Immelmann turn

English

Etymology

Named after the German pilot Max Immelmann.

An Immelmann turn (sense 1) from a WWI flight manual.

Diagram of an Immelmann turn (sense 2).

Noun

Immelmann turn (plural Immelmann turns)

1. (military, aviation, archaic) A WWI-era fighter pilot maneuver resembling the aerobatic wingover or hammer-head turn, originally developed by Max Immelmann.
2. (aviation) The roll-off-the-top aerobatic maneuver, where an aircraft in upright level flight pulls up through one-half of an inside loop until in level inverted flight and then rolls upright, ending up in upright level flight in the opposite direction at a higher altitude; a reverse split S.

Synonyms

• Immelmann
• Immelmann maneuver