Does anyone out there happen to have photos of a 93 Squadron Spitfire that carried the nickname “PUKERIMU III”?
This was the personal aircraft of Roy Fisher, a local Cambridge man. Here is his profile on my website http://www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/Roy%20Fisher.htm
I assume it was a Mk V Spitfire. I had the opportunity to go through his log book a while back and make notes that now appear on the website, but I haven’t got all the details I needed so I’ll have to go and see his widow again. I did not get the serial number, sorry. I must track it down.
I’d love to see a photo of the plane, and I’m also really curious about the other aircraft he obviously must have named “PUKERIMU” and “PUKERIMU II”.
For those wondering, Pukerimu is a tiny farming area just on the outskirts of Cambridge, New Zealand, where Roy lived his whole life. It is a Maori word, pronounced Pookee-reemoo, with the pook being like book. It isn’t pronounced as puke, like vomit! 🙂 Puke means hill and rimu is a type of native pine tree.
If I get more details on the plane I’ll post them.
By: Dave Homewood - 10th September 2004 at 06:09
I have now had a look through Roy Fisher’s log books again. The aircraft in which he crash landed – the one he called Pukerimu III, was Spitfire IX, MA223, coded HN-R. If anyone happens to have any photos of this aircraft I’d be pleased to see them.
Incidentaly I noted down the serials of the Spitfire Vb aircraft he flew in with 93 Sqn while in the Meditteranean theatre, in case anyone out there has any interest in this:
EP877
ER282 (seemed he flew this one a lot)
??118
EP873
ER815
ER894
ER925
AR530
ER599 (he flew this one a lot too)
EP530
ER542
ER610
ER737
ER542
His log books are really detailed compared with some I’ve seen and he saw a heck of a lot of action. But I don’t think he is credited with any kills. The only reference I’ve found is in “Spitfire – The New Zealand Story” by Gerald S. Morris which says that on the 11th of July 1943 F/O S.F. Browne got a half claim on a Ju88 while flying LZ840 HN-W. The footnote says:
“This claim was shared with P/O Fisher whilst acting as cover for landing ships. Misidentified as an e/a, Stan Browne was then shot down by HMS Warspite’s AA fire and was forced to bale out near Pachino in Southern Sicily. There’s gratitude for you! He returned by landing ship to Valetta, southern Malta and flew again the next day.”
I think Morris cannot have realised that P/O Fisher was a Kiwi too or he would have mentioned this in the book. Unless there were two P/O Fishers in 93 Sqn. The odd thing is Roy’s log mentions nothing. On 11 July 1943 his logbook simply says he flew pitfire IX BS553 ‘P’ and notes “Patrol frontline near Syracuse”. So, was this a different P/O Fisher then?
By: von Perthes - 4th September 2004 at 10:56
I can confirm that this wasn’t a presentation Spitfire.
Geoff.
By: Dave Homewood - 4th September 2004 at 09:52
No, it would not have been a presentation Spitfire. Sorry, I didn’t pick up on that one when I read Geoff’s message. Pukerimu is a tiny community with really just a few farms.
Even when the Cambridge district as a whole fundraised to buy aircraft they didn’t raise enough to have a single plane emblasened with CAMBRIDGE on it. The only one that the town managed to get a credit for that I know of was Spitfire MkVB W3645, OU-S, of 485 (NZ) Sqn, which was the personal mount of Cambridge’s own E.P. ‘Bill’ Wells. Waikato, by the way, is the provence in which our fair town is situated.
Here are two links to my website about fundraising the town did for aircraft funds:
1940 Spitfire Fund (I think it was this that eventually helped buy W3645)
http://www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/Aeroplane%20Fund%201940.htm
Bonds For Bombers
http://www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/RNZAF%20Band.htm
Note the huge difference in the sums raised. Think the situation seemed much more desperate in the second fundraiser.
By: setter - 4th September 2004 at 09:17
Hi Peter
In the book I mentioned above there is a comprehensive list of NZ presentation and other RAF ones flown by Kiwis but this machine is not on that list so that may indicate you are correct. I imagine that is just the name the pilot chose.
If you don’t have the book I can bring a spare over for you if you want one.
Regards
John P
By: Mark12 - 4th September 2004 at 09:04
Dave,
I’ve emailed my friend who is doing a book for AirBritain on presentation Spitfires. If anyone knows the answer he will. I’ll post his reply as soon as I get it.
Geoff.
Are we saying this is a Presentation Spitfire?
This sounds more like a personal legend.
Mark
By: Dave Homewood - 4th September 2004 at 08:39
Thanks Geoff.
Mark12, I don’t have the serial as of yet. I intend to go back and see Mrs Fisher to get more details from Roy’s logbook, hopefully tomorrow. I I find more, I’ll post it.
By: von Perthes - 4th September 2004 at 08:18
Dave,
I’ve emailed my friend who is doing a book for AirBritain on presentation Spitfires. If anyone knows the answer he will. I’ll post his reply as soon as I get it.
Geoff.
By: Mark12 - 4th September 2004 at 08:05
DaveH,
Not ringing any bells with me. Do you have a serial number/squadron code, from a photo or log book, that I can pump into the database?
Mark
By: Dave Homewood - 4th September 2004 at 05:40
I have seen the book in the library and have used it to help with several Cambridge Spitfire pilots. I don’t know if Mr Morris would have any photos of the aircraft, but I guess i could give him a try. I thought maybe some of the Spitfire nuts here like Mark12 might have something tucked away in their collections.
By: setter - 4th September 2004 at 05:27
Hi Dave
Whilst I was in Dunedin in April I picked up a copy of a book that is being remaindered over your way at present called Spitfire- The New Zealand Story – Do you have a copy – very good for research – Gerard S Morris of Christchurch wrote it and I am sure he will help you track down the info you are after
Regards
John
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September 4, 2004 at 4:15 am