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The Halberstadt CL.II was a German two-seat escort fighter/ground attack aircraft of World War I. It served in large numbers with the German ''Luftstreitkräfte'' (Imperial German Army Air Service) in 1917-18. ==Development and design== Early in 1917, ''Idflieg'', the German Army Inspectorate of Flying Troops, developed a requirement for a new type of two-seat aircraft, smaller than the existing C-type aircraft. This type, to be known as CL-type (Light C type) aircraft, were to be used to equip ''Schutzstaffeln'' (Protection flights) to escort reconnaissance aircraft.〔Gray and Thetford 1961, p.xv.〕 To meet this requirement, Halberstadt developed an aircraft based on its earlier, unsuccessful Halberstadt D.IV single-seat fighter. Originally designated the Halberstadt C.II, it was redesignated the Halberstadt CL.II when the CL designation was applied. The CL.II was a single-engined biplane, with an all-wooden structure. The fuselage was covered with thin plywood panelling and housed the crew of two in a single cockpit, with the observer's 7.92 mm (.312 in) machine gun being mounted on an elevated gun ring, giving a good field of fire, allowing downwards fire at targets on the ground. A tray large enough to hold ten stick grenades was attached to the left side of the fuselage.〔 The single-bay wings were fabric-covered, with a swept upper wing.〔Gray and Thetford 1961, p.137.〕 The aircraft had provisions for a wireless radio. When needed the radio and antenna could be installed in the observer's cockpit and a generator, that would also supply current for heated flight suits, could easily be installed. The generator was directly driven by a pulley on the engine and mounted on the left side with a tear drop shaped fairing covering it. With the generator removed, a flat panel would be fitted instead.〔 The CL.II passed its ''Typenprüfung'' (type-test) on 7 May 1917, which resulted in production orders being placed. Halberstadt built 700 CL.IIs by the time production shifted to the improved CL.IV in mid-1918. A further 200 CL.II aircraft were built in 1918 by the Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke (BFW).〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Halberstadt CL.II」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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