The Mena weekly star., 1918-08-01
YOUNG FRENCHMAN
 IS MASTER FILLER
By Terrific Speed and Unerring Craftsmanship Lieutenant Rene Fonck Has Brought Down 45
 German Planes.

speed, intrepidity and sharp beak, can put to flight the fiercest hawk or even a giant eagle. His quick darts baffle his heavier opponent and wear him out, while the king bird keeps clear of the attacks of his adversary.
 A I.e=aine boy of 24 years, Lieut.. Rene Fonck, is the kingbird of the French ayiators. This youngster with the downy mustache and the simplicity of manner of country boy has forty-seven German air. planes to his credit, says the French magazine, Lectures Pour Tous. He has fought the Germans singly, in pairs and in flocks. He darts at them from the clouds and baffles them with his speed; then a quick shot from his never-failing machine gun and the fight is over. France has loaded him down with medals even before the exploit that put him above all in aviation, the averaging of the death of Guynemer, hero of Frances fiiers.
 The averaging of Guynemer is typ ical of Fonck's air tactics. On the Belgian front Lieutenant Wisse- mann, boche aviator who slew the valient French fier, was spread ing terror among the airmen. After his victory over Guynemer he had written to his family: q have just vanquished the most redoubtable of our enemies; l have shot down the famous French captain, Guynemer. Now l have nothing more to fear"
 But Wissemann," says Lectures Pour Tous, which tells of the fight 1 as the young aviator told it to the writer had reckoned without Fonck. and he did not long enjoy his tri- umph. One day Fonck was playing among the clouds six thousand me ters above the ground. Some seven hundred meters below him flew a patrol of eight French aviators. Suddenly Fonek saw a splendid Rumpler biplane, glittering in it's newness, swoop toward the patrol.
 The German Misses.
 Instantly, according to his GUS tom, Fonck sped his little machine straight at the proud boche. He drove furiously, but the German. full of confidence, did not dodge; in- deed he put on all speed toward the Frenchman, firing a burst from his machine gun. But the bull let's missed the lodging little plane, and that signed the death warrant of the Hun. Never had Fonck's plane responded so superbly to his touch. It flashed under the great Rumpler like a humming bird lodging a branch, and as it passed beneath and a little to the rear, Fonck's machine gun sputtered and the German fell six thousand meters. Guynemer was avenged"
 Lieutenant Fonck has come thru his numerous battles without a scratch. Seemingly he throws eau tion to the winds when he fights, but in reality he studies his adversary as cooly as if he were playing chess. He picks out the time to strike. and his success lies in being able to strike accurately. He practices shoot ing with machine gun and rife in- cessantly and is marvellous marks man. That makes it possible for him to make every shot count, and his eye is so trained to judge speed and distance that he can figure his maneuvers out to nicety. So it is not all luck that has brought him victorious and unharmed thru half hundred battles in the sky.
 Fonck summed up his aerial tac- ties for Lectures Pour Tous as fol- lows:
 Instantaneousness, suppleness and quick, sure vision. Those are the three qualities that distinguish the true chasseur of the air.
 instantaneousness makes 1t pos sible for him, thanks to the rapiditv of his refiexes, to execute the desired movement at blinding speed at the exact instant 1t is needed.
 "Suppleness facilitates the execu- tion of the maneuver. |
 Quick eyes make it possible for him to guage the speed and distance of his enemies.
 If pilot has those three duali- fieations he need have no fear of be- ing humbled and he may be sure of having many scalps at his belt.
 No fixed rules for combat can be established. It all depends on the place, the time and the number. Of course the best plan is to dash upon your man before he sees you, but that can't always be done. And when that is ispossible the problem is so to twist and dodge that you keep out of his line of fire and at the same time uncover his weakness. Once you find his weakness you must instantly make the best of it.
 Fly Thru the Flock.
 If you find yourself opposed by several fiiers, bounce on the one that appears the siowest and weakest. vop can fly right thru the flock. general " without their realizing you are an enemy until too late to get shot at you.
 Hunting in the air is very trv- ing sport. Flying at great heioht i tires the organs rapidly and makes 1t necessary for the pilot to follow a most vat,