I'm glad to see the thread will stay.
Is there any truth, in the rumour I heard long ago. It's of Lightning v Vulcan at 50k+ ft, where the Vulcan, having low wing loading, could still turn on a sixpence, and the Lightning could still go like hell in a straight (and even vertical) line, but couldn't make a turn worth recording.
It's reported the helpful Vulcan could turn in front of the Lightning after being intercepted - perhaps generously to give him a guns opportunity - causing severe wake turbulence that caused the Lightning's Avons to flame-out, leaving it to drift with the grace of a brick to re-light height many thousands of feet below, while the Vulcan sauntered merrily on.
True or urban myth?