it could turn too.
an interceptor is a very specific role it requires speed climb rate and not alot else, the lightning was in service in 1959 and when they tested everything nato had in the mid 80s! including the teen fighters and 104s mirages etc, the lightning creamed everything in every single test bar 1 which was a dead heat (supersonic acceleration on the deck which the 104 matched).
it was also the only thing to sucsesfully intercept concorde from the rear and also the only thing to intercept a u2, it did it by DIVING on the u2 from 88,000 feet!.
it was a MONSTER kinetically which was exactly what it was designed to be.
was it a good fighter? debatable due to shite range and dated avionics, certainly not a patch on the f15.
was it a good interceptor? the best!
the pilots also thought it would be a good dogfighter, (i guess use it as an energy fighter?) it was also apparantly very nice to fly