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Halberstadt CL.II
The Halberstadt CL.II was produced in 1917 as a new class of light escort fighter to protest reconnaissance aircraft however its potential as a ground attack fighter was quickly realised. The CL.II was first used to hurl small bombs and hand grenades at advancing British troops in September 1917. They played a major role in the successful German counter attack during the Battle of Cambrai on 30 November 1917.
The crew of two sat in a single elongated cockpit. Their machine guns were supplemented by trays of grenades.
A single-bay biplane, the wings had two spars, with fabric covering, and plywood covered wooden fuselage. Conventional tail surfaces, with wooden fin and tailplane and steel-tube control surfaces, all fabric covered, were fitted. Ailerons of fabric-covered steel-tube construction were on the top wing only.
Engine: 1 x 119kW/160 hp Mercedes D.III water-cooled inline
Wingspan: 10.77 m / 35 ft 4 in
Length: 7.30 m / 23 ft 11 in
Height: 2.75 m / 9 ft 0 in
Empty weight: 1755 lb
Max take-off weight: 1133 kg / 2498 lb
Fuel capacity: 35 Imp.Gal
Max. speed: 165 km/h / 103 mph at SL
Ceiling: 5100 m / 16750 ft
Endurance: 3 HR
Armament: 3 x 7.92mm machine-guns, 5 x 10kg bombs
Seats: 2.
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