On Fri, 26 Sep 2003 17:10:40 GMT, Chad Irby wrote:

In article . net,
"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote:

"Chad Irby" wrote in message
...

When you break a speed record, one of the requirements is that you do it
in *level flight*.

But no such requirement existed for the first supersonic flight.

All of the other speed records set up until that time were in horizontal
flight.

John Derry is recognized as being the first Brit to exceed Mach 1 when
he flew the DH.108 Swallow down in an uncontrolled dive from 45,000
feet. He was able to wrestle back control (unlike Geoffrey de Havilland)
and land that ill mannered beast.

The first is still the first.... Even the USAF had the good sense to stress
the point that Yeager was the first in level flight, obviously surrendering any
outright claim to be first overall.

My regards,

Widewing (C.C. Jordan)
http://www.worldwar2aviation.com
http://www.netaces.org
http://www.hitechcreations.com