Tsunami as it appeared right before its
ill-fated 1989 World Speed Record
attempt and miraculous, four-day rebuild
effort in Wendover, Utah.Gary Watts
Key Takeaways:
Tsunami was a groundbreaking, custom-built race plane, designed by aerospace legends and funded by Jack Sandberg, with the ambitious goal of breaking speed records and achieving 500 mph.
Despite its immense potential, including exceeding 500 mph in test flights and a heroic 4-day rebuild after a crash, its career was plagued by persistent mechanical failures, bad luck, and continuous modifications.
The plane's journey tragically ended in 1991 when a modified component failed, leading to a fatal crash that killed its creator, Jack Sandberg.
The author views Tsunami as a remarkable achievement and a symbol of innovative passion, suggesting its likeness deserves a place in a museum to honor its legacy, noting current efforts to rebuild it.
The Greeks would have had a name for it, I imagine. Not quite a full tragedy, because there were moments of greatness. But it’s a complex memory that I still can’t easily categorize. So when my friend Pat called and asked what should have been a couple of simple questions, I had no easy or adequate words with which to answer.
“Do you remember Tsunami?” she asked.
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