Be advised that the Cuban-8 is an exceptionally predictable manoeuvre that AA gunners and prowling enemy aircraft will not hesitate to take advantage of. As you come over the top and start down back towards the target, make a half-roll to upright and continue down for another strafing run. Start the manoeuvre by entering a gentle dive (30-45 degrees) towards the target, fire, recover on the level and extend for some 10-15 seconds before making a straight vertical reversal. As the name reveals, the manoeuvre describes an 8-formed shape lying down. The Cuban-8 is a typical airshow manoeuvre that comes useful for strafing and for making repeated attacks on very slow and plodding targets.

Be advised that airspeed builds up quickly in the dive and that you must have a certain amount of altitude to play with lest you smack head first into the dirt. Experiment by varying the amplitude of the manoeuvre at various airspeeds, and by executing aileron rolls in the dive to further stymie a pursuer before flattening out on your escape heading. From a level starting position, half-roll and pull back to enter a dive, relax stick pressure to build up speed and then pull some more to exit the manoeuvre in the opposite direction.

The Split-S (or Split Arse as it was originally known) is a 180-degree reversal just like the Immelman, but going down instead of up. Think of it as a half-loop with a half-roll on top. It is an easy enough manoeuvre: pull up as in a looping but, instead of completing the circle to your original heading, half-roll to upright at the apex and continue on the level in the opposite direction. The German WWI ace Max Immelman patented the vertical renversement since universally recognized simply as the “Immelman”.

Air combat maneuver