try it alone"
Get an instructor and you will have a fair chance of keeping your airplane, if not your odds are very low.