Until the latest patch, a tactic of mine versus the 21 or 19 (or another F-8) was to drop the droops (pop the wing) when I got below 260kias in a turning fight. I have not tried the new patch yet.
This would give me a great rate and no high speed stall at full stick deflection as long as you kept the knots below 270. When you get below 200 or so, the "air data computer" (I guess) lets the wing come up, and when you get fast again, it comes back down.
The downside? Poor acceleration (ok for a rolling scissors or sustained high-G flat fight) and a rather wicked roll instability coupled with a reduced negative pitch authority (read almost zero), so that you have to be careful not to lead pursue too much at low speed. In other words, trying to bunt to get off a shot on a reversing target frequently finds you in a rather un-commanded outside barrel roll...not good.
You might be able to tell, the F-8 is my ACM mount of choice. It does nearly everything well.
As a mercenary for Dhimar, I recently made over a million dollars in one campaign with it (full realism, uber AI). Record 22 kills in one mission
Another trick? load a couple of LAU-61 pods on the wings for every mission. Low weight penalty and only really draggy after the first shot. Got Beagles? Sit back at half a mile and plink with rockets... you will eventually get good with them. Fighters? hose a whole pod at high deflection. Going home and still got em? Lob some at the nearest enemy fuel tank or flight line.