Evan Mackie

Evan Mackie

Wing Commander Evan "Rosie" Mackie, DSO, DFC & Bar, was a New Zealand fighter pilot and ace of the Second World War.

Many New Zealand pilots who served overseas enlisted in the RAF; Mackie chose to join the RNZAF and as such he was the highest scoring member of that service.

Born in October 1917, 'Rosie', (so named when in the RAF because of his ruddy complexion) trained as an electrician before the war. Mackie joined the RNZAF in January 1941, and on completion of flying training was posted to the No 485 (NZ) Squadron in the UK in early 1942. In March 1943 he was posted to North Africa, to No. 243 Squadron, flying the Spitfire Mk V. He was shot down over Pont du Fahs area on 24 April, but returned on foot to Allied lines the next day. He was awarded the DFC in May, and achieved success in combat through April- October 1943. A JG 77 Bf 109 was claimed on 4 July, and Bf 109 of JG 53 on 5 July, while 2 Italian-flown Junkers Ju 87 of 121 Gruppo and a Reggiane Re 2002 of 5 Stormo were shot down on 13 July. In November he was posted to command No. 92 Squadron, returning, tour-expired, to the UK in February 1944.

He then joined 274 Squadron flying the Hawker Tempest in December 1944, before commanding No 80 Squadron, and then becoming No. 122 Wing Leader, in April 1945.

Mackie scored 20 air victories, as well as 3 shared kills, 2 probables, 10 damaged and 1 shared damaged, with 3 destroyed and 2 shared destroyed on the ground during the war. Of this final total, 12 kills, three shared destroyed, two probably destroyed, seven damaged and one shared damaged, was achieved while flying the Spitfire Mark V and Mark VIII. Mackie was also credited with 6.5 kills in the Hawker Tempest.

Following the war Mackie declined roles in the military, preferring to return home to New Zealand and continue his career as an electrician, eventually becoming Chief Inspector for the Tauranga Power Board. Shortly before he died in 1986 he was interviewed extensively by Max Avery who subsequently, with the assistance of Christopher Shores, published a biography "Spitfire Leader" focusing mostly on his military service.

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