I've recommended it several times now- Tamiya's 1/48th F4U Corsair.
1). Can generally be found for less than thirty bucks US.
2). Fits like a dream.
3). Is a pretty big plane even in 1/48th so less tiny parts to handle.
4). If you go late war camo was overall glossy navy blue so way less masking.
5). Pretty much everyone with any interest in the Second World War knows what a Corsair is.
I haven't built Tamiya's Phantom but I bet it does fit like glove. Bit pricey for me though. You might also try Tamiya's P-47 and P-51 also. Bit more masking on the olive green over grey and the natural metal schemes can be a bear to get right though so I'd go with the F4U over them.
Also Tamiya's old '70 and '80s tank kits are good. Cheap, easy-to-find, and fit really well. A bit outdated as to detail but great kits to get started out on.