Fighter Combat - Tactics and Maneuvering

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BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS
speed advantage often provides a maneuverability advantage (particularly
below corner speed), and the attacker may lose maneuvering potential. A
hard turn away from the target (pulling toward its extended six o'clock
region) in the bogey's plane of turn may cause the attacker to lose sight of
the bogey, and also may bleed off valuable energy (speed). Additionally,
such a maneuver would make it unlikely that lag pursuit could be reinitiated,
and it probably would result in loss of the offensive.
An out-of-plane maneuver is often the best alternative in this situation.
Figure 2-5 illustrates one such maneuver, called the lag roll. At point "1"
the attacker, in lead pursuit at close range, levels his wings and pulls
nose-up out of the defender's plane of turn. The resulting climb reduces
speed and the component of velocity in the defender's direction (reducing
closure). The attacker continues to pull up, possibly also pulling somewhat
toward the bogey's flight path in a rolling-pull maneuver, to ensure
Figure 2-5. Lag-Pursuit Roll