Salute!
Ask the Thud drivers I flew with up north 50 years ago about speed. Only time I had to go fast in my VooDoo was chasing down a B-58 one night during a big ADC/SAC exercise.. Sucker was zipping along at approx 0.95M at 35 or 40 K and I had to go supersonic to close for my shot. ORAC can tell you about a poor intercept geometry. I don't think the controller realized how fast the Hustler was going or we would have had a beam shot versus classic stern with 50 kt overtake.
Secondly, the Double Uglies burned gas like you would not believe. They even had something called "abort fuel" if there was a delay getting off the ground. They had to get gas going in and coming out and had very little play time if other folks were in the tgt area on our CAS and direct support missions for the grunts.
Gums sends...