Adler:

Bravo. Well-done.

Maverick:

I can't attest to the handling qualities of the F-8, which I also think is a fine aircraft. But I can tell you the Phantom's handling qualities took a lot of skill as well...which took more? I can't say.

I only flew the slatted airplanes (E and G) but "Stick force lightening" (Reversal of forces on the stick while pulling 'g') was pretty disconcerting my first 100 hours in the airplane. I thought "How do you maneuver this damn thing?" It had significant adverse yaw (non-slatted airplanes would spin at the drop of a hat, and all versions had to be rolled using only rudder at high AOA and speeds less than 200 knots). Cockpit vis was not so good.

I can attest that the Phantom made me a better pilot (than I might have been) because it was difficult to fly well.

I would argue that John Boyd and his Mafia produced two of the best fighters to bridge the guns vs. missiles design philosophy. Initially it was the F-15, which could shoot radar, heat, and guns, and fly up its own belly-button. Initially, the F-16 was almost a modern F-8, being a heat and gun fighter (and a stern-only AIM-9P fighter at that). However, with AMRAAM, AIM-9L/M/X and the inclusion of BVR EID equipment, you cover the full spectrum with an airplane that can fly up its own bung-hole.

But like Adler, I prefer two engines in combat.

Sadly, the "Gold-Plated Fighter" that Boyd detested has made its come-back, in both the F-22 and F-35.

III Corps:

I have a Phantom book that shows the pic you labelled a "Super Demon" but they claimed it was the prototype mockup for the Phantom. I would bet you are right, just wonder where you got the info.