It seems that the Basic Fighter Maneuvering (BFM) turn strategy was relevant to the pullout altitude loss.
...it seems that the pullout could benefit still more from a little more power during the recovery to level flight.
Mach:
I'd be real careful with advocating this.
You're not looking for a sustained QTT (quickest tightest turn) here.
Just something approaching a minimum radius maneuver. Turn rate is irrelevant.