The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-06-19
FRENCH 4IRM4N
BROUGHT DOWN
SIX FOE PLANES
Lieut.. Rene Fonek Fought Three Distinct
Battles on May 8, and His Record OF
Victories Has Never Been Equalled.

Paris, June 10 correspondence of the
Associated Press. = Lieutenant Rene
fonek, the young French ACE of aces
fought three distinct battles in the air
when, ON May 5, he brought down six
German airplanes in one day. His record
never has been equalled in aviation.
All three engagements were fought
within two hours. In all Fonck fired only
81 shots, an average of little more than
nine bullets for each enemy brought
down. an extraordinary record in view
OF the fact that aviators often fire hun.
dreds OF rounds without Gripping their
opponent.
| The first fight, in WHICH Lieutenant
fonek brought down three German ma
chimes, lasted only minute and a halft
and the young Frenchman fired only -
| shots.
Although Lieutenant Fonck is officially
credited with bringing down AZ enemy
airplanes in all, military aviators believe
that he has sent down at least go ma.
chimes. He is "a years old, is cool in bat.
Tie and handles both machine gun and
airplane with great skill.
Fonek was leading two other compan-
IONS on a patrol IN the Moreul. Mont.
didier sector on May s, when the French
squadron met three German two.seater
airplanes coming toward them in arrow
formation. Signaling TO his companions,
Lieutenant Fonck dived at the leading
German plane and, with few shots, sent
It down in flames. Fonck turned to the
left, and the second Hun followed in an
effort TO attack him from behind, but the
Frenchman made quick turn above him |
and with five shots sent the second Hun |
down to death. Ten seconds had barely |
elapsed between the two victories.
The third Hun headed for home, but |
when Lieutenant Fonck apparently gave |
up the chase and turned back towards |
the French lines, the German went after
him and was flying parallel and little
below him, when Fonck made a quick |
turn, drove straight at him and sent |
him down within half mile of the spot |
where his two comrades hit the earth.
This ended the first engagement
Several German observation balloons
had been brought down by French avia-
tors. Lieutenant Fonck returned to his
camp and waited three quarters of an
hour for the Germans to learn of that
scene of action. Then he, with two com
panions, went out to meet them. Above
he came upon German plane
which was regulating the enemy artillery
ire, diyed 1000 feet and sent the Ger
nan plane to earth with few shots.
Taking refuge in a cloud, Fonck lost his
.wo companions. Emerging from the
mist to start for his own lines, Lieuten-,
mt Fonck saw before him four single
eater. Pfalz airplanes protected, at 500
eet above, by five German albatrosses,
making for the French trenches with the
onvoying planes leading. In a ten second
light, Fonck overlook the reAx Pfalz ma
hina fired and saw it fall.
At the sound of his gun. the two
'falz machines in the center of the Ger
nan group turned one to the right and :
he other to the left, to attack the daring :
renchman, but Fonck drove his airplane
Witty ahead and overlook the fourth :
'falz machine. A few shots under its !
all sent il down in flames, and the victor :
ew off to safety, leaving the two other q
falls and five albatrosses wondering 8
hat had struck the squadron. !,
The air fights were staged from $500 !
, 5000 feet up. The first German fell n
4;05 D. m, and the last at 5:65 p. III. n
Lieutenant Fonck used an ordinary e,
pad machine equipped with two rapid :,
re guns. He had been pilot since 1915,
assing into chaser squadron about a al
var ago. On the day following his six r
ctories he was made an officer of the m
agion of Honor and subsequently was al
'omoted to first lieutenant. W