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Halberstadt CL.IV

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Halberstadt CL.IV
Type Ground Attack Aircraft
Manufacturer Halberstädter Flugzeugwerke
Designed by Karl Thies
Introduced 1918
Primary user Luftstreitkräfte

The Halberstadt CL.IV was a German ground attack aircraft of the First World War.

Design and development

Karl Thies, chief designer of the Halberstädter Flugzeugwerke, G.m.b.H., designed the CL.IV as a replacement for the Halberstadt CL.II. As the CL.II had proven to be particularly effective in the ground support role, the focus of an improved version was to create a specific ground attack aircraft.

The new CL.IV featured a shorter, strengthened fuselage and a horizontal stabilizer of greater span and higher aspect ratio than that of the CL.II. These changes, along with a one-piece, horn-balanced elevator, gave the CL.IV much greater maneuverability than its predecessor. After tests were completed of the prototype in April 1918, at least 450 were ordered from Halberstadt, and an additional 250 aircraft from a subcontractor, LFG (Roland).

Operational history

The Halberstadt CL.IV was one of the most effective ground attack aircraft of the First World War, relying on its good maneuverability to avoid ground fire. It appeared on the Western Front towards the end of the German offensives in 1918. Flights of four to six aircraft flew close support missions, at an altitude of less than one hundred feet, suppressing enemy infantry and artillery fire just ahead of the advancing German troops. After these late German offensives stalled, Halberstadt CL.IVs were used to disrupt advancing Allied offensives by striking at enemy troop assembly points and night sorties were also made against Allied airfields.

Towards the end of the war, on bright, moonlit nights, CL.IV squadrons attempted to intercept and destroy Allied bombers as they returned from their missions.

Operators

Template:EST
Template:Country data German Empire

Specifications

General characteristics

  • Crew: two
  • Length: 6.54 m (21 ft 5.5 in)
  • Wingspan: 10.74 m (35 ft 2.75 in)
  • Height: 2.67 m (8 ft 9 in)
  • Wing area: 28.96 m² (311.7 ft²)
  • Empty weight: 728 kg (1,605 lb)
  • Loaded weight: 1,068 kg (2,354 lb)
  • Powerplant:Mercedes D.III 6-cylinder inline engine, 120 kW (160 hp)

Performance

Armament

  • 1 × 7.92 mm Spandau LMG 08/15 machine gun, synchronized
  • 1 × 7.92 mm Parabellum LMG 14 machine gun, on ring mount for observer
  • Grenades
  • Up to 5 × 10 kg bombs

  • References

    Notes

    1. Gerdessen 1982, p.76

    Bibliography

    • Gerdessen, F. "Estonian Air Power 1918 - 1945". Air Enthusiast No 18, April - July 1982. Pages 61-76. ISSN 0143-5450.

    External links

    See also

    Template:Idflieg C-class designations

    de:Halberstadt CL.IV fr:Halberstadt CL.IV


    This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
    It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Halberstadt CL.IV".