Lucien Maurice Prévost, known as Maurice Prévost, (22 September 1887 in

Reims Reims ( , , ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French department of Marne, and the 12th most populous city in France. The city lies northeast of Paris on the Vesle river, a tributary of the Aisne. Founded by ...

– 27 November 1952) in

Neuilly-sur-Seine Neuilly-sur-Seine (; literally 'Neuilly on Seine'), also known simply as Neuilly, is a commune in the department of Hauts-de-Seine in France, just west of Paris. Immediately adjacent to the city, the area is composed of mostly select residentia ...

) was a French pioneer

aviator An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...

, best remembered for winning the first

Schneider Trophy The Coupe d'Aviation Maritime Jacques Schneider, also known as the Schneider Trophy, Schneider Prize or (incorrectly) the Schneider Cup is a trophy that was awarded annually (and later, biennially) to the winner of a race for seaplanes and flying ...

race in 1913, and the Gordon Bennett Trophy in the same year. Maurice Prévost was born in

at 5 rue Flodoard. He studied at the Practical School of Commerce and Industry of Reims. Joining the Betheny Deperdussin Aviation School in November 1910, Prévost rose to chief instructor. He obtained his civil pilot's license on 29 April 1911 (#475), and his military wings (#38) on 26 August 1911. He secured third place in the French military aircraft trials in November 1911 and won the altitude competition. In December 1911 he reached 10,000 feet, breaking the world altitude record with a passenger. Prévost won the first

race at Monaco on 16 April 1913, and on 27 September 1913 he won the Gordon Bennett Trophy.Bulletin mensuel / Association générale aéronautique October 1913
''gallica.bnf.fr'', accessed 10 December 2022 In 1921 Prévost married Jeanne Catherine Françoise Mulaton (1881–1956) in Reims. He died in 1952 in

, and was buried in the "Southern Cemetery" of Reims, his grave being decorated with a bust signed Leon Chavalliaud which was presented to him in 1913 for his Gordon Bennett Cup victory.

References

External links

Maurice Prévost on The Early Birds of Aviation
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prevost, Maurice Aviation pioneers Officiers of the Légion d'honneur Members of the Early Birds of Aviation People from Reims 1887 births 1948 deaths French aviation record holders