Released: Feb. 25, 2002
Artist designs new nose art
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LANGLEY
AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (ACCNS) -- A graphic artist here designed the
artwork that soon will decorate Air Force aircraft everywhere to honor
the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Air Combat
Command’s Multimedia Center was given the job of designing a special
piece of aircraft nose art, explained Jay Welsh, ACC’s chief of visual
communication.
Welsh challenged his staff to come up with a series of designs that
would capture the spirit of the country on Sept. 11.
Seven or eight designs were submitted. “They were all terrific,” Welsh
said. “We narrowed it down to four selections and then sent them up to
Gen. (John) Jumper,” chief of staff of the Air Force.
The chief of staff selected the design of Senior Airman Duane White.
His design has the words “Let’s Roll!” on the bottom and “Spirit of
9-11” on the top with an American bald eagle and U.S. flag.
“I used the image of the American bald eagle swooping down to symbolize
action and power,” said White. “The American flag used in the
background represents those who are proud to defend and die for their
freedom as Americans.”
White’s coworkers informed him his design would be on aircraft around
the world.
“I feel honored to be able to pay my respects to those who lost their
lives Sept. 11, by contributing a graphic that symbolizes American’s
courage in the worst of times,” White said.
Welsh wasn’t surprised White’s design was picked.
“White is a superb young man,” said Welsh. “He works hard and taught
himself the software to make the design.”
The Thunderbirds and other Air Force demonstration teams will apply
this nose art on all their aircraft. Major commands and wings are
authorized to apply the design to one aircraft.
The words used in the design were made famous by Todd Beamer, a
passenger on Flight 93, the flight that crashed in a field in western
Pennsylvania. He was overheard on a cellular phone reciting the Lord’s
Prayer and saying “Let’s roll!” as passengers charged the terrorists.
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