On Sun, 21 Sep 2003 21:16:00 -0500, wrote:

I was watching the Discovery Channel program comparing the F-86 and Mig-15
and heard that the F-86 can break the sound barrier. I know that this has
been claimed many time before but is that the official position of the US
Air Force? Is Yeager still officially the first man to break the sound
barrier?
No, George Welch was the first to exceed Mach 1 in a dive with the
XP-86. See: http://home.att.net/~historyzone/Welch2.html

I also have a better source, my father. He was part of the design team for
the Sabre at North American and they were informed about this BEFORE
Yeager broke the sound barrier. He had to keep mum on this for a long time
though.