O.Thetford, P.Gray German Aircraft of the First World War (Putnam)

Halberstadt CL II

   Designed to the new CL (Light C type) specification in 1917, to equip the Schutzstaffeln (Protection Flights), the Halberstadt CL II was built in considerable numbers. Coming into use in the summer of 1917, it was later reinforced by the Hannover CL types, and used mainly as a two seat fighter to escort C type reconnaissance and photographic patrol machines. However, the German High Command had by this time come to appreciate the importance and morale effect of close-support aircraft operating with infantry attacks, and the designation of the Schutzstaffeln was later changed to Schlachtstaffeln (Battle Flights), and the duties accordingly varied to close-support and ground attack When not required to support a specific ground operation the Schlastas resumed their former escort role and chaperoned their C-type comrades.
   The Halberstadt CL II, with its distinctive communal single cockpit occupied by both pilot and observer (in similar fashion to the British Bristol Fighter), facilitated improved co-operation between the crew and was admirably suited to its new found close-support fighting role. With the advent of these faster and more nimble light two-seaters the degree of cooperation with the infantry was highly co-ordinated, and from late summer of 1917 a considerable degree of success was achieved. This is evidenced by the fact that the British convened a Court of Inquiry in January 1918 to examine the cause of success of the German counter-offensive of 30th November 1917 during the Battle of Cambrai. The findings recorded the appearance of the close-support aircraft in considerable numbers at altitudes lower than 100 ft., firing into both the Front-Line trenches and the rear positions. The morale effect was reported as being very great and facilitated the German success, British infantry seeming at a loss to counteract the effect of these low-flying machines. One witness stated that firing on them produced no visible effect.
   In addition to the machine-gun armament, Halberstadt CL IIs had trays fitted to the outside of the fuselage in which anti-personnel grenades were carried. These were dropped overboard by the observer into trenches and on targets of opportunity.
   One of the first successful operations involving the Halberstadt CL II was an attack on the Somme bridges at Bray and St. Christ on 6th September 1917. The Germans had been obliged to evacuate Peronne due to the success of heavy attacks by the British, and the concentration of British reserves on the west bank of the river had been spotted by reconnaissance aircraft. It was planned to attack these troops as they actually crossed the bridges, where it was estimated the greatest havoc might be wrought. Such indeed was the case - the attack was mounted by twenty-four Halberstadts and panic ensued, troops jumping over the parapets of the two bridges in their endeavour to escape the machine-gun fire and grenades coming from the enemy aircraft. The artillery troops and their horses farther in the rear were also attacked, and it was estimated the Halberstadts had disorganized the best part of a division. During the whole period the Halberstadts were assailed by only two Sopwith scouts, one of which was promptly shot down, the other then making off.
   Although lightly built, the Halberstadt CL II was a quite strong machine by virtue of its compactness. It was a small aircraft for a two-seater, and its single-bay configuration resulted in neat and elegant proportions. Power was supplied by the ubiquitous 160 h.p. Mercedes D III, and a neatly spinnered propeller imparted a streamlined nose-entry, only the fore part of the cylinder block being exposed above the metal nose-cowling panels. The remainder of the fuselage was a wooden structure covered with thin plywood panelling and tapered to a horizontal knife-edge aft. The fixed tail surfaces, with the vertical fin distinctively mounted well ahead of the tailplane, were of wooden framing, while the one-piece elevator and large balanced rudder were welded steel-tube units, the whole being fabric covered.
   In the single-bay wings the upper had a pronounced sweep which, combined with the dihedral in the lower wing only, gave the aircraft a somewhat rakish appearance. Of orthodox wooden construction, based on two spruce main spars and with plywood leading-edges, the wings were fabric covered and mounted at a considerable angle of incidence. On the lower wings this incidence was washed out at the inboard ends to provide a better join with the fuselage and to improve the airflow. The large, fabric-covered, horn-balance ailerons were of typical German design in appearance, but their method of operation was different. Of welded steel-tube framing, they were positively actuated by push-rods connected to cranks mounted on the inboard ends of torque tubes which extended through the wings to the centre-section. The centre-section panel of the upper wing was supported on a rigid system of steel-tube struts which were not cable-braced in any way, and its close proximity to the fuselage afforded the pilot first-class upward and forward vision. Also, in conjunction with his elevated gun-ring, the observer was able to fire upward and forward. The aerofoil-shaped radiator was installed flush in the starboard side of this centre-section panel and the gravity fuel tank was in the port side. Interplane struts were of streamlined section steel tube, and bracing was of steel cable.
   The conventional undercarriage had steel-tube vees, a single spreader bar and the axle sprung with multiple spiral springs. The large ash tailskid was hinged immediately under the rudder post and internally sprung.

TECHNICAL DATA
   Description: Light two-seat C type, escort and ground attack.
   Manufacturers: Halberstadter Flugzeug-Werke G.m.b.H. (Halb.).
   Sub-contractor: Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke A.G.
   Power Plant: One 160 h.p. Mercedes D III 6 cylinder in-line water-cooled engine.
   Dimensions: Span, 10.77 m. (35 ft. 4 in.). Length, 7.3 m. (23 ft. 11 3/8 in.). Height, 2.75 m. (9 ft. 0 1/4 in.). Area, 27.5 sq.m. (297 sq.ft.).
   Weights:
   Empty, 773 kg. (1,701 lb.). Loaded, 1,133 kg. (2,493 lb.). (Official figures.)
   Empty, 796 kg. (1,751 lb.). Loaded, 1,166 kg. (2,565 lb.). (Figures painted on some aircraft.)
   Performance: Speed, 165 km.hr. (103.12 m.p.h.) at 5,000 m. (16,400 ft.). Climb, 1,000 m. (3,280 ft.) in 5 min., 5,000 m. (16,400 ft.) in 39.5 min. Ceiling, 16,700 ft. Duration, 3 hr.
   Armament: One or two fixed Spandau machine-guns (according to duties) forward and one manually operated Parabellum machine-gun in rear cockpit. Anti-personnel grenades. Four or five 10 kg. (22 lb.) bombs.

W.Green, G.Swanborough The Complete Book of Fighters

HALBERSTADT CL II Germany

   In the autumn of 1916, the German Air Staff conceived a requirement for a two-seat "defensive patrol and pursuit aircraft”; an amalgam of features of the two-seat C-type and single-seat D-type. Accordingly, in November 1916, the Halberstadter Flugzeugwerke, among other companies, received a three-prototype contract for an aircraft fulfilling a specification prepared by the Idflieg. Designed by Dipl-Ing Karl Theis and based on his unsuccessful D IV single-seat fighter, this aircraft, initially designated C II but redesignated CL II in the summer of 1917, was powered by a 160 hp Mercedes D III water-cooled engine. It was armed with a fixed LMG 08/15 machine gun for the pilot and a flexible LMG 14 on a raised ring mounting for the gunner. Within days of passing its official type test, on 7 May 1917, the first CL II production order was placed. This two-seater reached the Front in August 1917, achieving immediate acclaim. Its excellent manoeuvrability, good climb rate and the wide field of view provided for the rear gunner enabled it to engage enemy single-seaters on equal terms. The CL II rapidly became the mainstay of the Schutzstaffeln (units formed to provide protection for reconnaissance aircraft). With the later formation of the Schlachtstaffeln, the CL II enjoyed auspicious success in the close air support fighter role. For front-line evaluation, a few CL IIs were fitted with the BMW IIIa engine with which they were designated CL IIa. A total of 700 CL IIs was built under five production contracts by the Halberstadter Flugzeugwerke through mid-1918, and a further 200 were built in 1918 by the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW).

Max speed, 102 mph (165 km/h) at 16,405 ft (5 000 m).
Time to 3,280 ft (1 000 m), 5.0 min.
Endurance, 3.0 hrs.
Empty weight, 1,701 lb (773 kg).
Loaded weight, 2,498 lb (1133 kg).
Span, 35 ft 4 in (10,76 m).
Length, 23 ft 11 1/2 in (7,30 m).
Height, 9 ft 0 1/2 in (2,75 m).
Wing area, 305.7 sq ft (28,40 m2).

J.Herris Halberstadt Aircraft of WWI. Volume 1: A-types to C.III (A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes 44)

Halberstadt CL.II

  In August 1916 Idflieg issued a specification for a new, light C-type, powered by a 160-180 hp engine. The new CL-type was intended to be a two-seat escort fighter to protect regular C-types from attack. Because the new type was to be a two-seat fighter, Idflieg required the aircraft to be 250-260 kg lighter than the C-types.
  A number of German manufacturers responded to Idflieg’s requirement; however, only Hannover and Halberstadt responded with successful designs that went into production. Initially the designation Halberstadt C.I was given to the DFW C.V(Halb), the Halberstadt-built DFW C.V, so Halberstadt's successful design was the CL.II. Later, an improved development, the Halberstadt CL.IV, reached the front.
  Idflieg ordered three CL-class prototypes from Halberstadt in November 1916. These were the Halberstadt C.II 9901-9903/16, all powered by the 160 hp Mercedes D.III, an engine widely used by German fighters. The resulting C.II (later designated CL.II to reflect its category) was rolled out in April 1917. The prototype had many features first noted in the Halberstadt D.IV. Type-tested over 2-7 May 1917, the load tests were successful but then Idflieg required the wing span to be increased, probably to improve climb and ceiling. Due to the increased wing span the load tests had to be repeated later in May and the revised prototype passed.
  Based on the good test results, Idflieg ordered 100 Halberstadt CL.II aircraft. Eventually 900 CL.II fighters were ordered from Halberstadt and 400 from BFW.
  Halberstadt CL.II C.5675/17 was test flown at HFW on July 13, 1917, and Halberstadt CL.II C.5717/17 was assigned to a unit on September 25, 1917. This probably shows that the Halberstadt CL.II first reached the front beginning in September. However, the Frontbeststand table for the C types and CL types does not reflect that.
  They were supplied to Schutzstaffeln (Schustas - protection flights) and reconnaissance Flieger Abteilungs as two-seat fighter escorts. The CL.II was immediately successful and quickly earned a good reputation. It was fast, robust, maneuverable, and had a good rate of climb. As important, it had safe flight characteristics and the gunner had a good field of fire and field of view. However, it could not keep up with the 'higher-horsepower' two-seat C-types. The undercarriage was considered 'somewhat weak' and liable to collapse unless the landing was very good. However, this was quickly fixed. The CL.II was compact and therefore the gunner's cockpit was criticized as being too cramped. The CL.II has mountings for a wireless and camera, however, the CL.II was primarily used as a two-seat fighter and seldom carried them.
  In the fall of 1917 Flieger Abteilung (A) 255 reported that the CL.II was a very effective ground-attack aircraft due to its maneuverability enabling it to avoid ground-fire. Furthermore, due to its maneuverability and gunner, it could also successfully engage Allied fighters.
  The CL.II was assigned to several fighter units for evaluation with operating together with single-seat fighters. After flying the CL.II with a gunner, Lt. Kroll of Jasta 24 felt the very 'maneuverable' CL.II was on a speed and climb performance level with the Albatros D.III and D.V. However, CL.II 5717/17 was tested (on Oct. 30, 1917) with twin Parabellum guns for the gunner; the additional weight reduced performance to below that needed to operate effectively with the Albatros fighters. The CL.II was also tested as a night fighter.
  Idflieg reported in April 1918 that the Halberstadt CL.II was preferred to all other types by the Schlactstaffeln. CL.II losses were very low and it was greatly respected by Allied aircraft.
  The CL.II continued in full operational service until the Armistice. It was joined in July 1918 by the improved Halberstadt CL.IV which was even more maneuverable that the CL.II.
  The British evaluated captured CL.II 15342/17 brought down on 9 June 1918. Their evaluation was very positive for a German aircraft:
  "The Halberstadt (CL.II) represents, in all probability, the high water mark of two-seater German aeroplane construction, as it is not only well and strongly constructed but its general behavior in the air is good according to modern fighting standard.
  "Pilots report the machine light and comfortable to fly. The maneuverability is good and this feature taken in conjunction with an exceptionally fine view of the pilot and observer and the field of fire of the latter, makes the machine one to be reckoned with as a 'two-seat fighter,' although the climb and speed performances are poor judged by contemporary British standards."
  There is little information available on two developments of the CL.II with more powerful engines. BFW was producing the CL.Ila powered by the 180 hp Argus As.IIIa engine by late 1918 and a few may have reached the front. Eleven examples were discovered at the BFW factory after the war by the Inter-allied Armistice Commission. Furthermore, the Polish Air Service flew some in 1919-1920.
  Another version of the CL.II flew with the superior 185 hp BMW.IIIa engine in January 1918. No production ensured because all the BMW engines were required for fighters and none were available for CL-types. The BMW engine in particular would address the British criticism of its poor speed and climb, and in fact the BMW was installed in the advanced Hannover CL.V while high-altitude 180 hp Mercedes D.IIIau engine, comparable to the BMW, was installed for the advanced Halberstadt CLS.I that was an even smaller, lighter, and more maneuverable development of the Halberstadt CL.IV.
  Additional tests were done with the CL.II. In One, a four-bladed propeller was tested. Another involved the fitting of twin-fixed machine guns for the pilot. Finally, another CL.II was used as a test-bed for early supercharger experiments.


Halberstadt CL-Type Specifications
Spec \ Type CL.II Prototype CL.II Production CL.IV
Engine 160 hp Mercedes D.III 160 hp Mercedes D.III 170 hp Mercedes D.IIIa
Span, upper 9.40 m 10.77 m 10.70 m
Span, lower 9.40 m 10.65 m 9.98 m
Chord, upper 1.6 m 1.60 m 1.60 m
Chord, lower 1.30 m 1.30 m 1.30 m
Wing Area 24.0 m2 27.5 m2 26.66 m2
Length 7.32 m 7.30 m 6.50 m (later 6.89 m)
Height - - 2.70 m
Weight empty 701 kg 773 kg 700 kg
Weight loaded 1,071 kg 1,133 kg 1,040 kg
Speed 165 km/h 165 km/h 165 km/h
Climb
1,000 minutes - 3.5 4.3
2,000 minutes - - 5.5
3,000 minutes - - 12.7
4,000 minutes - - 22.1
5,000 minutes - 38 30.8
CL.IV(Rol) Empty Wt. 720 kg, Loaded Wt. 1,060 kg.


Halberstadt CL.II Production Orders
Date Quantity Serials Notes
November 1916 3 9902-9904/16 Prototypes. C.9903/16 was in operational use with Schusta 22b from September to December 1917.
May 1917 100 5675-5774/17
June 1917 100 6300-6399/17
October 1917 200 14200-14399/17
November 1917 200 15300-15499/17
February 1918 100 700-799/18 BFW-built
March 1918 100 1161-1260/18
March 1918 (200) ? Reinhard Zankl thinks this March 1918 order for 200 aircraft is the C.2800-2999/18 order for 200. But after the first 100 aircraft C.2800-2899/18, the rest were changed to Halb C.V(Bay) 2900-2999/18.
April 1918 100 2800-2999/18 CL.IIa(BFW) with Argus As.IIIa engine
3 prototypes normally ordered, one for flight tests, one for static tests, and one spare.

J.Herris Halberstadt Aircraft of WWI. Volume 2: CL.IV-CLS.I & Fighters (A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes 45)

Afterword: Halberstadts Postwar by Colin Owers

  The Allies had a number of Halberstadt CL.II biplanes fall into their hands during the war, but the most famous is 15342/17 that was captured in flight by an R.E.8 of No. 3 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps. Lts R.C. Armstrong and EJ Mart were carrying out an reconnaissance patrol near Moriancourt in their R.E.8 D4689 when they noticed a German aircraft making for its own lines. Armstrong immediately moved to head it off and after a few feeble attempts to escape the crew surrendered. The machine was herded to the Squadron's airfield where it made a perfect landing. The crew were inexperienced and had become lost.
  15342/17 became the subject of a Ministry of Munitions report on the type and was also featured in the British magazine Flight commencing in their 10 October 1918, issue. Given the British serial G/5Bde/16 the machine was sent to the UK where it was tested and eventually placed on displayed in the "Enemy Viewing Room" at Islington. A comprehensive range of German aeroplanes, instruments and equipment was placed on view for "the benefit of officers and men of the R.A.F., aircraft designers and others." This Halberstadt was claimed by Australia and was to be sent back for the proposed War Museum, however another Halberstadt, serial unknown, was substituted instead. This was uncovered when the machine was uncrated in Australia. It was sent to Tasmania for display in an art gallery, but when no permanent home could be found for it, it was apparently sold to a private individual who was building his own aircraft. Legend has it that it was destroyed in a bushfire. The Mercedes engine is stated to have survived but has not turned up to date.
  Some 13 CL.II and nine CL.IV fighters, together with 18 C.V reconnaissance biplanes were taken into US custody and inspected in Europe, but very few made it back to the USA. An inventory of Enemy Material in the USA of 27 August 1919, lists five Halberstadt C types, five Halberstadt C.V and one Halberstadt (spares). One of these was a CL.II as 6312(/17) that was offered for sale without engine for $250 in the 1920s at an Army sale of unwanted aircraft. This particular CL.II had been found in a Zeppelin hangar at Treves in France in an unserviceable condition.
  The first foreign country to use the CL.II was the Netherlands. Four CL.II fighters found their way into the Netherlands and landed to be interned. The Luchtvaartafdeling (EVA) (Dutch Army air service) acquired most of its inventory during 1914-1918 from straying aircraft that were forced by circumstances to land in their territory. 6315/17 was interned on 31 December 1917, at Sas van Gent, Zeeland. It was in perfect condition and was taken into EVA service as H414. Cpl Paul Zeidler then delivered 14252/17 (w/n 594) on 2 April 1918. Neither of these machines was purchased. This machine became H415. 1543/17 was not so lucky as it became lost in fog on a flight from Ghent. When over Knocke it was fired upon by the Dutch forces and made a crash landing at Oostsburg. Kiel, the pilot, was wounded and the fuel tank pierced. He attempted to land the aircraft but the machine was wrecked. His observer was unharmed. The engine was unharmed and later pressed into service. The same was true of 1220/18 after it landed near Guipen, Limburg on 14 November 1918. These aircraft and other German types were operated until late 1918, then were stored after the Armistice had stopped hostilities. It is believed that they were sold off around 1925 as scrap.
  The Estonian Aviation Regiment obtained a number of Halberstadts of different varieties as illustrated. C.V 6905/18 was captured at Narva in 1919 and given the Serial No. 9. This was the C.V that was turned into a floatplane. In 1921 four C.V biplanes, four CL.IV (Rol) were purchased from the German stores at Vamdrup in Denmark.
  Amongst the approximate one hundred German aircraft that Lithuania captured or purchased were the following Halberstadt biplanes as tabulated at right.
  Polish Aviation used more than 20 Halberstadt CL.II, CL.IV, and C.V aircraft, which were found at Lawica/Poznan airfield after the end of WWI. The biggest part were remnants from the German Fliegerersatz-Abteilung 4 Posen and smallest come from Mokotow / Warszawa, ex German Fliegerbeobachterschule Warschau and Albatros-Militar-Wekstatten (REFLA) Warschau. Thirteen Halberstadt CL.IIs and CL.IIAs were refurbished at Poznan (most received new Polish numbers) and two were refurbished at Warsaw/Mokotow. All went to Squadrons at the front or to flying schools. Four Polish Halberstadt CL.IIs were lost during the Polish-Russian war. All Polish Halberstadt CL.IVs came from Lawica (two had Mercedes D.III engines and one (C.5894/18) had a Benz Bz.IV engine) and were used by 2 EW and 14 EW squadrons. One of them was captured and used by Russia, one was lost in Germany after the war (pilot got lost and crashed during a storm). All twelve Polish Halberstadt C.Vs were refurbished at Lawica. Most of them were from BFW production. Most were used during the Polish-Russian war in 2. Eskadra Wielkopolska. One aircraft, C.V C.8843/18, mounted a carrier for four 12.5 kg P.u.W. bombs. At least three Halb. C.Vs were lost during the Polish-Russian war and one fell into Russian hands.
<...>

M.Dusing German Aviation Industry in WWI. Volume 1 (A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes 84)

Halberstadter Flugzeugwerke GmbH, Halberstadt (Halb)

Aircraft Development:

<...>
  In 1917/1918 the company built the first light C-airplane, type Halb CL.II, as a light fighter two-seater. The advantages of this aircraft, besides great maneuverability and speed (168 km/h), were its climbing ability, for it climbed to 5,000 m in 37 minutes. This aircraft went into serial production in 1917 and 80 to 90 were produced per month, and as many as 100 in early 1918.
<...>

M.Kabatek, Fr.R.Kulczynski German Aircraft in Polish Service. Volume 1

Chapter 2: The Halberstadt CL.II

  In August 1916, the German Inspektion der Fliegertruppen (Idflieg) adopted a plan to introduce into service two-seat reconnaissance aircraft with a reduced weight, powered by 160-180 hp engines (instead of 220-260 hp). Compared to standard C-class aircraft, the light C-class (C leicht, Cl) machines were to weigh about 250-260 kg less and not exceed the limit of 750 kg. The main idea of Idflieg was to create a two-seat escort aircraft (Schutzflugzeug) capable of protecting heavier machines from attacks by enemy fighters.
  Halberstadter Flugzeugwerke GmbH was among the aviation companies that submitted proposals for the new designs. The company was registered in April 1912 as the Deutsche Bristol Werke Flugzeug Gesellschaft mbH, as an affiliate of the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company of Bristol. In the initial period of its existence, the developing factory mainly produced Bristol Boxkite biplanes and Bristol Prier monoplanes. In the second half of June 1914, the British company withdrew from the undertaking and, as a consequence, the name was changed to Halberstadter Flugzeugwerke GmbH in September 1914.
  After the outbreak of WWI, the factory started license production of the Fokker A.I, A.II, and A.III monoplanes; subsequently they commenced production of the Halberstadt B.I, B.II, and B.III unarmed biplanes. At the turn of 1915, construction of a series of fighters, the Halberstadt D.I, D.II, D.III, D.IV, and D.V, commenced.
  Although the newly developed Halberstadt D.IV fighter failed to enter mass production, some of the solutions used in it were introduced into the emerging light C-class aircraft, the Halberstadt C.II (known as the Cl.II from mid-1917). In November 1916, Idflieg ordered three prototypes, powered by 160 hp Mercedes D.III engines. Work on details of the structure and the assembly of the first machine was carried out in January 1917, and the prototype was rolled out in April.
  Between 2 and 7 May 1917, the prototypes underwent type tests (Typenprufung). Idflieg commission had no major objections to the structure’s strength but before the type was approved for front line service idflieg specified a greater span wing, probably to increase the rate of climb. Based on the results of the second series of tests, a contract was signed for the production of the first batch of 100 machines. A total of 856 of these aircraft had been ordered and built by the end of the war (including 160 by Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke AG under license).
  First production Halberstadt Cl.II biplanes reached the Western Front at the end of July 1917. Initially, they were used by the Schutzstaffeln (escort flights) and, to a lesser extent, by the Fliegerabteilungen (artillery and air units), as two-seat fighters responsible for escorting heavier reconnaissance aircraft. With time, the Cl.II Halberstadts were almost completely reallocated to the Schlachtstaffeln (attack flights), where they performed ground-attack (close support) duties.
  The Polish air service used 12 Halberstadt Cl.II/Cl.IIa aircraft. Most of these had been built under license by the Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke AG. Initially, they were used almost exclusively for training and liaison duties. It was only the growing demand of combat units that led to their allocation to the front line. Although the Halberstadt Cl.Ils were able to carry a wireless transmitter and a camera, they were rarely used for photographic reconnaissance or artillery spotting. They were used more often as close support aircraft. However, Polish pilots criticized them as being markedly underpowered and too slow.
  During their service in Poland, the Halberstadt Cl.II biplanes equipped the I Esk. Wlkp., II Esk. Wlkp., Ill Esk. Wlkp. (subsequently renamed 14. Eskadra Wywiadowcza - 14th Reconnaissance Escadrille), 2. Eskadra Lotnicza (subsequently renamed 2. Eskadra Wywiadowcza), 8. Eskadra Wywiadowcza, 10. Eskadra Lotnicza (subsequently renamed 10. Eskadra Wywiadowcza), I Grupa Lotnicza Wielkopolska (I GL Wlkp. - I Wielkopolska Air Group), Stacja Lotnicza Lawica and Szkola Pilotow (Pilot’s School) at Lawica.


Halberstadt Cl.II (Bay) 750/18

  This aircraft was captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. Before 24 March 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. It was subsequently used at the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica. The aircraft was destroyed in an accident at Lawica between 31 March and 7 April 1919.


Halberstadt CI.II (Bay) 752/18

  This aircraft was also captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. Along with 42 other machines, it was transferred to the CSL in Warsaw on 27 January. In June 1919, it was delivered for an overhaul to the CWL, where it was destroyed, probably due to negligence.


Halberstadt Cl.II (Bay) 753/18

  This aircraft was also captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. Before 24 March 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. In April 1919, it entered the inventory of the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica but was damaged soon after. The repaired aircraft returned to the unit on 25 July 1919.
  On 4 September 1919, it was sent to the I Esk. Wlkp. based at Wojnowice, where it suffered engine failure, leading to the aircraft being sent away for repair. Presumably in early October 1919 it was delivered again to the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica.
  It entered the inventory of the 10. EL (subsequently the 10. EW) on 9 February 1920. On 24 April 1920, the unit was deployed to the eastern front and based at Kozenki. Halberstadt Cl.II (Bay) 753/18 flew the following sorties:
  - 2 May 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Stanislaw Rymkiewicz and/or. obs. Wlodzimierz Gubarow.Takeoff: 17:30, landing: 19:00. Summary: reconnaissance of railway traffic and of artillery positions in the area between Vasilievichy and Khoyniki stations. Friendly troops fired their machine guns in error at the aircraft during the sortie.
  - 4 May 1920 - duty sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Stanislaw Rymkiewicz and a mechanic named Milczarczyk. Take-off: 7:30, landing (upon return from Babruysk): 19:30. Summary: cross-country flight to Babruysk in order to organize the allocation of bombs for the unit, combined with reconnaissance along the route of the sortie.
  - 31 May 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Stanislaw Rymkiewicz and plut. obs. Piotr Bukowski. Take-off: 17:00, landing: 17:30. Summary: reconnaissance of the area of Rechytsa - Homiel combined with bombing. The mission was aborted, probably due to engine failure.
  On 22 June 1920, the aircraft was sent away to CSL, and on 12 July it was transferred to CWL, but was not flown again.


Halberstadt Cl.ll (Bay) 781/18

  This aircraft was captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. Presumably in early February 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. On 9 March 1919, Lawica was visited by representatives of the Allied military mission. Flying displays were planned as part of the event. Plut.pil. Emanuel Juraszek was one of the participating pilots, and he was going to fly Halberstadt Cl.II (Bay) 781/18, however, the propeller was damaged during taxiing. The aircraft was damaged again on 25 March, and it was transferred for repair at the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. On 27 May 1919, it entered the inventory of the II Esk. Wlkp. based at Kleka.
  On 16 June 1919, it was allocated to the III Esk. Wlkp. based at Gora. The unit became part of the Front Galicyjsko-Wolynski (Galician-Volhynian Front) on 23 June. It moved to Stryi three days later, and to Berezhany on 7 July, and it was from there that the aircraft flew its first combat sortie:
  - 17 July 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: plut.pil. Emanuel Juraszek and sierz. sztab. obs. Jozef Skoczynski. Polish soldiers fired at the aircraft during a cross-country flight near Buchach. One of the rounds hit the propeller and another hit the exhaust manifold. The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing, during which the lower wing was damaged. The aircraft was disassembled and taken by rail to the airfield where the Eskadra wes based.
  In early August 1919 the III Esk. Wlkp. moved to Velyka Berezovytsia. The repair of the damage was completed at the time and after 20 August the aircraft became operational again. Shortly afterwards it took part in another mission:
  - 23 August 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Jozef Mahczak (the Eskadra commander) and kpr. obs. Jozef Klicze. Summary: reconnaissance of the railway line at Velyka Berezovytsia - Ternopil - Zbarazh - Shepetivka - Velyka Berezovytsia, combined with bombing. The following report was filed upon return: At Shepetivka, on the middle track, an armored train, two freight trains on the sides, apparently with troops, 20 railcars, 2 engines under steam. 6 bombs were dropped that exploded on the tracks, one near the armored train. Enemy forces are clearly concentrating in Shepetivka. In fact, the attacked troops were misidentified during the bombing, and the crew accidentally attacked units of the Army of the Ukrainian People’s Republic allied with Poland.
  The Eskadra departed the front fine for the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica on 15 September 1919. It probably reached the destination on 20 September. On 1 October 1919, it was decided to deploy it to Buk.
  On 6 October, the aircraft had a 15-minute test flight and then flew to Lawica. Upon completion of the technical inspection, it entered the inventory of the I GL Wlkp. This unit soon moved to the eastern front and deployed at Minsk.
  781/18 was damaged when it overturned, some time before 5 December 1919.
  On 24 April 1920, the aircraft was transferred to the 14. EW(ex-III Esk. Wlkp.) based at Zhodzina. In subsequent days it took part in two combat sorties:
  - 8 May 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: sierz.pil. Wladysiaw Bartkowiak and ppor. obs. Henryk Liebek. Take-off: 18:25, landing: 19:30. Summary: reconnaissance of the front line along the river Berezina from Barysaw to Zhortai. Nothing particular was seen during the mission (observation of the ground was hindered by fog).
  - 14 May 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: sierz. pil. Wladysiaw Bartkowiak and pchor. obs. Jozef Klicze. Take-off: 9:30,10:10 or 12:00. Summary: bombing of the enemy airfield at Krupki (a retaliatory mission for the attack on the Eskadra airfield by two Soviet aircraft about 7:20). The machine was given escort of two SPAD VII fighters of the 19. Eskadra Mysliwska (19. EM - 19th Fighter Escadrille), flown by ppor.pil. Stefan Pawlikowski pchor.pil. Wladysiaw Turowski. An enemy observation balloon was spotted near the Priyamino railway station. The fighter pilots reduced their altitude and made an attempt to shoot it down. It was then that anti-aircraft artillery and a section of three Soviet fighter aircraft joined the engagement. Two of those, flown by Alexandr Petrov and by Kuzin, attacked Turowski’s SPAD VII. He engaged them, but soon his machine gun jammed, so he had to withdraw. At that moment, he noticed Halberstadt 781/18, on fire and spinning down towards the ground. An attack on the observation balloon was also made by ppor. Pawlikowski, but the machine gun fitted in his aircraft also failed, which forced him to climb to a higher altitude. Upon their return, both Polish pilots stated that the escorted aircraft of the 14. EW must have been hit by anti-aircraft artillery because they have not seen it being engaged by enemy fighters. In fact, it fell victim to a third Soviet machine (Nieuport 24bis N4283) flown by Aleksey Shirinkin. Hit from close range, the Polish Halberstadt Cl.II quickly burst into flames and then crashed. The crew bailed out, but their parachutes also caught fire and they were both killed.
  In the first days of June, a fighter flown by Aleksey Shirinkin appeared above the airfield of the 14. EW at Slepyanka. The pilot dropped a package containing a letter and photos from the funeral of the crew.


Halberstadt Cl.II (Bay) 782/18

  Another Halberstadt Cl.II captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. Before 9 March 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. Subsequently, it entered the inventory of the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica.
  On 13 March 1919, sierz.pil. Antoni Bartkowiak and ppor. pil. Jozef Manczak flew the aircraft from Lawica to Cracow, and they returned on 21 March. Between 24 March and 11 May 1919, the machine flew more similar missions. During most of these kpt. obs. Pawel Muller was the other crew member.
  Probably on 19 April 1919, sierz.pil. Antoni Bartkowiak ferried the aircraft from Lawica to the airfield of the II Esk. Wlkp. at Kleka, with kpt. Leon Raden as a passenger. The machine returned to Lawica on 23 April.
  In early May 1919 sierz.pil. Antoni Bartkowiak and ppor.pil. Josef Manczak flew the machine to Bedzin, where negotiations were held regarding the purchase of aircraft from German air units.
  782/18 was again at the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica by 12 May 1919, at the latest. Nevertheless, on 22 May, the crew of sierz.pil. Antoni Bartkowiak and ppor. obs. Stefan Korcz flew it on a propaganda mission, during which they were to drop 54,000 leaflets over West and East Prussia, including Gdansk (at the time Danzig in Germany). The task was only partially completed, due to a counteraction by German fighters. Details of the operation were described in the report by plk pil. Gustaw Macewicz: I report that in view of the possibility of an offensive action by the Germans, in view of the huge shortages in aviation materials in our country, conducting aerial reconnaissance is extremely difficult, and thus the value of our aerial combat activity is reduced to a minimum. In todays conditions, the only means enabling us to take the airforce is to demand 6 combat [i.e. fighter] aircraft as quickly as possible from Warsaw or from Haller’s army, with or without aviators (because we have a sufficient number of aviators). This is needed because, as known to us, in Torun [known as Thorn to the Germans] alone there is a German combat air eskadra [fighter unit] with 7 Fokkers, and our reconnaissance machines cannot fly in this area, which follows from the fact that during the last reconnaissance to Torun our aviator was chased by 4 German Fokkers and he was forced to land as far as the vicinity of Warsaw.
  During the forced landing, the aircraft was probably slightly damaged and was sent for repair. It can be assumed that the work was completed no later than 21 June. On that day, sierz.pil. Antoni Bartkowiak brought Wojciech Korfanty (the Polish national leader of Upper Silesia) to Sosnowiec, most probably in this Halberstadt Cl.II.
  At the end of June 1919, the aircraft returned to the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica. Due to malfunctions discovered, it was undergoing repairs until 5 July. After 15 August, it was sent to II Esk. Wlkp. (based at Serebryanka. It entered the inventory of this unit on 23 August, and during subsequent months flew the following sorties:
  - 2 September 1919 - ferry flight to Babruysk. Crew: por.pil. Roman Bejm and st. szer. obs. Tadeusz Dzierzgowski. Takeoff: 7:20. The crew made a forced landing due to a failure. Following repairs, they continued the flight to Babruysk, arriving there on 4 September at 19:04.
  - 12 September 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: por.pil. Roman Bejm and plut. Wladyslaw Dziwak. Take-off: 17:45, landing: 18:45. Summary: reconnaissance in a designated area.
  - 13 September 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: por.pil. Roman Bejm and st. szer. obs. Tadeusz Dzierzgowski. Take-off: 9:00, landing: 10:10. Summary: bombing of a Soviet armored train.
  - 14 September 1919 - combat sortie. Crew. por. pil. Roman Bejm and st. szer. obs. Tadeusz Dzierzgowski. Take-off: 8:40, landing: 10:00. Summary: bombing of a Soviet armored train.
  - 21 September 1919 - duty sortie. Crew. por. pil. Roman Bejm and ppor.pil. Stefan Luczak. Take-off: 9:30, landing: 10:50. Summary: cross-country flight from Babruysk to Minsk.
  - 21 September 1919 - duty sortie. Crew. por.pil. Roman Bejm and plut. Wladyslaw Dziwak. Take-off: 13:55, landing: 15:25. Summary: cross-country flight from Minsk to Babruysk.
  - 22 September 1919 - combat sortie. Crew. por.pil. Roman Bejm and plut. Wladyslaw Dziwak. Take-off: 7:50, landing: 9:40. Summary: reconnaissance in a designated area.
  - 25 September 1919 - combat sortie. Crew.por.pil. Roman Bejm and plut. Wladyslaw Dziwak. Summary: bombing of a Soviet armored train located on the railway line section between Babruysk and Zhlobin.
  - 29 September 1919 - combat sortie. Crew. por. pil. Roman Bejm and plut. Wladyslaw Dziwak. Take-off: 7:50, landing: 9:10. Summary: reconnaissance of the Svislach area. Report from the sortie: An enemy camp of about 30 wagons in the village of Virkov. Enemy trenches between the villages of Kurhany and Vlasovichi on the eastern bank of the river Berezina. Other than that nothing of importance was seen. Flight altitude 800-1000 m.
  - 29 September 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: por.pil. Roman Bejm and por.pil. Edmund Norwid-Kudlo (the Eskadra commander). Take-off: 9:30, landing: 10:50. Summary: repeated reconnaissance of the Svislach area.
  - 30 September 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: por.pil. Roman Bejm and kpr. obs. Tadeusz Dzierzgowski. Takeoff: 14:20, landing: 17:32. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Podrech’e - Lyubonichy. Report from the sortie: In the vicinity of Lyubonichy, minor enemy movements towards Podrech’e. Approximately three cavalry platoons on field roads and across the field, followed by 130-150 bayonets of infantry [infantry troops] south of the Kurhany village, 4-5 transport wagons at Kurhany itself, about 100-120 bayonets of infantry [infantry troops] reinforcements rest at Lyubonichy. Approximately 2-3 versts [the Russian verst was nearly equal to a kilometer] north-east of Lyubonichy, a minor cavalry detachment towards Lyubonichy. Ihe enemy is digging in on the eastern bank of the river Berezina directly west of Podrech’e. Two minor transport columns, 8 wagons each, at intervals of 5-6 versts from each other, on the road to Mogilev. I fired the signal pistol three times on a battery located on the southern side of the road to Rahachov before it turns. All the above-mentioned units were strafed by me and by the pilot with the machine gun.
  - 3 October 1919 - combat sortie. Grew, por. pil. Roman Bejm and kpr. obs. Tadeusz Dzierzgowski. Take-off: 15:55, landing: 15:15. Summary: reconnaissance in a designated area.
  - 4 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew:por.pil. Roman Bejm and kpr. obs. Tadeusz Dzierzgowski. Take-off: 7:55, landing: 10:15. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Babruysk - river Usha. Report from the sortie: At 8:05 an infantry unit of about 40-80 bayonets [infantry] on the march from Guta to the bank of Berezina. Some of the houses at Podrech’e destroyed. While flying over the front line along the Berezina as far as the river Usha, I noticed a cavalry detachment, two platoons, south of the village of Kutin. Enemy trenches to the east of the villages of Virkov, Chuch’e, further on, the village of Staryi Ostrovparticularly strongly entrenched, the eastern bank of the Berezina strongly entrenched south of Svislach, two rows of trenches between the village of Brodets and north of the mouth of the river Kliava. Near the village of Kaplantsy on the Kliava, a cavalry raid 20-30 horses strong and a minor infantry unit on the march towards the town of Berezina. A house on fire in the eastern part of the village of Shevernichi. A cavalry detachment of 3 platoons, more or less, which the pilot strafed with his machine gun, north of the mouth of the river Usha. At 9:20 one boat with a crew of four and a raft (I noticed no people) crossed Berezina from the eastern to the western bank near the village of Sheypichi.
  - 4 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: por. pil. Roman Bejm and kpr. obs. Tadeusz Dzierzgowski. Take-off: 16:05, landing: 17:10. Summary: spotting counter-battery fire against enemy artillery batteries in the Podrech’e village area. Report from the sortie: After communicating with the battery using color signal flares, I started the task. I could tell the accuracy of the shells, as long as the explosion was not in the forest. [...] There was no traffic in the Podrech’e area.
  - 5 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: por. pil. Roman Bejm and kpr. obs. Tadeusz Dzierzgowski.Take-off: 17:50, landing: 18:50. Summary: reconnaissance in a designated area.
  - 6 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: por. pil. Roman Bejm and kpr. obs. Tadeusz Dzierzgowski. Take-off: 16:05, landing: 17:35. Summary: spotting counter-battery fire against enemy artillery batteries in the Podrech’e village area and against an observation post on the river Berezina. Report from the sortie: The first shots too far, after four corrections the shells reached the building and exploded in it. During the firing, shells fell to the right of the battery, despite several corrections, the fire was not moved sufficiently to the left. In total, I fired 18 white, 8 red and 14 green-red signal flares.
  - 9 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew. por. pil. Roman Bejm and plut. obs. Stefan Kazmierczak. Take-off: 8:50, landing: 10:50. Summary: photographing the bridges on the Berezina in the area of Podrech’e village and of the trenches north of the village of Lovoche. Report from the sortie: The bridge across Berezina, north of the town of Berezina, was photographed from an altitude of 1,200 m, at 10 a. m. on the west side. Another bridge at 10:15 from an altitude of 1,300 m on the south side, Bolshevik trenches at 10:20 on the eastern side from an altitude of1,500 m. There were 11 stationary wagons in a row at the eastern end of the village of Staryi Ostrov. Two trucks drove from the village of Podrech’e towards the road to Mogilev.
  - 15 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: plut.pil. Wladyslaw Filipiak and plut. obs. Stefan Kazmierczak. Take-off: 10:45, landing: 12:00. Summary: reconnaissance of the movement of enemy forces from the north of the village of Orekhovka and along the positions they occupied, and of the traffic from the Mogilev and Rahachov roads, low-altitude pass in the vicinity of the village of Virkov in order to boost the morale of the infantry. Report from the sortie: Our transport column and about two infantry companies were entering the village of Virkov on the road from Svislach to Virkov. One company of our infantry was going through a clearing in the forest north of Virkov. Beyond the forest, about 20 km north of Virkov, enemy infantry were escaping and dispersing. I counted about 200 people. More enemy infantry fleeing from the village of Lenevka to Budnevo. The enemy were stretched across the entire road, about 150 people. Cavalry, numbering 30 horses, on the road from Orlino to Batsevichi. I noticed no traffic to the east of Babruysk.
  - 18 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew. plut. pil. Wladyslaw Filipiak and plut. obs. Stefan Kazmierczak. Take-off: 9:30, landing: 10:00. Summary: reconnaissance in the area between Svislach and Berezina. The mission was aborted due to an engine failure caused by the use of poor-quality fuel.
  - 18 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: plut.pil. Wladyslaw Filipiak and plut. obs. Stefan Kazmierczak. Takeoff: 17:05, landing: 18:16. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Babruysk - Svislach.
  The aircraft did no flying after 18 October 1919. Due to the planned re-equipment of the II Esk. Wlkp. with Albatros D.III (Oef) fighters, it was delivered to the 2. EL based at Rowne (now Rivne in Ukraine) on 14 February 1920. Two weeks later it was sent away to the II Ruchomy Park Lotniczy (II RPL - II Mobile Aircraft Park) at Luck (now Lutsk in Ukraine), where the engine was to be overhauled. On 21 April 1920, the airframe was handed over to the CSL, and from there it was transferred to the CWL on 20 May. The aircraft was not used further and was eventually struck off charge.


Halberstadt Cl.II (Bay) 783/18

  This aircraft was also captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. Between 31 March and 7 April 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness.
  On 28 April 1919, por.pil. Jerzy Dziembowski, commanding the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica ordered a propaganda flight over Upper Silesia. Halberstadt 783/18 with the crew at por.pil. Wiktor Lang and sierz. obs. Jan Kasprzak and Halberstadt Cl.II (Bay) 2821/18 were selected for the operation. Shortly after taking off from Lawica, the machines entered bad weather, which forced the pilots to land at the Jarocin airfield. The aircraft took off again on 30 April, reaching their designated targets, where the leaflets carried in the cockpits were dropped. During the return flight, a fuel line from the main tank broke in 783/18. The failure resulted in a gasoline leak and forced the pilot to switch to the gravity fuel tank, which allowed him to fly for about 20 more minutes. Consequently, 783/18 had to make a forced landing in German territory. The other aircraft also landed next to the machine of por. Lang, its crew wishing to help repair the malfunction. After the cause of the leak was identified, it turned out that it would not be possible to repair it in the field. Therefore, por. Lang ordered the other crew to return to Lawica immediately. Shortly afterwards, German soldiers arrived there and arrested the two aviators who remained with their aircraft. Eventually they managed to escape and resume service with the Polish air service.


Halberstadt Cl.II (Bay) 2821/18

  Another Halberstadt from the capture of the airship hangar in Poznan on 2 January 1919. Presumably in February 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. The aircraft was subsequently transferred to the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica.
  As noted above, por.pil. Jerzy Dziembowski, commanding the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica ordered a propaganda flight over Upper Silesia by two crews. Halberstadt Cl.II (Bay) 2821/18 with the crew of kpr.pil. Stanislaw Wrembel and sierz. sztab. obs. Josef Skoczynski, together with Cl.II 783/18, were selected for the operation. Shortly after taking off from Lawica, the machines flew into bad weather that forced the pilots to land at the Jarocin airfield. The aircraft took off again on 30 April, reaching their designated targets, where the leaflets carried in the cockpits were dropped. During the return flight, a fuel line from the main tank broke in 783/18, forcing the Halberstadt to land. 2821/18 landed as well. Unfortunately, the problem could not be corrected in the field, and it was ordered to return to their base at Lawica.
  During the further flight, the crew of 2821/18 attacked German infantry units they saw in the area of Kepno. The aircraft was then fired upon by anti-aircraft artillery and then crashed during a forced landing. Kpr.pil. Stanislaw Wrembel, who was slightly injured, managed to evacuate the unconscious sierz. sztab. obs. Jozef Skoczynski under enemy fire and reach Polish positions.


Halberstadt Cl.lla (Bay) 2869/18

  This aircraft was another captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. At the end of May 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. Here the aircraft was damaged, probably during an acceptance test flight. In mid-July 1919, it was transferred for repair at the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. On 11 September 1919, it entered the inventory of the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica. From no later than 21 October 1919, it was at the workshops. The aircraft was damaged, probably in the spring of 1920, and was transferred for an overhaul. The repairs were completed in August 1920, and subsequently, it was entered in the inventory of the WSP at Lawica. It remained in operation at least until the spring of 1921.


Halberstadt Cl.lla (Bay) 2875/18

  This aircraft was another captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. In early April 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. On 17 May 1919, it entered the inventory of the III Esk. Wlkp., then being formed at Lawica.
  The III Esk. Wlkp. moved to Gora on 4 June 1919. The unit flew only a few sorties from there. One of these was flown before 9 June, by the crew of pplk pil. Marek Krzyczkowski (the Eskadra commander) and st. szer. obs. Jozef Klicze. Between 19 and 21 June, the aircraft suffered an accident and was sent away for repairs. On 4 September 1919, it entered the inventory of the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica. Shortly afterwards it was undergoing repairs again at the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. It was included in the listing of aircraft assembled at Lawica in June 1920. Subsequently, it went to the II RPL based in Lublin.
  On 27 June 1920, it entered the inventory of the 2. EW, operating from Kovel. 23 July 1920, it went to the II RPL in Lublin. From 3 August 1920 it was at the CWL, where its repair was not proceeded with, and it was struck off charge.


Halberstadt Cl.ll 5760/17

  This aircraft was captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. Before 24 March 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. Subsequently, it was in the inventory of the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica. Between 31 March and 7 April 1919, it was damaged. In mid-September 1919, the repaired machine went back to the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica.
  On 13 October 1919, 5760/17 entered the inventory of the II Esk. Wlkp. based at Babruysk. It flew the following sorties with the unit:
  - 15 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Stefan Luczak and plut. obs. Jozef Lipinski. Take-off: 15:30, landing: 16:35. Summary: reconnaissance of the movement of enemy forces along the river Berezina and in the area of Svislach. Report from the sortie: No movements at all along the Berezina and near the town of Svislach. Large numbers of stationary transport columns and infantry in the village of Kostrichkaya Slobodka. The troops laid out no signs, so I could not tell if they were ours. Between the villages of Kostrichkaya Slobodka and Patsova Sloboda, on the road towards Patsova Sloboda, about two battalions of troops and a large number of transport columns on the move. 35-40 stationary transport wagons on the Babruysk - Mogilev road, at the intersection of the highway with the river Ola. Five large camp fires in a small corpse on the western side of the Babruysk - Mogilev highway in the direction of Mogilev near Stolpishche, it should be assumed that a portion of the troops are hiding under the trees. The sortie was flown at an altitude of 1,000-1,500 m.
  - 17 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: plut. pil. Wladysiaw Filipiak met plut. obs. Stefan Kazmierczak. Takeoff: 17:05, landing: 18:10. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Svislach. Report from the sortie: On the eastern side of the town of Svislach a bridge completely constructed before crosses the river, and it is torn apart in the middle. To the east and north of the town, both bridges are also torn apart, an enemy transport column, numbering between 17 and 20 wagons, was present at the eastern side of the village of Nesyata, while about 100 people of infantry were stationary in the village. No movement was seen further east and south. The landing was made using flare light. The sortie was flown at an altitude of 500 m.
  - 19 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: plut.pil. Wladysiaw Filipiak and plut. obs. Stefan Kazmierczak. Takeoff: 13:55, landing: 14:55. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Svislach - Bahushevichy. Report from the sortie: From Svislach to Bychin and further north there are two lines of Bolshevik trenches on the eastern side of Berezina. A transport column of about 40 wagons on both sides of the road in the village of Staryi Ostrov. A transport column of 25 wagons moving from Staryi Ostrov to Kabylianka. An infantry column of 100 people advancing on the western side from Maksimovichi to Putski. 4 trucks driving from the village of Khadechin to Dulebna. All places of concentration of the enemy forces were strafed by the observer and the pilot with their machine guns. The sortie was flown at 1,200 m.
  - 20 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: plut. pil. Wladysiaw Filipiak and plut. obs. Stefan Kazmierczak. Take-off: 15:20, landing: 16:30. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Svislach - Bychin. Report from the sortie: enemy infantry bivouacking in three places 10 km from the river east of the village of Priterpa, 100-150 men in each place. 4 trucks on the road in the village of Staryi Ostrov. The trenches that extend to the north of the village of Staryi Ostrov were manned in places, from which the aircraft was fired upon. Two boats (dinghies) lay near the river to the east of Staryi Ostrov. A column of infantry of 80 people followed by a transport column of 12 wagons were advancing from the village of Kolbcha towards the village of Ostrovki. The trenches, as well as the infantry, were strafed by the observer with his machine gun.
  - 21 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Stefan Luczak and plut. obs. Jozef Lipinski. Take-off: 16:05, landing: 17:25. Summary: reconnaissance in the area from the river Berezina to the village of Yakshitsy, and in the area of Svislach and Bychin. Report from the sortie: During the flight according to the task given to me, I saw no troops. I have only found out that the villages of Putski, Staryi Ostrov and Orekhovka are surrounded by trenches.
  - 22 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor. pil. Stefan Luczak and plut. Wladysiaw Dziwak. Take-off: 14:15, landing: 15:20. Summary: reconnaissance in the front line area.
  - 24 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Stefan Luczak and ppor. obs. Eugeniusz d’Elvert. Take-off: 15:40, landing: 16:20. Summary: reconnaissance in a designated area.
  - 25 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: plut.pil. Wladysiaw Filipiak and ppor. obs. Eugeniusz d’Elvert. Takeoff: 15:05, landing: 15:40. Summary: reconnaissance in a designated area.
  Between 26 October 1919 and 24 January 1920, the aircraft was not used. On 25 January, it was selected for a combat sortie with the crew of st. szer.pil. Ludwik Patalas and kpr. obs. Henryk Zagierski. 5760/17 took off at 13:30. Shortly after take-off, due to a very low air temperature, the engine stopped. As the aircraft was already above a forest, the pilot made a sharp turn towards the airfield in order to avoid hitting trees. After this maneuver, the aircraft was heading towards one of the hangars. The pilot, st. szer. Patalas, managed to avoid hitting it, but one of the wings struck the ground. The aircraft was badly damaged in the subsequent crash. The crew suffered no major injuries. The machine was sent to Lawica and struck oft charge.


Halberstadt Cl.II (203/18)

  This aircraft was captured on 6 January 1919, at Lawica airfield. By 9 March 1919, it had been transferred to the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica. Between 31 March and 7 April, it went for repairs to the workshops. A week later it was listed as airworthy. On 21 April, it was damaged by sierz. pil. Stanislaw Rozmiarek. Details of the accident were described by the commander of the I GL Wlkp, rtm.pil. Tadeusz Grochowalski: I request three days of arrest for the aviator Rozmiarek who, disregarding repeated warnings and air accidents, yesterday at 6p.m., in a Halberstadt Cl.II aircraft, lifted off downwind, causing a crash of the airframe, destroying the landing gear, propeller, lower wings, and other small parts. The damage was quickly repaired and the aircraft returned to service.
  The aircraft was transferred to the III Esk. Wlkp. on 2 June 1919. Two days later, the unit moved to Gora. The unit flew only a few sorties from there. It cannot be ruled out that at least one of these was flown in Halberstadt Cl.II (203/18).
  The Eskadra became part of the Front Galicyjsko-Wotyhski on 23 June. It moved to Stryi three days later, and to Berezhany on 7 July. On 1 August 1919, it commenced the move to Velyka Berezovytsia. This transfer took a while, from 1 to 12 August. It was probably on 1 August, during a ferry flight to the new airfield, that the engine suffered a serious failure. On 15 September 1919, the Eskadra left for Lawica, where it arrived five days later. The aircraft was put at the disposal of the I GL Wlkp. The new unit handed it over immediately for repairs at the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica.
  On 16 November 1919, the aircraft was allocated to the II Esk. Wlkp. It was delivered to its new unit between 21 November and 2 December (during the period the unit operated from Babruysk). Due to the bitter frost during the winter, which prevented air operations, the aircraft did not fly with the Eskadra. In February 1920, the II Esk. Wlkp. started re-forming into the 13. EM. Therefore, on 14 February, Halberstadt Cl.II (203/18) went to the 2. EL based at Rivne. Just two weeks later it was delivered to the II RPL at Lutsk. In mid-April 1920 the aircraft returned to the 2. EW(ex-2. EL). On 18 April it was damaged and sent away to the II RPL, where it was repaired.
  The aircraft was transferred to the 8. E W, based at Lutsk, on 30 September 1920. Due to another engine failure, it was sent away for repairs at the II RPL on 19 November 1920. On 13 December 1920, the Szef Lotnictwa (Head of Aviation) ordered that the aircraft be transferred to the 8. EW upon completion of the overhaul. However, it remained at the II RPL. By 15 March 1921, it had been transferred to Lawica and struck off charge.


Halberstadt CI.II (548/18)

  This aircraft was purchased in Germany, probably at the end of September or in early October 1920. Initially, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. Subsequently, it was placed in storage at the Sklady Lotnicze at Lawica and was not used being eventually struck off charge.



Halberstadt Cl.II Aircraft in Poland

German Serial Type and Manufacturer Works number Polish serial Code number Engine type (works number)
750/18 C1.II (Bay) 1714 205/18 none no data
752/18 C1.II (Bay) 1716 none none no data
753/18 Cl.II (Bay) 1717 208/18 none Mercedes D.III (42981,35266, 43189)
781/18 Cl.II (Bay) 1745 201/18 none Mercedes D.III (33163,35060)
782/18 C1.II (Bay) 1746 202/18 none Mercedes D.III (34648)
783/18 Cl.II (Bay) 1747 none none Mercedes D.III (31944)
2821/18 Cl.II (Bay) no data 204/18 none Mercedes D.III (35640)
2869/18 Cl.IIa (Bay) no data 223/18 55 Mercedes D.III (34412)
2875/18 Cl.IIa (Bay) no data 222/18 none Mercedes D.III (35266,42981)
5760/17 Cl.II no data 206/17 none Mercedes D.III (40686)
no data Cl.II (Bay) no data 203/18 none Mercedes D.III (35775,35890, 34648,30681)
no data Cl.II (Bay) no data 548/18 none Mercedes D.III (35409)

Журнал Flight

Flight, October 10, 1918.

REPORT ON THE HALBERSTADT FIGHTER.
(Issued by the Technical Department (Aircraft Production), Ministry of Munitions.)

[A brief description and a sketch of the fuselage of this machine were published in our issue of August 1st, 1918. - ED.]

   THIS machine is a two-seater fighter. It was brought down at Villers Bocage, by Lieuts. Armstrong and Mert on an R.E.8 on June 9th, 1918. The machine is marked "Type H.S. C.L.2," and bears the military number C.L.2, 15,342/17. The date of construction, April 14th, 1918, is stamped on various parts. On the side of the fuselage is the following description :-
   Leergewicht (weight unladen), 796 k.g.
   Hochstbelastung (useful weight), 370 k.g.
   Einschl Vollen tank. (Including full tanks.)

   There is also a red line about 30 in. long drawn at both sides of the fuselage, showing the horizontal in the normal flying position.

General Details.
   The Halberstadt represents, in all probability, the high water mark of two-seater German aeroplane construction, as it is not only well and strongly constructed, but its general behaviour in the air is good according to modern fighting standards.
   Its general design will be gathered from the drawings on page 1135 and also from the photographs. Constructional details are dealt with by sketches.
   Span of upper plane, 35 ft. 3 1/4 in.; span of lower plane, 34 ft. 11 in.; chord or upper plane, 5 ft. 3 1/4 in.; chord of lower plane, 4 ft. 3 1/2 in.; gap, maximum, 4 ft.; gap, minimum, 3 ft. 8 1/2 in.; dihedral angle of lower plane, 2 deg.; horizontal dihedral of main planes, 4 deg.; total area of main planes, 310 sq. ft.; area of each aileron, 11.6 sq. ft.; area of aileron balance, 2 sq. ft.; load per square foot, 8.2 lbs.; area of tail planes, 13.6 sq. ft.; area of elevator, 12.4 sq. ft.; area of fin, 6.4 sq. ft.; area of rudder, 7.9 sq. ft.; area of rudder balance, 1 sq. ft.; maximum cross-section of body, 8.8 sq. ft.; horizontal area of body, 44 sq. ft.; vertical area of body, 52.8 sq. ft.; length over all, 24 ft.; engine, 180 h.p. Mercedes; weight per h.p. (180), 14.07 lbs.; capacity of petrol tanks, 34 galls.; capacity of oil tanks, 4 galls.; crew, 2; guns, 1 fixed and 1 movable; military load on test, 545 lbs.; total load on test, 2,532 lbs.

Performance.
Speed at 10,000 ft., 97 m.p.h., 1,385 r.p.m.
   Rate of
   climb in Indicated
   Mins. secs. Ft./min. Air speed
Climb to 5,000 ft. 9 25 440 69
Climb to 10,000 ft. 24 30 240 64
Climb to 14,000 ft. 51 55 80 58

Service ceiling (height at which climb is 100 ft. per minute), 13,500 ft.; estimated absolute ceiling, 16,000 ft.; greatest height reached, 14,800 ft. in 64 min. 40 sec.; rate of climb at this height, 50 ft. per minute.

Stability and Controllability.
   This machine cannot be considered stable. There is a tendency to stall with the engine on, and to dive with the engine off. Directionally, owing to the propeller swirl, the machine swings to the left, but with the engine off is neutral.
   Pilots report the machine light and comfortable to fly. The manoeuvrability is good, and this feature, taken in conjunction with the exceptionally fine view of the pilot and observer and the field of fire of the latter, makes the machine one to be reckoned with as a "two-seater fighter," although the climb and speed performances are poor judged by contemporary British standards.

Principal Points of the Design.
   Single bay arrangements of wings.
   Conspicuous set back of the main planes.
   Empennage free from wires.
   Fuselage tapers to a horizontal line at the rear in direct contradistinction to the usual German practice.
   Pilot's and observer's cockpit constructed as one.

Construction.

Wings.
   The upper wings are supported by a large centre section, having a span of 6 ft. 3 in. This centre section is at right angles to the centre line of machine, but at each side of it; the wings are thrown back with a horizontal dihedral of 4 deg. The lower wings are smaller in chord and very slightly smaller in span than the upper, and are fixed direct to the lower surface of the fuselage, and it is to be noted that where the trailing edge joins on to the fuselage it is shaped so as to avoid a surface of discontinuity at the root of the wing. This is done by smoothly turning upwards the trailing edge.
   The actual construction of the wings is of considerable interest, especially on account of the novel type of spar which is employed. This applies to both the upper and the lower planes. The front spar measures 2 3/4 in. by 1 in. and at the butt is placed about 4 in. from the leading edge. It is of "I" section, but is left full at such points as those at which internal bracing wires are fixed. A section of this spar, given in Fig. 1, shows how it is connected to the leading edge by means of ply-wood, both top and bottom.
   It will be seen that on the upper surface the ply-wood is extended rearwards for a distance of some 4 3/4 in. from the centre of the spar, and terminates in a small transverse flange about 1/2 in. deep. This construction furnishes a leading edge of great rigidity and strength, and at the same time it would also appear to be light in weight.
   A section of the rear main spar is given in Fig. 2. In this case the main member is of "O" or box section, and is built up of two pieces let into one another in a rather unusual manner. This is clearly shown in the drawing. Both at the top and bottom of the spar, thin strips of wood are used to cover the glued joint, and on this is tacked, both above and below, a flat length of ply-wood 7 in. wide which overhangs the main member of the spar an equal distance at each side.
   This ply-wood web is flanged at each end with strips of wood glued in position, and on these strips are fitted small corner pieces which serve to support the ribs. The latter are also of ply-wood, to which are glued and tacked rails of solid wood, top and bottom.
   A notable point of the wing construction is the fact that steel tubes are not used as the compression members of the internal bracing, as is the common practice. These members are made of box form ribs which occur at intervals along the spars. Adjacent to the root of the wing a very large reinforced box rib occurs, of which the section is given in Fig. 3.
   The absence of steel tubes considerably simplifies the attachment of the bracing lugs to the spars, a specimen of which is shown in Fig. 4. It will be noticed that it is of a very simple form, and in this respect it is characteristic of the design of the aeroplane on the whole, which, from this point of view, is far less elaborate than the majority of German designs and appears to be in many ways more practical, especially having regard to quantity production.

Wing Attachments.
   The whole of the centre section, both upper and lower surface, is covered with three-plywood, and the spars used in it are of similar design to those fitted to the wings, and already described. Both the upper and lower wings are provided with attachments which allow of their being very readily taken down. Views -of these fittings are given in Figs. 5 and 6, the former showing the attachment of the upper wing to the centre section, and the latter that of the lower wing to the fuselage. In the former case, the fitting is covered in with a spring operated trap door which also gives access to the joint of the aileron' control shaft. A sliding door is used in the lower plane, and it will be noticed that the spar is at this point protected by an aluminium foot plate. In each case, quick detachable safety bolts are employed. In Fig. 7 are given further details of the type of spar socket in use. This is built up of sheet steel and oxy-acetylene welded, the quality of this work appearing to be very high.
   The spars of the lower wings engage with a fork-ended tube passing right across the floor of the fuselage, and supported by the longerons of the nacelle by means of the sockets as shown in detail in Fig. 8. Here, again, a high quality of workmanship is evident, and it may be said without exaggeration that in this respect the Halberstadt machine is decidedly superior to the other German aeroplanes which have been reported upon, with, perhaps, the single exception of the Fokker.

Struts.
   The struts throughout this aeroplane are of streamline steel tube of light section, but in contradistinction to the usual German practice they are not tapered at the ends, but end abruptly, as shown in Fig. 9. This form of construction has the advantage of lending itself very well to the saving of labour, as the aeroplane struts are simply lengths of plain tubing pierced with transverse holes and reinforced by welded shoulders where the latter occur. The struts are secured top and bottom by bolts and eyes, and it will be noticed that where a cross bracing wire has to be taken from this junction, the turnbuckle is neatly anchored to a small pin passing through the rear of the tubular strut, which is slotted and slightly expanded at this point.
   The bolt hole is also reinforced by spot welding. This arrangement of strut attachment appears to be very practicable and certainly looks extremely neat.
   The upper ends of the inclined centre section struts are fitted with a different type of anchorage, as in this position the simple form of attachment used on the interplane struts cannot be adopted. A sketch is given in Fig. 10, from which it will be seen that the end of the strut is welded up solid and fitted with a scooped-out slot for the reception of the diagonal wire which runs to the bottom of the fuselage. This wire is very neatly secured by the same bolt as fixes the centre section strut.
   The rear spar of the centre section is supported by two vertical struts of the "V" type having their base points attached to the upper members of the fuselage and the apex fixed to the centre section spar. The manner in which the lower joints are fitted to the fuselage brackets and the form of the latter are made clear in Fig. 11.
   The bracing wires run as follows :- In the rear between the extremities of the struts; the lift wire in front joins the top of the forward strut to the landing carriage strut. There are no drift wires outside the wings.

Fuselage Construction.
   One of the most notable points in the Halberstadt fuselage is that whilst it retains the characteristic German form, both forward and amidships, it shows great individuality at the tail, at which point it tapers to a horizontal line, instead of to a vertical line, as is the practice in nearly all other German aeroplanes. The advantage of this arrangement is that the fitting of the tail can be made of sufficient strength without introducing any need for wire bracing. Thus, apart from head resistance, it has less masking effect on the movable gun.
   The fuselage is constructed in the accepted manner of four main longerons fitted with skeleton bulk heads at intervals and covered in with three-ply wood. The bulk heads are made as shown in Fig. 12, and are of a very light construction, except that adjacent to the tail, which serves as the main support of the rudder post and tail plane spar. At this point the bulk head is made of multi-ply wood, and is extensively fretted, as shown in the sketch, Fig. 13. Slots are cut for the reception of the longerons. The rudder post is fixed to the bulkhead by sheet steel brackets.
   The sketch, Fig. 14, shows in more detail the fitting of the longerons to this bulk head, and it will be noticed that wedge-shaped filling pieces are used, and also that the longeron itself is wrapped with fabric throughout its length. Immediately in front of this tail bulkhead, and at each side of the fuselage, a small vertical wooden member is dropped from the upper longeron. This, together with the bulkhead, serves to support the bracket which carries the leading edge of the fixed tail planes. This will be referred to later.
   Another notable feature of the fuselage is the fact that the pilot's and gunner's cockpits are made in one without apparently introducing any weakness into the construction. This scheme has the advantage of permitting the pilot and passenger to sit very close together, so that the length of the fuselage is reduced. The two cockpits, whilst to all intents and purposes in one, are actually separated by a cross-piece, which is used as a tray for the convenience of the observer. It is, however, probable that the primary object of this crosspiece is to perform a constructional function.
   The gun ring does not, as in the usual design, form an integral part of the fuselage coaming, but is fitted thereto by brackets.
   Inside the observer's cockpit, the fuselage is reinforced, between the floor and the sides, by slightly curved panels, as shown in the sectional sketch, Fig. 15. In the space formed by these panels run the control wires, which are thus out of the way and cannot accidentally be interfered with by the observer.

Empennage.
   As is shown in the general arrangement drawings, the empennage consists of curvilinear fin with balanced rudder, and a semicircular tail plane to which is hinged a single elevator. As has alreidy been noticed in the description of the fuselage construction, the mounting of these tail planes is carried out without the use of any external wiring or cross-bracing. The fixed tail planes are built up of steel tubes, and have a section curved both top and bottom. The rear spar, which acts as part of the hinge of the elevator, is carried in a pair of built-up welded steel brackets, which form the end piece of the fuselage, as shown in Fig. 16. The front spar, which is slightly in the rear of the leading edge, is capable of being adjusted when the machine is on the ground, so as to vary the angle of incidence of the tail planes. The adjustable clip for this purpose is shown in Fig. 17, and gives a choice of four positions. The built-up steel brackets, which form this attachment, are carried, one on the rearmost bulkhead, shown in Fig. 13, and the other on the small vertical strut, noted in Fig. 14.
   The method of construction of the fin and rudder is shown in Figs. 18 and 19. The same principle is adopted for the tail planes and elevator. It will be seen that it is a combination of wood and steel construction. The ribs of the fin, which is curved in section, and has a rounded leading edge, consist of thin steel tubes, 8 mms. in diameter, welded to the leading spar, and taken back to the rudder post at a slight angle to each other. This staggering of the tubes gives the rib the thickness of a single tube only at the trailing edge. They are reinforced with diagonal tubes of 5 mms. in diameter. The leading edge is formed by a covering of thin three-ply wood supported by a light wooden framework, the form of which is indicated in Fig. 19.

Ailerons.
   The ailerons are of the balanced type, and are fitted on the upper plane only. They are furnished with the usual welded steel framework, and are very light in weight. Their method of operation differs from that found on any other German design. The aileron front spar, which is hinged to the rear spar of the wings, is continued inwards by means of a tubular steel extension until it reaches a point level with the side of the fuselage. Here the extension of the shaft terminates in a crank, which is operated direct by the "T" shaped control lever through the medium of vertical steel rods.
   The arrangement of these ailerons and their levers may be gathered from the photographs, Nos. A and B. Fig. 5 shows how the aileron operating shafts are split and provided with bolted flanges whereby that end of the shaft which is carried in the centre section of the upper plane may be easily detached from the portion which is housed in the wing. Figs. 20 and 21 illustrate details of the attachments of the aileron shaft to the aileron itself. The bearings of the shaft consist of a flanged plate at each end, as shown in the drawing, Fig. 20. On the inner side is a coupling which unites the front spar of the aileron to the operating shaft. Each of these members terminates in a semicircular driving dog, and the two are united by a clamped sleeve which is also fitted with a locating cotter pin. This allows the aileron, as a whole, to be removed very readily in case of need. The tips of the ailerons are turned up at their extremities so as to present, when the controls of the machine are in their normal position, a slightly negative angle to the relative wind. This is in conformity with the usual German practice.

Control.
   A sketch of the control gear is given in Fig. 22. It is, in general, of the usual type, and the lever is fitted with a locking device, whereby the incidence of the elevator can be fixed when desired. This consists of a light telescopic tube arranged diagonally and fitted with a clamp, operated by a thumb screw. The control lever is fitted with an "L" shaped extension at its base, which is pivoted to a long crank bar. This is fitted with bell cranks at each end, and is carried in bearings mounted in the sides of the fuselage in such a manner that the bottom end of the lever is coincident with the centre line of the pivot bearings. As shown in the sketch, the control lever has a "T" piece attached to its foot, which is coupled up through universal links to rods, which extend vertically to the aileron cranks. The ailerons are thus worked entirely positively, and without any cables and pulleys.
   Mounted at the head of the control levers are two triggers for operating the fixed machine guns for which accommodation is provided, though only one was actually found on the aeroplane.
   The rudder is controlled by a built-up foot bar with the usual heel rests. This is carried in a pivot mounted on a light steel tube fixed across the fuselage longerons. Below this tube the rudder bar pivot carries a grooved pulley of large diameter, over which the rudder wire is passed. It is then taken over pulleys at each side, and down the fuselage to the cranks at the rudder post.
   It is worthy of note that whilst none of these controls are duplicated, the elevator cranks are fitted with two sets of bolt holes, so that the leverage can be adjusted if necessary.

Undercarriage.
   The undercarriage consists of a steel axle, fitted with 760 by 100 wheels. The axle is supported from a pair of tubular steel struts at either side by means of triple steel coil spring shock absorbers. The upper attachment of the undercarriage struts is shown in Fig. 23, which illustrates the form of bracket carried on the outside of the fuselage, and bolted to one of the forward bulkheads. The struts are reinforced for the reception of the bolts in a manner similar to that described for the interplane struts.
   At their bottom end, the struts are welded together into the form shown in Fig. 24, and they are also reinforced by a fixed axle or tie-rod, the sockets of which are slotted for the reception of the turn-buckles of the cross-bracing wires.
   The undercarriage design is considerably neater than that found on the general run of German aeroplanes, and appears to be both strong and light.

Tail Skid.
   A view of the tail skid is given in Fig. 25, and it will be seen that this possesses one or two features of interest.
   The skid itself is of ash, reinforced with a light built-up sheet steel shoe. The forward end projects through a hole in the fuselage, and is fitted with the usual shock-absorber device, which is fastened to the rearmost bulkhead.
   The tail skid is pivoted to an extension of the rudder post, and though it is capable of swinging slightly from side to side, is not actually steerable. Immediately above the shoe of the tail skid, is a second steel shoe, shaped like a spoon, which is rigidly supported by a pyramid of steel tubes. The object of this is to prevent any possibility of the elevator cranks coming into contact with the ground, even should the tail strike the earth sufficiently hard to carry the tail skid shock absorber to its limit of extension.

Engine.
   The engine is a high-compression 160 h.p. Mercedes (commonly known as 180 h.p.), and is of standard type. This engine has been fully described in Handbook No. 805.

Engine Mounting.
   The engine bearers are of wood, and are directly supported by bulkheads in the forward part of the fuselage.

Petrol Tanks.
   There are two tanks for petrol. The main supply is carried under the pilot's seat, and has a capacity of 24 galls. This is fed to the carburettors under air pressure, and the usual hand and engine pumps are employed.
   The second tank is let into the upper surface of the centre section of the top plane, and is clearly shown in Photo. B. This contains 8 galls., and is fitted with a glass tube, lying parallel to the upper curvature of the plane, by which the pilot can readily see the level of the fuel. This gravity tank can be filled from the main tank by means of a semi-rotary hand pump.

Radiator.
   The radiator is of the type which is becoming more and more adopted by German designers, namely, that which is embodied in the upper plane surface. In this case the radiator forms part of the right-hand side of the centre section. It is fitted with a small subsidiary water tank, details of which are shown in Fig. 27, which is provided with a trumpet nozzle pointing forward. Details of the radiator shutter are given in the photograph No. A. Provision is made for the fitting of a water-circulation thermometer, but this instrument was not actually found on the machine. The radiator shutter consists of a sliding panel of sheet steel mounted on a light tubular framework forming rails. This is within easy reach of the pilot, and can easily be slid forward or backward when it retains its position by reason of the lift effect upon it, and the friction between the guides and the rails.
   As shown in sketch, Fig. 26, the inlet and outlet pipes of the radiator are both fitted at its left-hand front corner, the radiator being furnished with internal baffles, which promote complete circulation of water through all the tubes. In order to prevent the possibility of an air-lock forming, a small tube is led from the outlet pipe through the bottom of the radiator tank, and is brought close to the bottom side of its top surface. If air should accumulate in the forward and upper part of the radiator, this tube would quickly allow the lock to be dissipated.
   The sketch, Fig. 26, shows the adapter for the radiator thermometer in the outlet pipe. From the inlet pipe, a small branch is taken off for the carburetor jacket, and from the rear end of the radiator, a pipe provided with a cock, by which the tank can be emptied, is led to the trailing edge of the upper plane.

Oil.
   A supply of 5 galls, of oil is carried in a small tank fitted at the side of the engine. The latter is furnished with a pump, which, while circulating the lubricating oil contained in the tank, draws a small supply of fresh oil from the tank at every stroke.

Propeller.
   The screw is of the usual built-up type, and consists of eight laminations of woods in the following order :-
   Ash, ash, mahogany, ash, mahogany, ash, mahogany, ash.
   It has a diameter of 2.4 metres and a pitch of 2 metres, and was built at the Luckenwalde Propellerwerke, Niendorf. In front of the propeller boss proper is a built-up laminated plate to which a spinner is fixed by means of a girdle of stranded steel cable.

Wireless.
   The aeroplane is internally wired to give greater capacity for wireless, and accommodation is provided for the aerial and its spool in the observer's cockpit. The wireless dynamo, which also provides current for electrically heating clothing, is driven direct from a pulley on the engine, and is mounted on a bracket carried by the left-hand engine bearers.
   The form of this bracket is shown in Fig. 28, which also indicates the manner in which it is adjustable. The bracket consists of a flanged and welded sheet steel construction comprising two plates. The upper extremities of these plates are joined by a transverse bolt on which is hinged a pad against which the foot of the dynamo base is bolted. A similar bolt and pad is furnished at the bottom of the plates, but in this case the bolt is adapted to slide in a guide so that the tension of the belt can be adjusted and the bolt and its pad locked in any position by a thumb screw.
   The dynamo, when fitted, lies outside the wall of the fuselage at a point level with the rear of the engine, and is then covered in with a bulbous streamline fairing. When the dynamo is not (the whole of the wireless apparatus being installed only when actually required) fitted, this streamline fairing, which is readily detachable, has its place taken by a flat panel which can be discerned at the left-hand side of the fuselage in photograph No. B.

Engine Control.
   A throttle lever of the usual ratchet type is fitted at the left-hand side of the pilot's cockpit, the carburettor being fitted with an automatic altitude connection. On the dashboard is a screw-down grease pump, for lubricating the water-pump spindle.
   Ignition is controlled by a self-locking lever. The dashboard is completed with the usual instruments-starting magneto, main switch, petrol pressure gauges, oil-pressure gauges, air pump, and petrol lever indicator. On the right-hand side of the pilot's seat is a lever controlling the clutch of the wireless dynamo drive.

Level Indicator.
   A level indicator of the type shown in Fig. 29 is fitted on the dash board. It is of a type not previously found on German aeroplanes. It consists of a pendulum device, operating a circular disc, the lower half of which is covered by a semicircular metal shield. The upper half of the disc is dark in colour, though not quite so dark as the shield, and below its horizontal diameter the swinging disc is painted white, so that if the machine side-slips a white sector becomes visible against a dark background, as indicated in the sketch. This instrument appears to be very much better made than the usual indicators fitted to German machines.

Gun Mounting.
   A notable feature of the Halberstadt machine is the fitting of the gun ring, which is not incorporated in the fuselage, but is attached to its top surface by streamline steel struts. In front, it is supported by two converging steel tubes in a form of a "V" which branch from the upper fuselage longerons. The gun ring is thus very rigidly supported. Since the greater part of it is directly in the slip stream of the screw, it is made of very fair streamline section, as may be gathered from the photograph No. A, and in general is much lighter and far better constructed than the usual German gun mounting. The accepted type of bracket and locking device is employed. Both portions of the ring are made of wood covered with doped fabric.

Fabric.
   The fabric is of the usual quality found on the better class of German aeroplanes. It is dyed with the familiar polygonal camouflaged scheme of colours, and is applied to the wings with the warp and weft at an angle of 45 deg. to the spars. The reason for this method of wing covering is not clear. The dope used appears to be good. The body work and also the centre section of the top plane are covered with a scumble of colours arranged in indefinite areas and shading into one another. The colours used are a cloudy yellow, dark and light greens, brown, purple and a light blue. The belly of the fuselage is coloured yellow throughout.

Fittings.
   In the floor of the observer's cockpit, is a bracket for a camera of one metre or more focal length. Detachable tubes for supporting the upper end of the camera are furnished, and for this purpose clips are fitted on the fuselage members. A sliding trap door underneath the camera fitting is provided. Plugs at convenient points are arranged for the electrical heating circuit. The observer's seat is of the folding type, and is placed very low, so that when he occupies it, the observer is well below the level of the top of the fuselage, and is thus completely hidden from view. The pilot's seat is adjustable fore and aft, and is carried on light built-up cross bars dropped into sockets bolted to the fuselage members. The form of the sockets is shown in Fig. 31.

Compass.
   The compass, which is of the usual German pattern, presenting no new features, is fitted in a circular box near the root of the left-hand wing, where it is immediately under the view of the pilot.

Schedule of Principal Weights. lbs. ozs.
Total weight 2,532 0
Upper wing, complete with aileron, aileron rod,
   drag bracing, and strut attachments, but
   without lift bracing wires and fabric 62 6
Lower wing, as above (no aileron fitted) 52 8
Aileron complete, without fabric 7 12
Aileron bar, with flange 4 0
Interplane strut, front, without bolts 3 3
   rear 3 14
Centre section, complete, with radiator and
   gravity tank, aileron control crank, and
   bracing wires 101 0
Fixed tail plane (each), with fabric 7 8
Rudder, complete, with fabric 7 8
Elevator, complete, with hinge clips and fabric
   12 0
Fin, complete, with fabric 9 6
V centre section strut 2 7
Straight centre section strut 3 2 1/2
Undercarriage, complete, with struts and bracing,
   wheels, tyres, and shock absorbers 102 0
Shock absorber (multiple coil spring type), each
   4 6
Axle, with shock absorber bobbins and caps
   14 8
Wheel, with tyre 20 4
Tyre and tube 8 12
Wings, leading spar, per foot run 1 4
Wings, trailing spar, per foot run 0 14 1/2

Historical Note.
   The present Halberstadt fighter is a development of the earlier single-seater, an example of which was brought down on October 29th, 1917. [A similar machine was described and illustrated in "FLIGHT" for April 5th, 1917, and August 23rd, 1917 - ED.] In the latter case ash was used to a fairly large extent, both in the fuselage and wings, but in the more modern design spruce is exclusively adopted. The rear spar was of the ordinary I-Section type without three-ply reinforcement. The fuselage, of somewhat similar shape, was fabric covered. Balanced elevators and rudder were fitted, but no fixed tailplane or fin. The arrangement of the centre section, with tank and radiator, was substantially the same. Double bays of interplane struts were adopted, but the struts themselves were of the welded-up tapered pattern. The ailerons were controlled by wires, and not, as in the present example, positively. Both planes had the same chord, and the upper wings had an overhang. The weight of the complete machine, without pilot, was 1,778 lbs.
   Both the Halberstadt machines are at the Enemy Aircraft View Room, Agricultural Hall, Islington, where they may be seen on production of a pass, obtainable from the Controller, Technical Department. Ap. D. (L.), Pen Corner House, Kingsway, W.C.2.