RE: Fuselage design for better knife edge flight.
I was out flying knife-edge with my Balsa Nova 1.20 today. This airplane was specifically designed to excel in knife-edge flight...and it does. I agree with you that working on fuselage design forward of the CG should be productive. Increasing the lateral area from the nose to the CG should allow a model to maintain knife-edge flight at a lower (fuselage) angle of attack...and improve rudder authority. I hope you will keep us posted on your solutions.
Best Regards
JC