RE: Balancers
Almost all of the giant scale airplanes give you a CG point in reference to the wing tube. I usually pick up the airplane by the tube with the canopy off either wrapping my fingers around the front of the tube or the rear depending on where the instructions say to CG. Once close I go fly and let the airplane tell me what adjustment to make. I too do the 45 degree inverted upline but I keep about 2/3 power and am looking to see the airplane self level in about 5-6 seconds. Another little trick is to do a knife edge. If the airplane pulls to the canopy it is noseheavy if it tucks to the gear it is tail heavy. Of course it has to be an airplane capable of knife edge flight for that to work.