I hate spoiling the party, I really do, but what you see is largely a trick of perspective -- especially in the takeoff sequence. The real thing wasn't close to a "near vertical" takeoff.

Presumably the plane was very light (low fuel load, no passengers or cargo), and it was the Paris Air Show after all, so sure, they're going to showboat and push the envelope a little. But not to any huge extent. The takeoff angle is mostly a camera trick, and the rest of the maneuvering... those look like fairly normal turns to me, with no more than about 30 degrees of bank.

Not that it isn't some great footage, either way.


-- PS

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