Ed writes- But, you throw in the "200 or so knots" and there is no doubt of
two
things:

1.) the Tom would do very well in that regime, and
2.) no fighter pilot of the period should ever by flying combat at
that speed! BRBR

I answer-you bet!!

Our .motto' in VF-126, Pacific Fleet Adversary Squadron was 'we're behind you
all the way'.

Meaning the obvious but also no better way to show that getting slow, even in a
1v1, with a better slow speed A/C was DUMB. We saw this all the time early in
training scearios but often beat this outta the fighter guys(USN and USAF)
after they got spanked a few times. Nothing more embarassing than gettting
gunned by an A/C 40 years old(A-4) while in the 'wondermachine'-F-14/15/16/18-
P. C. Chisholm
CDR, USN(ret.)
Old Phart Phormer Phantom, Turkey, Viper, Scooter and Combat Buckeye Phlyer