Obituary: WWII fighter pilot Geoff Fisken

Geoffrey Bryson Fisken was first and foremost a man of the land, but made his name as a top fighter pilot during World War II.
The 96-year-old died peacefully at Lara Lodge in Rotorua on Saturday, surrounded by family and friends.
Mr Fisken was born in Gisborne in February 1916 and was farming sheep near Masterton when war broke out in 1939.
Earlier that decade he was taught to fly Gypsy Moths by "Tiny" White, a pioneer of New Zealand aviation.
He enlisted in the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1940, trained at Ohakea Airbase and Bell Block in New Plymouth, and graduated as a Sergeant Pilot in 1941.
He became the leading Commonwealth fighter pilot against the Japanese in the Pacific.
Flying Brewster Buffaloes and P-40 Kittyhawks, he shot down at least 11 enemy aircraft before he was badly wounded and returned home.
In his fighter plane nicknamed the "Wairarapa Wildcat" he earned himself the Distinguished Flying Cross for his efforts.
He settled with his wife Rhoda (nee Ellen) in Rotorua in 1973 where Mr Fisken was the manager of the Rotorua branch of the Tauranga Egg Marketing Co-operative (TEMCO).
His son Michael said his father was a keen fisherman, duck shooter and horseman who "... was a forthright man who let you know what he was thinking".
Michael said his father did not talk a lot about the war, "... but when he got a bit older did tell us how good he was".
Daughter Kathryn Noble said her father was tender and gentle with his grandchildren and took a great interest in their development.
"He also loved to try to cook, but was not always that successful.
"One day he blew up a pressure cooker he was using and put himself in hospital."
World War II veteran Jack Stafford of Rotorua said although he did not fly with Mr Fisken during the war he was "obviously quite an exceptional pilot".
"I admired him greatly as a fighter pilot. We used to drive to Tauranga about once a month for fighter pilot luncheons together.
"He was an excellent chap who was also greatly admired by the American Navy Air Force. He was a very strong, powerful guy who loved deer hunting," Mr Stafford said.
Mr Fisken is survived by his five sons and one daughter, 16 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
His funeral will be held at Fenton Park Bible Church tomorrow from 1.30pm.