There are 2 types of CG question:

What's a safe CG? - for Newbies, first flights, unusual planform, etc.

AND

WHat's the best CG? -for specific applications, 'batics, soaring, etc.


For the first question - the answer is readily calculable if you have the concepts/formulas. I work out CG for 10% static stability for my first flights, and have never been surprised.

The second is a more subjective and qualitative issue. Unfortunately, people asking AND answering online often confuse which CG issue is in question. That's where alot of the confusion and repetitiveness comes from. Also, the 2nd concept requires more understanding, where the first just requires a tape measure if you can get someone to tell you the value.

As for the example of the TOC plane - not really a valid experiment unless someone has tried to fly the same plane - with the engine still attached AND with the CG at the trailing edge.

That behaviour has everything to do with the size of the horizontal tail w.r.t. the wing and almost nothing to do with wing loading. TOC/ 3d planes have horizontal tail spans about 1/3 the span of the wing and tail area is around 25%(or more) of the wing area. That creates a huge CG range

You can, if you want, point to a WW2 warbird with high wing loading and say "look, high wing loading and the CG location is critical" of course, I would then say "look how small the tail feathers are in relation to the wing". That's where the real answer is.

There is one factor overlooked - and that is dynamic stability - which also works in favor of those planes with big 'ol tails. A large tail surface will create a considerable damping effect, which will make a plane even with it's CG a bit behind the neutral point controlable - as the divergence does not happen quickly and can be handled by human reactions. Also not an effect influenced by wing loading. This effect is what allows a plane to be neutrally balanced (or worse) without being "squirrelly".