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

BFW CL I (TYPE 17) Germany

   In late 1917, the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW) of Munich, which had been organised around the former Otto Werke in the previous year, was awarded a contract to build two prototypes of the Cl I two-seat reconnaissance fighter of original design. At the time, BFW was negotiating a contract to build 100 Halberstadt Cl II reconnaissance fighters and the company’s Cl I was specifically designed to require 20 per cent less manufacturing manhours than the Halberstadt aircraft. The first prototype, known by BFW as the Type 17, was completed in April 1918 with a 160 hp Mercedes D III engine. A single-bay unequal span biplane with an intended armament of one fixed LMG 08/15 machine gun and an LMG 14 on a ring mounting, the Cl I was sent to the Adlershof test centre for Typprufung in July 1918, but the Idflieg reported that it was ‘‘in no way equal” to the Hannover Cl V, requesting that improvements be made and the aircraft resubmitted for further evaluation. Accordingly, a lighter fuselage was fitted and, as the Cl Ia, the aircraft underwent static load testing between 30 August and 14 September 1918. Results were unsatisfactory and BFW agreed to redesign the Cl Ia in accordance with ‘‘new design principles” (see Cl III).

Time to 3,280 ft(1 000 m), 2.0 min, to 13,125 ft (4 000 m), 6.5 min.
Empty weight (Cl Ia), 1,587 lb (720 kg).
Loaded weight (Cl Ia), 2,337 lb (1060 kg).
Span, 34 ft 10 1/8 in (10,62 m).
Length, 25 ft 7 1/2 in (7,81 m).
  


BFW CL II (TYPE 18) Germany

   The second prototype of the Cl I two-seat reconnaissance fighter was completed with a 175 hp MAN (Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nurnberg) Mana III six-cylinder inline engine as the Cl II, or Type 18, in May 1918. In all other respects the Cl II was similar to the Cl I, but no details of its testing are available.

Time to 13,125 ft (4 000 m), 5.0 min.
Dimensions as for Cl I.


BFW CL III Germany

   Redesign of the Cl Ia by BFW in accordance with the ‘‘new design principles” as requested by Idflieg resulted in the Cl III, a single prototype of which was completed at the close of hostilities but was not apparently subjected to Idflieg testing. Adhering closely to the concept of the Cl Ia, the Cl III was powered by a 200 hp Benz Bz IV engine and featured longer-span, more angular wings. A further development, the Cl IV, remained on the BFW drawing boards. No performance data or weights are recorded.

Span, 37 ft 10 1/3 in (11,54 m).
Length, 25 ft 7 1/2 in (7,81 m).

J.Herris Otto, AGO and BFW Aircraft of WWI (A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes 37)

BFW CL.I

   Although BFW was in the business of repairing airplanes and building others, mostly intended as trainers, under license, they did build several original designs. The purpose for this has been lost to time. Were the BFW designs intended to let engineers burn off their creative energy or did they seriously want to create a new design team? BFW had the advantage of building the Halberstadt CL.II to learn from. The CL.I was a small biplane with interesting circular frontal radiator. The interplane struts were I-struts. The sole prototype built in 1916/1917 achieved a speed of 175 km/h.


BFW CL.II

   The BFW CL.II was powered by a 185 hp Mana III engine and flew in July 1918. The aircraft appeared to have essentially the same airframe as the earlier CL.I.
   No documentation remains to say why the BFW company decided to design original aircraft in the first place or why the designs were of the CL type. It makes sense BFW would avoid multi-engine types due to low demand, and for the same reason avoid floatplanes. Fighters were especially competitive, so perhaps C-types, CL-types, and N-types would come up as candidates, and BFW built C-types and the Halberstadt CL.II under license so had some familiarity with them. CL-types required robust, maneuverable aircraft of good performance. In contrast, the BFW CL designs all seemed somewhat delicate with only one interplane strut. Furthermore, the incumbent producers, Hannover and Halberstadt, were already working on their next-generation designs. BFW did not have a realistic chance of success as a new, untried design team building CL-type aircraft in competition with Hannover and Halberstadt who were already building very successful CL-types in quantity.


BFW CL.III

   The BFW CL.III, powered by a 200 hp Benz Bz.IV engine, appeared to use the same basic airframe as the BFW CL.I and CL.II. Like them, it remained a sole prototype. Use of a 200 hp engine normally put an aircraft in the C-class, not CL-class, although references to it call it the CL.III. Certainly its airframe was CL-class.
   During flight testing it proved to be faster than the Albatros D.V. The BFW CL.IV was similar to the CL.III but remained a project.