



Name: René Paul Fonck







Country: France Rank: Capitaine Service: French Air Service Units: C47; Spa103 Victories: 75 Born: 27 March 1894 Place of Birth: Saulcy-sur-Meurthe Died: 18 June 1953 Place of Death: Paris, France Cemetery: Saulcy-sur-Meurthe Cemetery, Lorraine, France Fonck was the highest scoring ace for France and the Allies. As a boy growing up in the foothills of the Vosges, he was fascinated by stories of men and their flying machines. Yet when he was conscripted in August 1914, he refused to serve in the French Air Service, choosing instead to go to the trenches. By early 1915, he had changed his mind and began his flight training in a Penguin at Saint-Cyr. Displaying an inherent talent for flying, he was soon serving with Escadrille C47, flying an unarmed Caudron on reconnaissance missions over the lines. In April 1917, after more than 500 hours of flight time, Fonck was assigned to Spa103. Flying the SPAD VII, he developed a reputation for studying the tactics of his opponents and conserving ammunition during a dogfight. On two separate occasions, he shot down six enemy aircraft in one day. As his fame grew, so did his ego and Fonck never achieved the admiration and popularity of Georges Guynemer. Even French ace Claude Haegelen, one of Fonck's few friends, felt he boasted too much and too often; but no one could deny that Fonck was an excellent pilot and superb marksman. In 1944 he was arrested and charged with being a collaborator. Fonck died at home from a stroke. He was 59.

Record by French "Ace of Aces" Never Equalled

The Lowell Sun - Friday, June 21, 1918

War Aces Meet in Berlin

The Fresno Bee - Sunday, November 18, 1928 "I put my bullets into the target as if I placed them there by hand." René Fonck



"I prefer to fly alone . . . when alone, I perform those little coups of audacity which amuse me . . ." René Fonck



"He is not a truthful man. He is a tiresome braggart." Claude Haegelen



"René Fonck was in my judgment easily the finest fighter pilot produced by the aviation service of any nation in World War I." Charles Biddle Médaille Militaire "A pilot of remarkable bravery, skill and spirit, having already engaged in a great number of aerial combats. On 6 August 1916, he resolutely attacked two strongly armed enemy planes, took on one in pursuit, and by a series of bold and skilful maneuvers, forced it to land uninjured within our lines. He has been cited in orders twice." Médaille Militaire citation, 1916 Légion d'Honneur "A fighting pilot of great value, combining outstanding bravery and exceptional qualities of skill and sang-froid. He came to pursuit aviation after 500 hours of flight on army corps aircraft and became, in a short time, one of the best French combat pilots. On 19, 20 and 21 August 1917, he shot down his 8th, 9th and 10th enemy aircraft. He has already been cited seven times in orders, and has received the Médaille Militaire for feats of war." Legion d'Honneur citation, 1917 Officier de la Légion d'Honneur "Remarkable officer from every point of view; of admirable fighting ardor. Pilot of the highest order, for reconnaissance missions and artillery range intelligence, as well as for surveillance service that he completed many times despite very unfavorable atmospheric conditions. He demonstrated, during the course of an uninterrupted series of aerial combats, an exceptional strength and will to win, which sets an example for the French chasse pilots of today. Has downed thirty six enemy planes. Seventeen citations, Médaille Militaire and Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur for feats of war." Officier de la Legion d'Honneur citation, 12 May 1918 Victories Date Time Unit Aircraft Opponent Location 1 06 Aug 1916 C47 1 Rumpler Estrées-Saint Denis 2 17 Mar 1917 C47 Albatros 2 N of Cernay-en-Lannais 3 05 May 1917 0730 Spa103 Rumpler Berry-au-Bac 4 11 May 1917 1850 Spa103 Albatros Aguilcourt 5 13 May 1917 1830 Spa103 EA Nogent l'Abbesse 6 12 Jun 1917 0900 Spa103 Albatros Cauroy-Cormicy 7 09 Aug 1917 Spa103 Fokker Dunkerque 8 19 Aug 1917 Spa103 Albatros C Enemy lines 9 20 Aug 1917 Spa103 EA 10 21 Aug 1917 Spa103 Two-seater Dixmuide 11 22 Aug 1917 Spa103 EA NE of Ypres 12 14 Sep 1917 Spa103 EA E of Langemarck 13 15 Sep 1917 Spa103 EA Zonnebeke 14 23 Sep 1917 Spa103 Two-seater S of Houthulst 15 30 Sep 1917 Spa103 Two-seater 3 Poperinghe 16 17 Oct 1917 Spa103 EA 17 17 Oct 1917 Spa103 EA 18 21 Oct 1917 Spa103 EA Paschendaele 19 27 Oct 1917 Spa103 EA Westroosebeke 20 19 Jan 1918 Spa103 Fokker Beaumont 21 19 Jan 1918 Spa103 EA Samogneux 22 05 Feb 1918 1205 Spa103 Two-seater Sarrebruck 23 18 Feb 1918 1300 Spa103 Albatros Caurieres-Bezonvaux 24 19 Feb 1918 1205 Spa103 Albatros C Montfaucon 25 26 Feb 1918 1025 Spa103 Two-seater Dieppe 26 26 Feb 1918 1010 Spa103 Two-seater Montfaucon 27 15 Mar 1918 1015 Spa103 Two-seater Bermercourt-Oratuville 28 15 Mar 1918 1725 Spa103 Albatros N of Courtecon 29 16 Mar 1918 1150 Spa103 Two-seater Nogent l'Abbesse 30 17 Mar 1918 1750 Spa103 Pfalz D.III N of Meneville 31 28 Mar 1918 1030 Spa103 EA E of Montdidier 32 29 Mar 1918 1830 Spa103 Scout Montdidier 33 29 Mar 1918 1835 Spa103 Scout Montdidier 34 12 Apr 1918 1825 Spa103 Scout Piennes-Montdidier 35 12 Apr 1918 1840 Spa103 Two-seater Moreuil 36 22 Apr 1918 1805 Spa103 EA Assainvillers-le-Monchel 37 09 May 1918 1600 Spa103 Two-seater S of Moreuil 38 09 May 1918 1602 Spa103 Two-seater S of Moreuil 39 09 May 1918 1605 Spa103 Two-seater S of Moreuil 40 09 May 1918 1820 Spa103 Two-seater Montdidier 41 09 May 1918 1855 Spa103 Two-seater Harlecourt-Braches 42 09 May 1918 1856 Spa103 Two-seater Harlecourt-Braches 43 19 May 1918 0940 Spa103 EA Montdidier 44 19 May 1918 1000 Spa103 EA Montdidier 45 25 Jun 1918 1815 Spa103 Fokker Villers-aux-Erables 46 25 Jun 1918 Spa103 Fokker Montdidier 47 25 Jun 1918 1800 Spa103 Halberstadt C Coutoire 48 27 Jun 1918 0810 Spa103 Halberstadt C Morisel 49 27 Jun 1918 0815 Spa103 Pfalz D.III Moreuil 50 16 Jul 1918 Spa103 EA Dormans 51 16 Jul 1918 Spa103 EA S of Dormans 52 18 Jul 1918 Spa103 EA Cachery 53 18 Jul 1918 Spa103 EA Cachery 54 19 Jul 1918 Spa103 EA Chatillon 55 19 Jul 1918 Spa103 EA Chatillon 56 19 Jul 1918 Spa103 EA Dormans 57 01 Aug 1918 1100 Spa103 Two-seater E of Bois de Hangard 58 14 Aug 1918 Spa103 EA Roye 59 14 Aug 1918 Spa103 EA Gruny-Cremery 60 14 Aug 1918 Spa103 EA Roye-Chaulnes 61 26 Sep 1918 1145 Spa103 Fokker D.VII St. Marie-a-Py 62 26 Sep 1918 Spa103 Fokker D.VII St. Souplet 63 26 Sep 1918 1210 Spa103 Halberstadt C Perthes-les-Hurles 64 26 Sep 1918 1810 Spa103 Fokker D.VII St. Souplet 65 26 Sep 1918 1820 Spa103 Halberstadt C E of Souain 66 26 Sep 1918 Spa103 DFW C E of Souain 67 28 Sep 1918 1030 Spa103 Two-seater NE of Somme-Py 68 05 Oct 1918 1730 Spa103 Two-seater Liry-Mirvaux 69 05 Oct 1918 1740 Spa103 Scout Mauvine-St. Clements 70 30 Oct 1918 1525 Spa103 Two-seater Falise-Vouzieres 71 30 Oct 1918 1540 Spa103 Scout Semay-Terron 72 30 Oct 1918 Spa103 Scout Semay-Terron 73 31 Oct 1918 1120 Spa103 Two-seater N of Vouzieres 74 31 Oct 1918 1135 Spa103 Scout E of Vouzieres 75 01 Nov 1918 1420 Spa103 Halberstadt C E of Vouzieres 1 Observer Lt Thiberge 2 Shared with Sgt Huffer 3 Shared with Adj Dupre Books Over the Front by Norman L. R. Franks, Frank W. Bailey / Hardcover / Grub Street the Basement (May 1992) Ace of Aces by Captain René Fonck and edited by Stanley M. Ulanoff / Hardcover / Doubleday & Co, Inc 1967 Aces · Aircraft · Books · Forum · Help · Links · Medals · Search · Today



