I see lots of talk about lack of usefulness in combat. I agree with most, but the cobra maneuver illustrates something important about the post-stall behavior o

I see lots of talk about lack of usefulness in combat. I agree with most, but the cobra maneuver illustrates something important about the post-stall behavior of an airplane. It is incredibly difficult to keep the vortices symmetrical during such a maneuver. Most Western fighters couldn't do it because they would sway left or right. The ability to perform the cobra illustrates how the design handles at and beyond stall, which can have implications on its ability to turn sharply. The same goes for the tailslide. It illustrates properties of the air intake and engines.