Story and Photography by Barbara A. Schmitz
Brothers Rodney and Steve Jarrell aren’t veterans, but they had friends who were and never got the respect they deserved. So the two decided to do something about it.
After building an RV-10 and RV-14, they each had their airplanes, named Liberty and Freedom, respectively, painted to salute the U.S. armed forces and veterans.
Rodney, EAA 1132855, of Phoenix, Arizona, and Steve, EAA 866295, of Hendersonville, North Carolina, finished building their airplanes in 2016 and 2021. Rodney’s air-plane has been displayed at AirVenture in the past, but the paint job on Steve’s plane was just finished on July 1, making AirVenture its first big public appearance.
“I’ve been to a couple air shows with Rodney, and veterans normally don’t say a word; they walk around and just take it in,” Steve said. “This isn’t about us or the planes’ pretty paint jobs. It’s about the message those planes represent: to support our troops, past, present, and future, and our veterans’ families.”
Rodney said he originally didn’t know how he wanted to paint his airplane, but after meeting with John Stahr of Artistic Aviation, eventually decided on the military theme. And Steve liked Rodney’s paint job so much he decided to do a similar theme. It took Stahr 16 days, 14 hours a day, to finish Steve’s paint job, which includes the message, “May we never forget that freedom isn’t free.”
Rodney’s airplane features faces of each branch of the military, including U.S. Army Gen. George Patton and Jeannie Leavitt, the U.S. Air Force’s first female fighter pilot. But his favorite is “Chesty” Puller, a U.S. Marine Corps officer and the most decorated Marine in U.S. history. The bottom of the wings includes a ribbon with the words “God bless our troops,” and on his cowling is a picture of a soldier guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.
Steve’s airplane tells more of a story, from Colonial times to present day, and includes an immature eagle on one side, with Betsy Ross’ flag, George Washington crossing the Delaware, and Paul Revere’s famous ride. The other side includes a mature eagle with six Marines raising the flag at Iwo Jima and Arlington cemetery with a horse-drawn caisson. On the cowling is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Their airplanes can be found throughout the week just north of Forum Building 5. To learn more about their airplanes and the symbolism, scan the QR code on the sign near the airplane.