They Cheer - When You Don't Check Your Gas

In this whimsically alarming WWII-era poster, a pilot stands confidently at the roadside, thumb in the air as if on a joyride — except his aircraft has crash-landed in a pond behind him. The tail of the plane peeks above the water, near a startled cow who shares the scene with wide eyes. A bright blue sign reads “Airport 50 mi.,” signaling just how far short he fell. From behind a hill, Hitler, Tojo, and Mussolini gleefully cheer once again, delighted by yet another Allied oversight — this time, a failure to check the fuel gauge. Part of the iconic “They Cheer” aviation safety series, this poster was created by the Directorate of Air Traffic and Safety and the Directorate of Safety Education to address the everyday mistakes that could become wartime disasters. Designed for young, rapidly trained WWII pilots, the series paired serious flight safety messaging with slapstick visuals and political satire — turning each careless error into an advantage for the Axis. The visual irony here is