Evan Dall "Rosie" Mackie, DSO, DFC & Bar (31 October 1917 – 28 April 1986) was a New Zealand fighter pilot and flying ace of the Second World War.

Credited with 21.5 aerial victories, he was the highest scoring flying ace to serve with the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF).

He was responsible for destroying a number of German and Italian aircraft during his time with the squadron, which he commanded from June to October during the campaigns in Sicily and Italy.

Rested from flight duties in April 1944, he served in a training role for a number of months but by the end of the year was back on operations with No.

Due to the economic climate, he did not complete his formal education and from 1933 worked a series of menial jobs to help support his family.

The tough physical labour that he performed during this early employment apparently contributed to his strong build and a ruddy complexion; in his later years, the latter attribute earned him the nickname "Rosie".

[3][4] Prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, Mackie enrolled in a correspondence course to prepare prospective aircrew for the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF).

Mackie underwent further flight training in Canada, departing New Zealand at the end of April aboard the ocean liner Awatea.

32 Service Flying Training School, based at Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan, Mackie flew North American Harvards.

He was subsequently sent to the United Kingdom to serve with the Royal Air Force (RAF), departing from Halifax aboard the Dominion Monarch and arriving at Southampton in early September.

[12][14] On 12 February 1942, the squadron flew a mission escorting bombers attempting to disrupt the Channel Dash by the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau.

[15][16] Afterwards, the squadron resumed its normal duties but on 26 March, while escorting bombers to Le Havre, he shared in destroying a Bf 109; Crawford-Compton was the other pilot involved.

[17][18][19] Operations to France began to increase in number and exactly a month later Mackie was credited with the probable destruction of a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter over Boulogne-Saint-Omer.

Mackie, who had been promoted to flying officer earlier in the month, only encountered the Luftwaffe during the first of these patrols, during which his Spitfire was lightly damaged by machine-gun fire.

324 Wing which operated under the auspices of the Northwest African Tactical Air Force and carried out offensive patrols and bomber escort missions.

[29] On 7 April, while patrolling over Beja-Medjez el Bab, he and eleven other pilots of his squadron engaged several Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers.

[17][31] On 24 April, having earlier in the day destroyed a number of vehicles while strafing the road between Pont du Fahs and Bir-Mecherga, he and his flight became involved in a dogfight with a Bf 109.

During the encounter, another Spitfire collided with him and as a result, Mackie had to forceland near Pont du Fahs, close to the headquarters of the 1st Armoured Division.

[17] At the end of the month Mackie learned he was to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC); this would be the first such medal to be earned by a pilot of No.

[33] His DFC was formally announced in May, the published citation reading: In operations in North Africa, this officer has displayed skilful [sic] leadership and great tenacity.

His courageous example has proved inspiring.By this time, the campaign in Tunisia was nearly over and the squadron's focus was targeting transport craft evacuating the Germans and Italians.

[37][38] Much more intensive flying was completed the following month, as the aerial offensive ramped up in support of Operation Husky: the Allied invasion of Sicily.

On 4 July, while escorting Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers attacking the aerodrome at Catania, Mackie destroyed a Bf 109.

The campaign in Sicily ended on 19 August and the squadron began preparing for offensive operations against mainland Italy, moving to Cassala airstrip, on the island's east coast.

[54] For next the few weeks, Mackie's operational flying consisted mainly of patrols along the Sangro River and on one of these, on 3 December, he destroyed a Bf 109 when his section intercepted a dozen German fighters west of Casoli.

[57] On reaching England, Mackie was posted to Bentley Priory, the headquarters of Air Defence of Great Britain, formerly Fighter Command, where he took up a training role.

[60] On Christmas Eve, Mackie shot down an Fw 190 over the Malmedy area; the pilot was most likely the German flying ace Wolfgang Kosse.

80 Squadron flew in support of the crossing of the Rhine on 23 March, protecting the bridgehead, and two days later resumed its regular ground attack duties.

[64] This was formally announced on 8 May in The London Gazette, the published citation reading: This officer has led the squadron on numerous sorties within recent months.

[74] At the end of the month, he was awarded the American Distinguished Flying Cross in "recognition of valuable services rendered in connection with the war".