Our Piston Popper club built dozens of these. I used the plans to build one for my youngster and it taught him basic flight. Within 2 flights he was running out the tank. From there he graduated to a .15 powered Streak Trainer (the ½As were a bit difficult to ROG on grass), a TF Flite Streak ARF and finally a Sig Primary Force w/Brodak .40. He used that combo to place 1st in Beginner Stunt at the 2006 Sig Contest.
Easy to build, idiot-proof to build straight and it will survive many of those early stage mishaps. Just wish someone made a suitable radial mount ½A glow engine again. I never had any issues getting the Cox reed valve engines to run well during the 60s and 70s.