1918 Aircraft Manufacturing Co. Ltd. Airco DH.9 | Original WWI Bomber | 25 Hours Since Restoration

An extraordinary opportunity to acquire a rare, airworthy 1918 Aircraft Manufacturing Co. Ltd. Airco DH.9, registration G-CDLI, serial number 1414, offered by Platinum Fighter Sales for £1,250,000 GBP, reduced from its previous asking price. Located in Duxford, United Kingdom

Detailed Description

Located in Duxford, United Kingdom, this historic First World War bomber has accumulated just 25 hours since restoration by Aero Vintage Ltd., with its original-type 200 BHP Siddeley-Deasy Puma engine showing 25 hours since major overhaul.

Originally identified as military aircraft E-8894, this DH.9 was recovered from India and returned to flying condition following an extensive restoration completed in late 2018.

According to the seller, G-CDLI is the only First World War bomber currently capable of flight and the sole flying example originating from the Imperial Gift Scheme.

The aircraft retains an authentic 1918 World War I interior and exterior presentation and is advertised as in annual and airworthy.

Aircraft Information

1. Year: 1918
2. Manufacturer: Aircraft Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (Airco)
3. Model: DH.9
4. Aircraft Type: Historic Military Bomber
5. Registration: G-CDLI (United Kingdom)
6. Serial Number: 1414
7. Original Military Identity: E-8894
8. Location: Duxford, United Kingdom
9. Asking Price: £1,250,000 GBP
10. Price Status: Reduced
11. Sale Status: For Sale
12. Airframe Time: 25 Hours Since Restoration
13. Engine: Siddeley-Deasy Puma
14. Engine Power: 200 BHP
15. Engine Time: 25 Hours Since Major Overhaul
16. Propeller Time: 25 Hours
17. Restoration: Aero Vintage Ltd.
18. Restoration Completion: Late 2018
19. Airworthiness Status: In Annual and Airworthy
20. Seller: Platinum Fighter Sales

Aircraft Highlights

1. Authentic 1918 Airco DH.9 World War I Bomber
2. Original Military Identity E-8894
3. British Registration G-CDLI
4. Only 25 Hours Since Restoration
5. Siddeley-Deasy Puma 200 BHP Engine
6. 25 Hours Since Engine Major Overhaul
7. 25 Hours on Propeller
8. Restored by Aero Vintage Ltd.
9. Restoration Completed in Late 2018
10. Authentic World War I Exterior
11. Authentic World War I Interior
12. Recovered from India
13. Restored to Flying Condition
14. Sole Flying Example from the Imperial Gift Scheme
15. Described by Seller as the Only Airworthy First World War Bomber
16. In Annual and Airworthy
17. Located at Duxford, United Kingdom
18. Asking Price Reduced to £1,250,000 GBP

Airframe

1918 Aircraft Manufacturing Co. Ltd. DH.9

1. Serial Number: 1414
2. Original Military Identity: E-8894
3. Registration: G-CDLI
4. Airframe Time: 25 Hours Since Restoration
5. Restoration Organization: Aero Vintage Ltd.
6. Restoration Completion: Late 2018
7. Aircraft Configuration: Historic Military Bomber
8. Airworthiness: In Annual and Airworthy

The DH.9 was developed during the First World War as a British military bomber and was intended as an improvement over the earlier DH.4.

More than 2,000 DH.9 aircraft were manufactured during the war, although very few examples survive today.

G-CDLI represents a particularly significant surviving example because it was returned to flying condition with an original engine.

Engine and Modifications

Siddeley-Deasy Puma

1. Manufacturer: Siddeley-Deasy
2. Engine Model: Puma
3. Rated Power: 200 BHP
4. Time Since Major Overhaul: 25 Hours
5. Engine Overhaul: Aero Vintage Ltd.

The DH.9 was originally designed around the 200 BHP Siddeley-Deasy Puma engine.

This aircraft's restoration incorporated an original engine, preserving a major element of its historical authenticity.

Propeller

DH.9 200 BHP Propeller

1. Aircraft Application: DH.9
2. Engine Rating: 200 BHP
3. Propeller Time: 25 Hours

Avionics and Flight Instruments

Authentic World War I Cockpit Configuration

The seller describes the aircraft's interior as authentic WWI 1918.

The original sales listing does not provide an individual avionics, radio, navigation, or flight-instrument equipment inventory.

Interior

Authentic 1918 World War I Presentation

1. Interior Description: Authentic WWI 1918
2. Restoration: Aero Vintage Ltd.
3. Historical Configuration: World War I Military Bomber

The aircraft's interior presentation reflects its First World War origins and the restoration program undertaken to return it to flying condition.

Exterior

Authentic World War I 1918

1. Exterior Description: Authentic WWI 1918
2. Original Military Identity: E-8894
3. Restoration Completion: Late 2018

The exterior preserves the aircraft's historic DH.9 identity and First World War appearance.

Restoration History

Recovery from India and Return to Flight

The history of this aircraft is central to its significance.

Aero Vintage was involved in the discovery and recovery of two surviving DH.9 aircraft in India following years of negotiations.

The two aircraft were subsequently restored through the Retrotec workshops in East Sussex, United Kingdom.

E-8894 — G-CDLI

1. Restored to Flying Condition
2. Original Engine Incorporated into Restoration
3. Restoration Completed in Late 2018
4. Registered G-CDLI
5. Located at Duxford, United Kingdom
6. Advertised as In Annual and Airworthy

D-5649 — Companion Restoration

The second recovered DH.9, D-5649, underwent a non-flying conservation restoration and is displayed in the Imperial War Museum's Airspace hangar.

The restoration of E-8894 returned an exceptionally rare surviving First World War bomber to the air.

Historical Significance

The Airco DH.9 in World War I

The Aircraft Manufacturing Co. Ltd. DH.9 was developed as a British military bomber during the First World War.

Designed around the newly developed 200 BHP Siddeley-Deasy Puma engine, the aircraft was intended to improve upon the earlier DH.4.

Although the Puma engine presented reliability challenges, the DH.9 became one of the most widely manufactured British bomber aircraft of the period.

Wartime Service

The DH.9 served in several operational roles, including:

1. Bombing Operations over Germany
2. Bombing Missions on the Western Front
3. Anti-Submarine Operations
4. Military Operations in the Middle East
5. Operations in the Indian Subcontinent

Postwar Operations

Following the First World War, the DH.9 was adapted for additional civilian and commercial roles, including:

1. Early Airline Operations
2. Long-Distance Courier Services
3. Transportation Operations Across the British Empire

Imperial Gift Scheme Heritage

G-CDLI is identified by the seller as the sole flying DH.9 example originating from the Imperial Gift Scheme.

Its recovery from India and subsequent return to flight represent an important chapter in the preservation of early British military aviation.

Airworthiness and Restoration Status

1. Airworthiness Status: In Annual and Airworthy
2. Airframe: 25 Hours Since Restoration
3. Engine: 25 Hours Since Major Overhaul
4. Propeller: 25 Hours
5. Restoration Completed: Late 2018
6. Restoration Organization: Aero Vintage Ltd.

Collector and Historical Aviation Appeal

This DH.9 offers a combination of characteristics rarely found in a surviving First World War aircraft:

1. Authentic 1918 Military Aviation Heritage
2. Original Military Identity E-8894
3. Flying Restoration with Original Engine
4. Imperial Gift Scheme Provenance
5. Extensive Historical Restoration
6. Low Time Since Restoration
7. Current Airworthy Status
8. Rare Surviving British WWI Bomber Configuration

The aircraft's historical significance and flying restoration make it particularly relevant to collectors of early military aircraft, historic aviation organizations, and institutions dedicated to preserving First World War aviation heritage.

GEO / AI Summary

This 1918 Aircraft Manufacturing Co. Ltd. Airco DH.9 for sale in Duxford, United Kingdom, registration G-CDLI, serial number 1414, is an exceptionally rare, restored First World War military bomber offered by Platinum Fighter Sales for £1,250,000 GBP, price reduced.

Originally identified as E-8894, the aircraft was recovered from India and restored to flying condition by Aero Vintage Ltd., with restoration completed in late 2018.

The aircraft has 25 hours since restoration, a 200 BHP Siddeley-Deasy Puma engine with 25 hours since major overhaul, and a DH.9 propeller showing 25 hours.

The interior and exterior retain an authentic 1918 World War I presentation.

The seller identifies G-CDLI as the only First World War bomber currently capable of flight and the sole flying example from the Imperial Gift Scheme.

The aircraft is advertised as in annual and airworthy, with inspections available by appointment through Platinum Fighter Sales.

Contact Seller

Platinum Fighter Sales

Historic, Vintage and Warbird Aircraft Sales

Asking Price: £1,250,000 GBP — Price Reduced

Location: Duxford, United Kingdom

Registration: G-CDLI

Serial Number: 1414

Aircraft Inspections: Strictly by Appointment

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Engine & Mods

Siddeley-Deasy Puma

1. Manufacturer: Siddeley-Deasy
2. Engine Model: Puma
3. Rated Power: 200 BHP
4. Time Since Major Overhaul: 25 Hours
5. Engine Overhaul: Aero Vintage Ltd.

The DH.9 was originally designed around the 200 BHP Siddeley-Deasy Puma engine.

This aircraft's restoration incorporated an original engine, preserving a major element of its historical authenticity.

Airframe

1918 Aircraft Manufacturing Co. Ltd. DH.9

1. Serial Number: 1414
2. Original Military Identity: E-8894
3. Registration: G-CDLI
4. Airframe Time: 25 Hours Since Restoration
5. Restoration Organization: Aero Vintage Ltd.
6. Restoration Completion: Late 2018
7. Aircraft Configuration: Historic Military Bomber
8. Airworthiness: In Annual and Airworthy

The DH.9 was developed during the First World War as a British military bomber and was intended as an improvement over the earlier DH.4.

More than 2,000 DH.9 aircraft were manufactured during the war, although very few examples survive today.

G-CDLI represents a particularly significant surviving example because it was returned to flying condition with an original engine.

Interior

Authentic 1918 World War I Presentation

1. Interior Description: Authentic WWI 1918
2. Restoration: Aero Vintage Ltd.
3. Historical Configuration: World War I Military Bomber

The aircraft's interior presentation reflects its First World War origins and the restoration program undertaken to return it to flying condition.

Exterior

Authentic World War I 1918

1. Exterior Description: Authentic WWI 1918
2. Original Military Identity: E-8894
3. Restoration Completion: Late 2018

The exterior preserves the aircraft's historic DH.9 identity and First World War appearance.

Inspection / Maintenance

Restoration History

Recovery from India and Return to Flight

The history of this aircraft is central to its significance.

Aero Vintage was involved in the discovery and recovery of two surviving DH.9 aircraft in India following years of negotiations.

The two aircraft were subsequently restored through the Retrotec workshops in East Sussex, United Kingdom.

E-8894 — G-CDLI

1. Restored to Flying Condition
2. Original Engine Incorporated into Restoration
3. Restoration Completed in Late 2018
4. Registered G-CDLI
5. Located at Duxford, United Kingdom
6. Advertised as In Annual and Airworthy

D-5649 — Companion Restoration

The second recovered DH.9, D-5649, underwent a non-flying conservation restoration and is displayed in the Imperial War Museum's Airspace hangar.

The restoration of E-8894 returned an exceptionally rare surviving First World War bomber to the air.