Thanks. That all makes sense, and NO it doesn't bore me, or else I wouldn't have asked.
So to use my example then, an F-14 Tomcat at FL600, Mach 2.34, TAS of 1342 knots, and IAS of 422 knots, the IAS is clearly not approaching unsafe. The most likely scenario here is the engines are maxed out / suffering effectively from hypoxia?
I though the shockwave issues only occurred as you pass through Mach 1, and you effectively punch your way through. I didn't realize they continued and repeated up to Mach2, Mach3. The shockwaves on the wing cause a nose down effect approaching M1, then again near M2??