I've never really looked at the Venus... maybe I'll take your advice and avoid it! I would really like to do an Extra some time, but I'm stuck in the 1940's and I like it. I must be a GP fan also, I would like to see them upgrade some of the ARF parts but I'm still happy with it overall. I just upgrade pieces as I like.

My trickiest plane is the GP Shoestring with a 91Saito. It's really nice, just a little fast. (Get's away and I have a hard time seeing it clearly.) It's fine if I keep it close. Landings are a little tricky with that thin short wing, but you just fly it right down to the grund and cut the power. Does great! Just don't hit the deck too hard! Not a good plane for a windy day. Probably similar to the GeeBee. By the way, I got the Robarts today, those things look great! My first Robarts.

My others are,
GP Spacewalker with Saito 120... fun, slow.
Hanger 9 AT-6 Texan with Saito 91... not a fan, flew it once and will probably donate to our club... (crappy stock retracts)
Kankge Monocoupe 90a. (last year) sweet plane, I put a Saito 180 twin in it. Sounds, looks and flies great!

But I "needed" a Gee Bee, this should be fun. I have a Saito single 180 for the "G".

Didn't mean to do a "Saito" commercial, but when I got back into airplanes, a Saito 91 was my first new engine of the 21st century! So much better than my 1970 Cox 049! I just suck with them. I have several planes that are set up for that engine, and I figured if I crashed one I could use the engine in another plane. It's only worked once when I augred in a Sig Something Extra (only the last foot of the tail of the Extra survived and is mounted "in" the wall of my garage") I put the motor in the Shoestring. Still going strong! I was really thinking of doing a nice 2 stroke with the Gee Bee, but fuel economy and memories of the 049.... Thanks for the info!