Ed Winchester,
Right click the shortcut icon for IE next to the Start button, choose Properties, change it from 'normal' to 'maximized'. Now open it.
Now right click any link on the page, choose Open In New Window....don't maximize it....instead, use the mouse to resize it to what you want it to be.
Now close the FIRST window you opened, and then close the new one you just resized.
Reopen IE from the shortcut icon again, and all windows from now on will be the size you choose and created.
Take Care,
Richard
P.S. If you do not want to do all that, then just use
IE New Window Maximizer 