As I understand it, with Rescue (Normal) configured: if the heli is inverted when Rescue is activated, it will level the heli inverted (i.e. act as though in Rescue Acro mode) for the duration of the Acro Delay setting, and then execute Rescue (normal) and flip the heli upright and then apply the Rescue Collective Pitch value.
My question is, what happens to Rescue Collective Pitch during the Acro Delay period - if set to 60 degrees does this mean -60 degrees will be applied to raise the heli while inverted before flipping it upright?

Or how can I program it to level inverted, then apply negative pitch to gain height before flipping upright and applying positive pitch to gain more height?

Yes it will level inverted and apply neg pitch during the delay period.

I would use more than 60% for rescue pitch. I use 80% for rescue on my models.

Rescue normal works exactly as you've described it.

It will level to the nearest horizon, inverted or upright and at the same time simultaneously apply positive or negative pitch, whichever one is needed for it to go UP. It will be moving up from the second you hit rescue in any case.

The acro delay is, if it started out rescuing inverted, the time before the helicopter flips to upright, where it will continue moving up (so it will automatically change pitch from negative to positive).

I use 0.6s delay with 80% pitch which is just enough that if you are inverted inches from the ground, it will go up inverted just long enough to move the heli far enough from the ground before flipping as to not hit the ground in the process.

Thank you, the 80% pitch was the key. The default 60% wasn’t really enough to raise it while inverted. Works beautifully with 80% and 0.8s.