George Rodgers ’51N donates bucket list item to Farragut
Balloons in the photo were used to stabilize the model as it was being transported
In honor of the Class of 1951, George Rodgers donated his model of the United States Coast Guard Cutter Eagle to Farragut’s Wagner Museum. Rodgers was a Naval Aviator and then retired as Vice President of Beech Aircraft in 1993.
One of his bucket list items after retirement was constructing the 1:90 scale model of the Eagle. After studying the manuals, this became a passion project for Rodgers and took over a year to construct. He found creative solutions to ensure the model ship was as realistic as possible, for example, he used a ladies hair net for the safety net below the bowsprit. Fine detail was also used on the quarter deck by using gold trim from a Christmas card to create the polished brass straps of the box that protects the backup helm gear. The sails of the ship were soaked in a mixture of varnish and turpentine to give it its realistic worn look and were dried hanging in a curve to illustrate the power of the wind at sea.
Rodgers built his model with the thought of one day donating it to Farragut.
“My four years at Farragut were the most formative of my life. It was there that I determined the man I wanted to be. There were specifics that varied over the years but the basic character and approach to life were pretty well defined. Respect, adaptability, leadership, and integrity were the key elements of my life. Over the years, in a variety of challenges, the influence of Farragut gave me the confidence and stability that helped me greatly.”
Rodgers has also donated and established an estate gift for Farragut. “Admiral Farragut Academy means more to me than either of my universities and I went to Duke and Columbia.” Rodgers and his life partner, Janet, reside in Palm City, Florida.
