They Cheer - When You Forget Your Maps

In this comical yet cautionary WWII-era poster, a pilot dressed in a khaki desert uniform stands bewildered, surrounded by snow and ice — clearly in the wrong climate. His plane, marked “Desert Patrol,” sits frosted over in the background, icicles hanging from the wings and tail. His hat is dusted in snow, and he clutches a round desert fan — a symbol of just how unprepared he is for the arctic conditions he’s mistakenly landed in. A surprised penguin stares up at him, matching his confusion. From behind an igloo, Axis leaders Hitler, Tojo, and Mussolini peer out gleefully, cheering on the navigational blunder. This scene is part of the “They Cheer” series — a set of 16 original WWII safety posters created by the Directorate of Air Traffic and Safety and the Directorate of Safety Education to educate newly trained U.S. military pilots. Each poster dramatizes a flight error through comic exaggeration and enemy mockery. Here, the pilot’s failure to consult his maps has turned a routine assignment into an absurd misadventure — and a propaganda victory for the enemy. Using bold colors, exaggerated expression, and ironic contrasts, the image transforms a simple lapse into a lesson impossible to ignore. As with the rest of the series, the cheering Axis leaders remind every viewer of the wartime stakes: when a pilot gets lost, they cheer.

This is an Original Vintage Poster; it is not a reproduction. This poster was printed on heavyweight paper and is in excellent condition apart from slight toning at folds. We guarantee the authenticity of all of our posters.