Think TopBunk nailed it.
When the Earth was still cooling, we had the basic "T" scan for the instruments, with ADI at the top and airspeed and altitude on either side. Vertical velocity and such closeby. We also had the old turn needle/slip doofer just below the ADI or as part of it. But normally, it was the RMI/compass. You know, VOR and RDF and TACAN stuff there.
When the first HUD's came out in late 60's and early 70's, we had the same thing, with heading/course at top. Also had pitch lines, and vertical velocity was a bug on the altitude scale.