I built a Dazzler this spring, and it was a very fast build. I like the fact that it is a one-piece plane. I don't think it is well regarded as a 3-D plane, though. I don't fly 3-D.

Go to the profile forum and take a look at the Mojo planes from Swany's. They are very popular and look like nice kits.

I don't think you will need to spend anything like 500 hours to build anything like one of these.

Good luck

http://www.swanyshouse.com/mojo/mojo.aspx