It was designed specifically to break the 3 km world speed record for propeller driven aircraft by a private pilot and to compete in the Unlimited class at the Reno Air Races.

Tsunami, powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, designed and built by John R. Sandberg and the JRS Enterprise Inc. team, exceeded 500 mph (430 kn; 800 km/h).

However, as speed increased in the Unlimited Racing Class, a higher powered two-stage supercharged Rolls-Royce Merlin was installed.

An attempt was made in August 1989 to break the 3 km (1.9 mi) world speed record at Wendover Utah with a private pilot at the controls.

The US National Transportation Safety Board report stated that the airspeed indicator was off on Tsunami's last flight and a mechanical failure in the flap system, caused the aircraft to roll on final approach into Pierre Regional Airport, South Dakota on 25 September 1991.