Aerodrom ŽELJAVA
Monument to the human's ingenuity (...and stupidity)
Zeljava-general
Airfield before
Control tower
Photographs
CRO pilots from LYBI
Links
Radar site Pljesevica
Interactive schema
Electric towing vehicles
Artifacts 
Mig-21 videos
Guest book
FORUM
Airfield now Pljesevica-slope
FSX scenery LYBI
Testimonys
Memory to
Robert and Nenad
FBook1 Fbook2 exYU AIR FORCE equip.     LYBI dioramas  
This would be a small reminder of the Croatian pilots, defectors from the YPA, who were in service at this airport. By their courage, knowledge, dedication and sacrifice contributed to the creation and development of the CAF (Croatian Air Force) as well as a victory in the Croatian Homeland War (1991-1995).
RUDOLF PEREŠIN (1958-1995)
DANIJEL BOROVIĆ (1958-)
IVICA IVANDIĆ (1965-)
IVAN SELAK (1959-)

There are more pilots who served at the airport Zeljava and later moved to the CAF...some of them are also lost their lives in the war.
Probably has more pilots that should be mentioned...

MIRKO VUKUŠIĆ (1954-1991)
MIROSLAV PERIS (1961-1993)
ZLATKO MEJAŠKI (1958-1995)

Uvučeno-neutralno-konus ("Retracted-neutral-cone", documentary 2012)


Croatian pilots Borović, Selak, Ivandić talks about themselves and wartimes where they participated. For Q&A list watch video directly on YouTube channel...(all on Croatian)(2012)


Rudolf Perešin-the first Croatian pilot-runaway from YPA.
Through time when YPA perform agresisive war against Croatia Rudolf Perešin on 25.october.1991., during recon flight, run with Mig-21 from AF Željava to Klagenfurt airport in Austria.
He's declared that he can't shoot on his homeland Croatia.
He died in 2.may.1995. during combat flight in Cro Army operation "Flash". He's monumental park is located in Gornja Stubica in Zagorje, region of Croatia. It's very interesting to see that place with mounted Mig-21 as a monument.

Documentary movie about Rudolf Peresin "Flight to remember"
 
 
Memorial-park of Rudolf Peresin in Gornja Stubica

Remembering Rudolf Perešin 

Biorythm for Rudolf Peresin (and some other pilots from 352nd.Recon SQDN) founded in the ruins of the AF Zeljava

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Danijel Borović, retired lieutenant colonel of the Croatian Army
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Daniel Borović (Kneginec Gornji, December 17, 1958.-), a retired lieutenant colonel in the Croatian Army. Army pilot who with his flight on 4th February 1992. from YPA, made avaliable for Croatia first supersonic combat aircraft MiG-21bis. Following establishment of the 1st fighter squadron Air Force takes over as Deputy Commander and later became commander of the 1st fighter Squadron Air Force. He is honored participant of the most important operations in Homeland War.
...further informations on Wikipiedia.
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Danijel Borović overflight in Pula from YPA (04.02.1992)

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Danijel Borović, 20 years of overflight for Croatia



Danijel Borović talks about his overflight on VaraždinTV (2012)

   



An article from 2007. about Ivan Selak and Ivica Ivandic from magazine "Croatian soldier" (Hrvatski vojnik).

Since the end of the war it's been more than ten years, but we are still not inclined because of many reasons to designate this time historical. One of the reasons become clear to us when we came face to face with two Croatian military pilots - colonel Ivan Selak and lieutenant colonel Ivica Ivandic.
They are in fact ones of important people who created history of Homeland War. Only during those few years they have experienced so many things that could fill the lives of several people. But, we still can't name them historical figures. Not because of their merit, but simply because they are in too good shape for us to "put them" in a historical framework. Both are still active officers and pilots, in much better psychophysical shape than most of their peers. Therefore, talk with them had no connotation of "old times." They give the impression that, if there is a need, they would dothe same thing as fifteen years ago with no problems.

full article (on croatian)--> here


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Mirko Vukušic - pilot of 1st Croatian aviation platoon

Mirko Vukušic is one of the founders of SZVO (Independent Aviation Platoon Osijek). He was born in Vinkovci. Up until a year before the beginning of the war, Vukušić was a pilot in 125th lae in Bihac. Then he requested and received (as Tito's cadet he had a right to such a request) transfer to Pleso as a transport squadron so he could enroll to college. He was very interested in Informatics.
He died on 2nd of December 1991., above Otok near Vinkovci when exYPA crashed AN-2 IAPO.
 
 


 
"Celestial Knights of the Slavonian plane"-documentary (2006)

While Croatia has not had real combat aircraft or structured Air Force pilots and technicians who have left the Yugoslav army with the help of commercial and sport aviation organizations have begun to establish the first aviation unit. At first, the unit performed reconnaissance, and later a combat mission. One of the most active of these units was independent aviation platoon in the Operative Zone Osijek established on 8 October 1991. It was founded by a former top Yugoslav Air Force pilot Marko Zivkovic, who was flying the MiG-29, and his counterpart Mirko Vukusic with the staff Commerce aviation Osijek and Osijek Aero Club members and volunteers from Djakovo. Platoon was operating from the airport handy Geiger heath and Ivandvor near Djakovo, and consisted of several sport aircraft and agricultural aircraft An-2. It turned out that a small sports plane have greater combat value and the main combat power of water became a large but slow Double Anova. In the last days of the siege of Vukovar from them, but over the dying city with the help of a parachute izbacivani boxes with help. The boxes are packaged drugs and plasma and on top are always a few cartons of cigarettes. In addition dovitljivošću gunsmith who are filled with explosive gas cylinders were made so called boiler-bombs from airplanes on Serbian positions began to fall, and the lethal cargo. Precision flying and shooting enabled the GPS satellite navigation system purchased in Germany means the members of Water and sponsors. Combat and other water activities, during the desperate efforts that the eastern Slavonia by all means stop and break the offensive Yugoslav Army and Serbian paramilitary groups, also had a significant and that the moral-psychological, and material effects. The enemy soon began to respect him for this new and unexpected danger that despite the technical superiority could not stop. Therefore, after numerous unsuccessful attempts to overthrow anti-aircraft guns and missiles near the battlefield and even delivered missile regiments armed Serbian latest rocket system KUB-M (SA-6). In an attempt to overthrow Croatian aviators fired about fifteen missiles some of which have fallen even in Hungary. However, such a missile hit the second December 1991. over the islands near Vinkovci, an An-2 in which they killed the founder of Water Marko Zivkovic, and the other pilot and parachutists Mirko Vukusic, Ante Plazibat and Rade Griva. It was the end of the work of the Independent aviation leader who had to retreat deeper into the western Slavonia and is no longer active combat. Until then, in less than two months, the brave Croatian fliers conducted 35 combat flights during which he removed 68 bombs and 17 boxes with 2 tons of aid for Vukovar. Platoon was again briefly reactivated 1993rd to transport the wounded and was the original conversion of agricultural aircraft An-2. But then he had already worn out Osijek biplanes replaces modernfighter aircrafts of the Croatian Air Force.


Miroslav Peris (Karlovac, 01.02.1961. – Stipan, Gvozd, 14.09.1993.)
pilot and a lieutenant colonel in the Croatian Air Force

After he completed elementary school in Karlovac, Miroslav decided to go to aviation high school in Mostar . His future profession as military pilot he perfected in Zadar and Pula. He was the best student in his class. Bihac was his first working place. Multiple times he flyed over above Drežnik to salute to his parents, brother Milan and his sister Marica. in Karlovac he married Snjezana r. Vucic. From this marriage, they had a son, Ivan.

Miroslav Peris assisted in the planning and realization of overflying croatian pilot Daniel Borović and his combate aircraft MiG-21 from Bihać to Pula, and he took care of well-timed departure of Borović family from Bihać.

After that, he left YPA and he was immediately available to the Croatian Air Force. Coming back from combat mission, 14.09.1993., his MiG-21 known as the "avenger of Vukovar" was hit by enemy missiles at Stipan, in Gvozd (Vrginmost).