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Born in Wairarapa in 1921, Hugh Tucker lived his post War years in Taranaki.
He gained his wings at Wigram, Canterbury and was posted overseas, joining New Zealand’s
famed 485 Spitfire Squadron at Kings Cliffe RAF Base in England, 1942.
Hugh’s first flight was almost his last. Flying low and hard near Goes, Holland, attacking a
German supply train, his Spitfire clipped the ground, twisting the airframe.
Somehow he kept the aircraft flying despite being attacked by two enemy fighters who shot
out his radio as he limped home across the Channel.
By late 1943 Hugh’s Squadron Leader was the acclaimed and decorated Kiwi
Johnny Checketts.
During a dogfight over France, diving and rolling under high tension cables and around
church steeples, four 485 pilots, Checketts, Bruce Gibbs, Jack Rae and Hugh Tucker shot down six German Me109 Fighters in quick succession – a feat dubbed ‘Six in sixty seconds’.
The following day the pilots received a telegram from Whitehall which read:
Please convey my warmest congratulations to 485 Squadron on yesterday’s achievement. Winston Churchill.
After the War Hugh Tucker bought a farm near Opunake Taranaki. He married Nola Langlands in 1947 and they raised three daughters: Diane, Margaret and Lynette. The family later moved to another dairy farm in Warea, just around the coast.
In an amazing coincidence, Hugh became friend and neighbour to another dairy farming Warea Spitfire pilot, Jim Hickey.
F/O Hugh Somerset Tucker 26.08.21 – 05.02.09
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