Fonsini - an impressive and very thorough analysis of the beast. Yes, it was VERY good in its day but as you said its 'development' stopped while its tasks blossomed. With AAR it became a workable peacetime Air Defence platform, although the AI let it down badly.
Mach 2 and 100,000ft - a big pinch of salt. Both 'sales brochure' stuff and just not practical in a real environment and I doubt 100,000ft was 'practical' Yes most of us have 'the tie', but I never achieved M2 on a 'regular' sortie.
One of its great assets was reaction time - 2 minutes from cockpit readiness to airborne, and 10 from one's bed. Superb handling as long as you followed a few basic rules.