WITH FLEET AIR ARM

Grey River Argus, 21 March 1945, Page 2

WITH FLEET AIR ARM

N.Z. Pilot's Encounters

[R.N.Z.A.F. News Service 1 Flying a Hellcat over Sumatra in January, when carrier-borne aircraft of the British East Indies Fleet struck twice at Japanese oil refineries, a 23-years-old New Zealand pilot shot down two enemy fighters, though at one stage he was on the point of baling out himself. The story is told by Sub. Lieut. (A) R. F. Mackie, R.N.Z.N.V.R., of Waipukurau, who left New Zealand for service in 1941, when part way through his law studies at Canterbury University College, Christchurch. “The first strike against Palembang was pretty exciting,” he said. “Flak over the target was thick, and there was a good few enemy fighters about. I managed to get a burst in at a Tojo which went down smoking, lite pilot baled out. . “Something then hit my engine, and a good deal of oil began to pour back into the cockpit.” . t . . Sub. Lieut. Mackie decided to join the bomber formation for the Hight back to the ship but “the coughed and sneezed so much be c.ecided to climb preparatory to bain » ° U “But things seemed better wlien we were back over the D ee ~ wAi i “and as the ship was into the wind 1 made an emergency mndi, “I found one of my cyhndeis had been shot away, and there at all, in my tank. I mcredio.y lU Fi?e days later Sub Lieut Maekie celebrated his I UC K ap’ain to escort bornbeis. , g "This second strike was much &t--jUs about but I managed to get an °““He was on the tail of another aircraft when I shot him. The pilot baled out without a parachme, as his pl “pts a ta> e m that’l’had a very quiet % .Maekie has. in stiikes at Pa A’ nc j pangkalambar, Belawan Deli ana t> brandan.