Asking For It
A monochrome painting shows pilots in Hurricane fighters in open sky, with bombers high in the cloud behind them. The text, 'Do not let yourself be surprised by the enemy', carries an implied threat in its title 'Asking For It', which is the fear-appeal tell, aimed at aircrew.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1943
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Air Ministry (Air Diagram 1305), printed for H.M. Stationery Office by Greycaine Ltd; drawing by H. R. Millar for Flight
- Region
- Western and Central Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Churchill Government
- Leader
- Winston Churchill
- Audience
- Own forces
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Theme
- War and the military
- Event
- World War II
- Leader
- Winston Churchill
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Foreign Posters, retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (UK Crown copyright, 50 years from publication, expired before 1996; no URAA restoration)
Air Ministry / H.M. Stationery Office; drawing by H. R. Millar for Flight, c. 1943. National Archives and Records Administration (NAID 44266148).
Text on the object
ASKING FOR IT DO NOT LET YOURSELF BE SURPRISED BY THE ENEMY. KEEP A GOOD LOOK-OUT ALL ROUND AT ALL TIMES. Drawing by Flight AIR DIAGRAM 1305 FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY [signature:] H R MILLAR Printed for H.M. Stationery Office by Greycaine Ltd., Watford and London. 51-6679.
