Halberstadt CL.II
Halberstadt · German Empire · first flew 1917 · fighter
The Halberstadt CL.II was a German two-seat escort and ground-attack biplane of World War I, widely considered one of the finest aircraft of its class. Its agility and good low-altitude performance made it highly effective in the infantry contact patrol and close air support roles.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Rounded wingtips and short fuselage typical of CL-class escort fighters |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Two-bay biplane with prominent nose radiator
- Open tandem cockpits with observer/gunner behind pilot
- Rounded wingtips and short fuselage typical of CL-class escort fighters
Identify the CL.II by its two-bay equal-span biplane layout, single inline engine with a large frontal radiator, and distinctly short, rounded fuselage with open tandem cockpits close together.
Specifications
- The Halberstadt CL.II has a length of 6.35 m (21 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.77 m (35 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 165 km/h (103 mph).
- Typical crew: 2 (pilot and observer/gunner).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Introduced in 1917, the CL.II entered service with German Schutzstaffeln (escort and protection squadrons) on the Western Front. It proved so capable that the type was also employed in large-scale ground-attack operations during the Spring Offensives of 1918. Production reached several hundred airframes before the Armistice.
Variants
The CL.IV was the principal development, featuring a shorter fuselage and improved manoeuvrability; both types served alongside each other in the final year of the war.
Where you'll see it
Operated exclusively by the Imperial German Air Service (Luftstreitkräfte) during the First World War; surviving examples are extremely rare museum pieces today.
Related aircraft
- Halberstadt C.III
- Halberstadt C.I
- Halberstadt C.IX
- Halberstadt C.V
- AEG C.VIII
- AEG D.I
- Albatros C.X
- Albatros C.XII
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