In 2000, upon hearing rumors of aircraft parts being found in a maharaja’s palace in India, Guy Black took a trip that would lead to the most unexpected discovery of his life. Hidden away in a former elephant stable of the maharaja’s palace in Bikaner, Rajasthan was the hulks of at least two DH9 bombers. This was a truly remarkable and important find for no example of this WWI aircraft existed in Britain. Recognizing their importance to the UK’s aviation heritage, and excited by the challenge of restoration, Guy set about negotiating their purchase and returning them back to England.
In DH9: From Ruin to Restoration, Guy Black details the intriguing history of how these two rare aircraft (D-5649 and E-8894) came to be in India under the Imperial Gift Scheme. He also reveals the extraordinary efforts in recovering these two aircraft and the extensive restoration project undertaken to bring them to their former glory. With D-5649 restored as a static and proudly on display at IWM Duxford, he then set about getting E-8894 back to airworthy status.
The book then moves on to the highly anticipated flight of E-8894 and the years of frustration that followed until its maiden flight with ‘Dodge’ Bailey at the controls on 13th May 2019 — making it the only WWI bomber flying anywhere in the world. Told in meticulous detail, this fully illustrated book includes a foreword by Andy Saunders and is a must-have of all WWI and aircraft enthusiasts.
