MATHEMATICS A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z                    HOME ABOUT CATEGORIES SITE MAP COPYRIGHT ADVERTISE CONTACT entire Web this site Earthshapes Reproduced by permission of Joseph Portney. © 1998 Litton Systems, Inc. A series of 12 hypothetical Earths as conceived by American airman Joseph Portney in 1968 during a flight to the North Pole onboard a U.S. Air Force KC-135. As the North Pole was reached, Portney looked on the icy terrain below and asked himself, "What if the Earth were...?" The hypothetical Earths, cylindrical, conic, donut-shaped, and so forth, were sketched and captioned by Portney and given to the Litton Guidance & Control Systems graphic arts group to create models. These models were then photographed and became the theme of a Litton publication entitled Pilots and Navigators Calendar for 1969. Each month was introduced with a different one of the 12 hypothetical Earths. The result was an international sensation, attracting awards and heavy fan mail. Related category    • MATHEMATICS Also on this site: Encyclopedia of Alternative Energy & Sustainable Living Encyclopedia of History Transport Concepts & Designs (partner site) BACK TO TOP