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Tshirt P-40 "Geoffrey Bryson Fisken"
Design, knitting, serigraphy print
Polo 100% cotton jersey - Khaki, white border
Tshirt P40
$56.52
Tshirt P-40 "Geoffrey Bryson Fisken"
Design, knitting, serigraphy print
Polo 100% cotton jersey - Khaki, white border
We wanted to pay tribute here to one of New Zealand's greatest pilots, more over the British Commonwealth's leading air ace in the Pacific theatre of World War II, with shooting down 11 Japanese aircraft.
Geoffrey Bryson Fisken, DFC
(February 17, 1916 - June 12, 2011)
Is military career began in September 1939, at the outbreak of World War II Fisken volunteered for the Royal New Zealand Air Force, but was initially barred from enlisting. At the time New Zealand farming was a reserved occupation as it was considered vital for the war effort, finally enlist in early 1940, after convincing his employer to release him for service. Accepted as a pilot and undertook training at Bell Block in New Plymouth and also at Ohakea, before graduating as a Sergeant Pilot in 1941.
Early 1941 Fisken was sent to complete a fighter conversion course on Royal Australian Air Force CAC Wirraways, on Brewster Buffaloes. Upon completion, he was posted to No. 67 Squadron RAF, which was primarily made up of New Zealanders at the time and was in the process of forming at Kallang along with No. 243 Squadron RAF.
In October 1941, as fears of Japanese aggression increased, No. 67 Squadron moved to Mingaladon, Burma, but Fisken was posted back to Kallang to join No. 243 Squadron.
After The Japanese attacked on 8 December 1941, No. 243 Squadron concentrated on the unsuccessful defence of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse. Fisken was flying one of two Buffaloes to arrive at the sinkings first, describing the scene as "a grey metal bow sticking out of the sea, surrounded by an oil slick and many bodies".
On 16 December, Fisken claimed a victory over a Mitsubishi A6M Zero. A fortnight later, on 29 December, he claimed two unidentified Japanese bombers. On 12 January 1942, Fisken claimed a Nakajima Ki-27. He claimed another A6M Zero two days later on 14 January, being lucky to land after being caught in the explosion of the Japanese plane. On 17 January, he shot down, or assisted in the destruction of, three Mitsubishi G3M bombers, and four days later brought down another fighter.
By this time, 243 Squadron had lost the majority of its pilots and virtually all its aircraft. In late March the RNZAF formed the surviving pilots from No. 243 and 488 Squadrons into No. 14 Squadron RNZAF at Ohakea. They were equipped with Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawks.
Later the squadron was posted to the New Hebrides where they were based at Palikulo Bay Airfield on Espiritu Santo, before moving to the front line at Kukum Field on Guadalcanal on 11 June 1943. The following day Fisken destroyed two more Zero. On 4 July, flying the colourful P-40 "Wairarapa Wildcat" he had his last victories, destroying a further two Zekes and a Mitsubishi G4M.
"Wairarapa Wildcat" also had success in the hands of other pilots. NZ3072 was scrapped after the war, but NZ3009 was restored and painted to represent NZ3072 "Wairarapa Wildcat".
In September 1943 Fisken was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. However, he found himself increasingly troubled by the injuries he had received in Singapore, and was medically discharged from the RNZAF in December 1943.
