Basically, in freeflights, if you have a forward CG, you will need downthrust. Whether this is from having to have more incidence in the wing, or what, I don't know. The free flight spiral climb is actually a loop with rotation. I went out one day with a free flight and a roll of solder. By moving the CG back, I was able to flatten out the climb until the aiplane flew level under power. Remember the very successful Ramrod with 10 degrees downthrust and more forward than most CG?