In memory of my late friend Squadron Leader Keith J. MacDonald, DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross), formerly of RAF (New Zealand) No. 485 Squadron.
Keith flew Supermarine Spitfires during WWII in the European Theater from 1943 through 1945. He was a very brave and principled man.

"We will remember them".

The background is of Spitfire MkIXc PV270. Currently running a Rolls Royce 1,720 Hp Merlin 70 Series HF engine, this magnificent aircraft has been restored to pristine flight condition here in New Zealand by Brendon Deere, nephew of Alan Christopher "Al" Deere, DSO, OBE, DFC & Bar (12 December 1917 -- 21 September 1995), who was a New Zealand Spitfire pilot Ace in the Battle of Britain and author of the book "Nine Lives".

Welcome!
I'm a design engineer and physicist who is a keen aeronautical enthusiast and a keen recreational boater and fisherman.
I strongly support the rights to life of pre-birth children from the moment of their conception - and lobby for improved pre and post natal care for all pregnant mothers.

(For pregnant mothers who require support, or for anyone at all who might like to support the pro-life cause in New Zealand, please contact:
The National Office of Voice For Life:
PO Box 12-286 Thorndon
Wellington
Phone (09) 443 0995)

A brief about Keith MacDonald:

485 Squadron Motto:
"Ka whawhai tonu" (Maori).
"We will fight on".

From the 1970's through early 1990's, Keith reconditioned Rolls Royce V-1650 Merlin engines for Supermarine Spitfires and Packard built V-1650 Merlins for North American P51-D Mustangs which were being restored to flight condition in New Zealand and the USA. This is how I came to meet him.

Keith told me: "The Spitfire was feather light on all the controls, very quick with a superb rate of climb, very agile with an excellent turning circle, a good rate of roll and it's revolutionary wing design provided it with very stable high speed dive characteristics. It was a true 'pilots' aircraft."

His favorite Merlin engines were the Rolls Royce 66 variant as fitted to the Spitfire LFMk9 and the Packard built 266 as fitted to the Spitfire Mk16 and Mustang P-51D - both of which were equipped with Two Stage, Two Speed Superchargers.

Keith said: "My favorite Spitfires were the Mk IXe and Mk XVI. With their vastly improved performance over the Merlin 45 engined Spitfire Mk Vb, we considered them to be significantly superior to the Messerschmitt Bf 109G and all things taken into account, the FW 190A - especially at altitude. Armament was also improved, retaining the two high velocity Hispano 20mm cannon but replacing the four Browning .303 machine guns with two Browning .50 cal guns. "

I've long regarded the Spitfire as a symbol of both a triumph over almost overwhelming adversity and a triumph of engineering genius (and remarkable self-sacrifice) on the part of the conceiver and designer, R.J. Mitchell.

The Supemarine Spitfire, even today, is a symbol of freedom for many within the Commonwealth. In the early stages of WWII in the skies over Britain, Spitfire squadrons helped repel the threat of the brutal agents of the final solution. As a result imminent invasion plans by the enemy were abandoned, making D-Day and the eventual liberation of Europe possible in 1944-45.

Likes:
(1) The Trinity of God - our greatest hope - our greatest goal.
(2) People who have the fortitude to fight for the rights of all children everywhere, both born and unborn.
(3) People who genuinely love life.
(4) The sound of a well tuned Rolls Royce Merlin engine

Dislikes:
(1) Politicians who lie through a self-serving attitude to life.
(2) Financial predators.
(3) The sound of a whining, malcontented pro-abort.

Some of my favorite aphorisms which were penned by my father, Terence, a man with terrific vision and insight:

'Human idealism, about human rights, is bogged down in the human shame of induced abortion. The shame of the idealism of the final solution'.

NO MAN MADE LAWS CAN ERASE THE VALIDITY OF GOD'S TEN COMMANDMENTS.

ALL CREATION IS BALANCED BY THE PERFECT OBEDIENCE OF JESUS TO THE WILL OF THE FATHER.

LIFE IS A HOLY GIFT TO BE LIVED ETERNALLY BY THOSE WHO LOVE WHOLLY!!

'To spoil the goodness of children is to spoil the life of mankind'.

'Societies that are fooled into tolerating evil practices, to the point of legislating for their protection, are in for a rude awakening.'

'There is no uncertainty within the Gravity of Time, only order.'

'It is always wise to remember, that God has the last say.'

'The world's problems are many because too much is known about too little and too little about so much.'

Favorite OT passage of mine and my father's:

Isaiah 35: 6-8
"Then the lame will leap like a deer and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy; for water will gush in the desert and streams in the wastelands.
The parched ground will become a marsh and the thirsty land springs of water; the lairs where the jackals used to live will become plots of reed and papyrus.
And through it will run a road for them and a highway which will be called THE SACRED WAY; the unclean will not be allowed to use it; He will be the one to use this road, the fool will not stray along it."

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