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STSprog (VIRTUS) v_bw_o_n (ca. 1974, unnumbered poss. Furman Assoc. Inc.,Turbo-Three Corp. promo photo)

“The “VIRTUS”

 

A special purpose transport aircraft designed to airlift the NASA Space Shuttle Orbiter and External Tank.”

 

Although oddly cool & exotic looking, it also looks like a catastrophe waiting to happen. And, for something that never came to fruition, there’s plenty to be found regarding it.

Maybe there’s an H-4 Hercules/Spruce Goose sort of thing to it, which actually flew…a little bit…once. And, for context, the H-4 had a wingspan of 320 ft.

 

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conroy_Virtus

Credit: Wikipedia

 

And:

 

ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19740000770/downloads/1974000...

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Uploaded on April 16, 2022