FAMOUS CROATS 2014 - I. BJELOVUCIC

IVAN BJELOVUČIĆ (1889 – 1949)

Ivan Bjelovučić, French pilot in 1912, who was the first man to fly over the Alps, was a descendant from the family of sea captains from Janjina, Pelješac peninsula in Croatia. His father Miho came to Peru in 1885 and married there Adrienne Cavalié Le Bihan, daughter of the French consul. Ivan (Spanish: Juan Bielovucic) was born in Lima and in 1892 came with his family to Dubrovnik but his father soon dies and he moves with his mother and sister to Paris.
After finishing gymnasium Bjelovučić attends Air Force School of Voisin brothers and 1910 earns pilot’s diploma. His first performance was in Budapest and then at the Great Aviation Week in Reims and at Eastern Circle. In September he achieves world record by flying in stages from Paris to Bordeaux in six hours and 15 minutes and at the Air Force Week in Bordeaux wins several awards, as well as in Milan. Then, he performs as the first pilot at the solemn opening of the airport at Avord, near Bourges in front of 40 000 people.
At the invitation of Peru, in 1911, he goes to Lima where he becomes the first pilot of the South America, and comes back to Europe as reserve lieutenant and military representative of air force of Peru in France. In that same year he participates also at the meeting at Saint-Etienne where he meets his school colleague and friend Roland Garros. In 1912 Bjelovučić flies throughout France and Europe. In April he flies over 325 km in two hours and 35 minutes, in June he competes in Vienna and in August wins at the military competition in speed flight. Paris daily newspaper Le Matin proclaims him the French pilot of the year.
One of his greatest successes Bjelovučić achieved on 25 January 1913 when he flew over the Alps between Brigue and Domodossola in 26 minutes and thus became the first pilot in the history who did it.
In July 1914 he participated at the meeting in Vienna and at the beginning of the First World War joined the French air force as officer of the combat squadrons Les Cigognes from Dunkerque. For his patrolling actions deep over occupied Belgium he was honoured with the Belgian and French War Cross and the French Legion of Honour.
He went back to Peru in 1930 and 1937 when he was honoured with the Order of the Cross of the first grade for air force and on that occasion Peru issued postage stamp to the memory of his first take off in Lima. Bjelovučić died in Paris.
The Peruvian Post dedicated to him in 2011 a stamp commemorating the 100^th anniversary of his first take off in Lima and now also Croatian Post joins in commemorating all historic flying achievements of Ivan Bjelovučić by issuing the third stamp to his honour.


Mauricij Frka Petešić