RE: Spad to the Bone Dominator Problem
The original SPADs all tended to pitch up at launch. This is more a factor of the semi flat wing on a flat fuse, trainer style setup. Angling down the engine will pull down a bit and counter this effect while being negligible at speed. Trainers, including the Big H Ray that I flew had 6 or 7 degrees of downthrust and right thrust to make up for the forces of the prop. Now generally I just chop the nose off square and go flying throwing the airplane a little under the horizon on launch and taking advantage of the raising tendancy. Chop the throttle at speed with no input and you'll see it doesn't pitch up as if the motor offset is being counteracted by elevator. Let it slow down and add throttle to it and watch it pitch up though. Oh the times I've had watching a newbie toss his Dagger nose up only to watch it climb, flop over and crash behind the pilot.
Jack up the trailing edge of the wing or use a symmetrical wing and these problems go away OR add downthrust.
YMMV but if you have a chance, go look at a full size Piper or Cessna and see the offset in their engines.