I agree with you, Shack.
I was there in 64/65 with 38 squadron, patrolling the Gulf trying to intercept Iranian gunrunners supplying the Radfan rebels.
We weren't all that heavy - nothing much in the bomb-bay except a couple sets of Lindholme kit - but I don't remember any performance problems.
The biggest danger was touching any metalwork inside or outside with bare skin - you'd get a nasty burn until you'd been airborne for half-an-hour to cool it all down a bit. (The only "air-conditioning" was a sawn-off photoflash cartridge case stuck up the Very pistol aperture !)