Current theoretical methods of estimating the flow field surrounding airplanes in supersonic flight are based on Whitham's solution for the flow about bodies of revolution and on other theoretical work that makes possible the representation of a complete airplane as an equivalent body of revolution. This paper presents a review of the fundamental theory and discusses the use of high‐speed digital computers in providing rapid and reliable analysis of sonic‐boom characteristics of complex airplane configurations. Application of the estimation techniques is illustrated in correlation with wind‐tunnel and flight‐test measurements.