An archive of original material relating to the Virtus Transporter System for the Space Shuttle with a ring bound publication of the Space Division of Rockwell International. The Virtus System would seem to have been a proposed Transport System for the Space Shuttle which did not get beyond the drawing board. Comprises 1) An original coloured drawing of the Virtus System - with a cylinder being loaded onto the parent aircraft; watercolour +/- coloured crayon measuring 11 1/2" x 8 3/4 " (29 x 22cms) with a sketch of the Aircraft on paper pasted on board titled in pencil - "First Rough Sketch - showing unloading of External Tank. Off Virtus - March 1974" signed Douglas Ettridge. "External Tank 155ft long x 27ft dia." written underneath the painting 2) Another coloured sketch on paper of the Virtus airborn with the Space shuttle flying beneath - about A4 size. 3) Colour printed plate of the Virtus System with shuttle flying beneath titled "Original conception (now abandoned) for a Helium filled aircraft for Orbiter airlift". (Artist) Douglas Ettridge. 4) Offprint from "Aviation Weekly and Space Technology" Feb.4th 1974 : 4 pages including title page with photographs of a model of the Virtus System and of a sketch similar but more advanced than Item 1. Text explains the Virtus system proposed by John M.Conroy, builder of the Guppy Aircratft; gives spec. and plans. 5) Photocopy of (4) from the published article page nos 38-41. 6) Ring Bound document titled "Space Shuttle Transportation System November, 1973. Pubd. Space Division Rockwell International Public Relations Department. 27p printed on one side - look like photocopies but ring bound. Comprises a complete illustrated specification for the Space Shuttle. 7) Two sheets scrap paper with handwritten notes - "Edwards AFB" on one and an address written on another - "Charles I Stanton, NASA Headquarters, 600 Independence Avenue, Washington DC Code MHO" with scribbles on reverse. 8) Three loose sheets of faded photocopies of photographs of the Space Shuttle. 9) About 15 sheets of irregular tracing paper with sketches of the Virtus System and parts thereof; some folded and none signed - but look like Ettridge's work. 10) 1 sheet of headed notepaper for Santa Barbara Aviation, Inc, Santa Barbara Airport Goleta Califiornia with 8 lines of typewritten text on reverse referring to "Manufacturing Facility" describing another picture of a Hanger for Construction,Sub assembly and final assembley of the Virtus. 11) The original (torn) A4 buff envelope containing this material titled in longhand "Virtus Transporter 17th March 1974. (Ettridge was an established Aviation artist - see Artinfo etc.; John M.Conroy did design the Guppy system for transporting Saturn V Rocket Boosters - see wapedia) . An interesting and unique collection.
