I'm looking to get an Extra 300 for my third plane. I currently own a Goldberg Twinstar, and a Sig Four Star 40. What manufacturer do you guys recommend? I was thinking about getting the Great Planes Extra 300S 40. Is that a decent kit?

What size???

45" or 40%
theres many, many models out there?

I want the .40 size model. I'm confused with all the different models and variations.

I haven't flown the Phoenix Extra, but I have had two other Phoenix planes of the same size and was really happy with them. You really get a lot of plane for your money:
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXGPL7&P=0

Great Planes makes an outstanding kit, I haven't built the 40 size but I have built there 60 size, good wood, outstsnding instructions and A very nice build. That's A kit, not an ARF. I have the NItroplanes 90 size Extra on my bench and am assembling it for A friend. They call it A 90, I call it A 60 but for 130 bucks who cares. There smaller planes are on sale right now for 125 bucks. So far I have been pretty impressed with this one. Instructions?? Pretty much none at all. Hardware?? Some good, some not so good. Great horns but no screws to mount them, LG block installed backwards, covering very good. Like most ARFs there is no wood to mount things to like romote glow drivers, switches and fuel dots, just A normal ARF but not too bad. If I had the money I would have one of these planes in stock just in case I needed A plane in A hurry. This one even has fiberglass cowl and wheel pants, not A bad deal.

Our club built the Great Planes Extra 300 .40 size last year for a raffle. It was outfitted with an OS 55 AX. I had the pleasure of conducting the maiden flight of the plane. I would not recommend it unless your skills have advanced well beyond the typical beginner. If you're comfortable flying the covering off the four star, you might be ready.

As for the flight characteristics, I was not impressed with this version of the Extra. The ailerons are undersized giving it a low roll rate. It appears to be essentially the same fuselage as the 40 size Cap 232, but with a slightly different wing. The plane did not slow down well, and tipped stalled very easily. This is good if you want the behavior, but bad if you're not ready for it. Landing requires higher speed and better control, as you won't be able to "chop and drop" the way you can with the four star.

I have seen many versions of the Extra 300, and its usually a very well behaved aerobat/3D plane. I personnally don't think the GP version lives up to the rest of the class.

Now if you really want to see a nice plane, look for the Dalton Aviation 42% Extra 300. OK, so it costs several thousand dollars to get it airborn.

You might want to consider the Fliton Extra 300 Freestyle. They have an excellent reputation. Go with a moderately priced 90 size 4 stroke (like the Magnum 91) and you'll get a very well matched set up. I have the Fliton Edge 540 Freestyle, which is very similar with a Magnum 91 four stroke, and its one of my favorite planes to fly. Good Pattern characteristics, and if I crank up the throws, its a good 3D plane thats capable of doing more than I am.

Brad