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The illustration above was done by artist/designer Russell W. Porter in June 1944. It shows a bird's eye view of JPL when it was known as the Air Corps Jet Propulsion Research Project ("the Project"). This drawing indicates existing buildings, as well as proposed and future ones in solid and broken outlines. It also reflects the increasing use of the new name "Jet Propulsion Laboratory". The row of drawings at top show work done at the Project -- the Private A rocket, Hydrobomb rocket carriage, Ercoupe airplane with solid jet-assisted-takeoff units (JATOs), A-20a bomber with liquid JATOs, and a Ramjet powered airplane.

Porter was a design artist for the Hale telescope and a Research Associate in Optics and Instrumental Design at Caltech from 1928-42. He was known for his "cutaway" drawing technique, which he used to reveal the structure and details of a building. Another example of his work, the original Hydrobomb facility drawing, is on display at the JPL Archives and the Caltech Archives has several Porter illustrations in its on-line catalog.

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