From the first flight of the U-2 to the flashing speed of the famous SR-71 Blackbird, Supersonic Thunder is a portrait of the jet as it comes of age.Â
August, 1955. Test pilot and engineer Vance Shannon stands at the beginning of an era of unprecedented development in military and commercial aviation. As the ever-changing industry begins to speed beyond Vance's grasp, he turns to his two sons, Tom and Harry, to keep the family business on the cutting edge.
But the stress of trying to stay ahead of the curve is destroying the family and fueling a long-hidden rivalry between the two brothers. The Shannons' story is set against the backdrop of an astonishing era in history. From the luxury of the Boeing 747 to the abject despair of a cell in the Hanoi Hilton, Supersonic Thunder tells the real story of an amazing chapter of jet aviation through the eyes of the men and women who lived and died to make it a part of our everyday life.