Hannover CL.III

CL.III
	A German Hannover CL.III shot down by American machine gunners in the First World War.
Role	Ground attack aircraft
National origin	Germany
Manufacturer	Hannoversche Waggonfabrik
Designer	Hermann Dorner
First flight	Template:Avyear
Number built	617
Variants	Hannover CL.II

The Hannover CL.III was a German military aircraft of World War I. It was a two-seat multi-role aircraft, primarily used as a ground attack machine. Like the other Hannover "light-C-class", or "CL" designated aircraft designed by Hermann Dorner, it included an unusual biplane tail, allowing for a greater firing arc for the tail gunner. Until the introduction of the aircraft, such tails had only been used on larger aircraft.

Design

Compared to the preceding CL.II, the CL.III had redesigned ailerons with aerodynamic balances that overhung the wingtips, a modification that provided greater manoeuvrability, especially at the low levels that the CL.III was expected to be operating at in its new ground-attack role as the Schutzstaffeln (escort squadrons) were re-assigned as Schlachtstaffeln (battle squadrons). It was also intended that it should use the excellent Mercedes D.III engine, but the Idflieg gave priority for these engines to fighter production, and most CL.IIIs were produced with the same Argus engine that the CL.II had used. The Argus engined variant was designated CL.IIIa.

Variants

Hannover CL.III: Powered by a 119-kW (160-hp) Mercedes D.III engine.
Hannover CL.IIIa: CL III powered by a 134-kW (180-hp) Argus As.III engine
Hannover CL.IIIb: Experimental model of the CL.III, with a two-bay wing.

Operators

German Empire

Luftstreitkräfte

Latvia

Latvian Air Force - Postwar.

Specifications (CL.IIIa)

Data from Windsock Datafile No.23^[1] & German Aircraft of the First World War^[2]

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 7.58 m (24 ft 10 in)
Wingspan: 11.7 m (38 ft 5 in)
Height: 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in)
Wing area: 32.7 m² (352 sq ft)
Empty weight: 717 kg (1,581 lb)
Gross weight: 1,081 kg (2,383 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Argus As III 6-cyl. water-cooled in-line Piston engine, 130 kW (180 hp) (CL.IIIa)

or 1x 119.3 kW (160 hp) Mercedes D.III (CL.III)

Performance

Maximum speed: 165 km/h (103 mph, 89 kn) at 5,000 m (16,404 ft)
Endurance: 3 hours
Service ceiling: 7,500 m (24,600 ft)
Rate of climb: 3.145 m/s (619.1 ft/min)
Time to altitude: 1,000 m (3,281 ft) in 5 minutes 18 seconds

Armament

Guns: 3 × 7.92 mm (0.323 in) LMG 08/15 machineguns (two ring-mounted in observer's cockpit, one fixed forward)

References

^ Grosz, Peter M, Windsock Datafile No.23-Hannover Cl.III, Albatros Publications, 1990. ISBN 0-948414-27-8
^ Gray, Peter; Owen Thetford (1970). German Aircraft of the First World War (2nd ed.). London: Putnam & Company Ltd. pp. 150–153. ISBN 0-370-00103-6.

Bibliography

Gray, Peter; Owen Thetford (1970). German Aircraft of the First World War (2nd ed.). London: Putnam & Company Ltd. pp. 150–153. ISBN 0-370-00103-6.
Grosz, Peter M, Windsock Datafile No.23-Hannover Cl.III, Albatros Publications, 1990. ISBN 0-948414-27-8

[1] Grosz, Peter M, Windsock Datafile No.23-Hannover Cl.III, Albatros Publications, 1990. ISBN 0-948414-27-8

[Gray-2] Gray, Peter; Owen Thetford (1970). German Aircraft of the First World War (2nd ed.). London: Putnam & Company Ltd. pp. 150–153. ISBN 0-370-00103-6.

[1]

[2]

v t e World War I aircraft of the Central Powers
Fighters	AEG D.I AEG Dr.I Albatros D.I Albatros D.II Albatros D.III Albatros D.V Aviatik D.I Aviatik C.VI Daimler L.6 Euler D.I Euler D.II Fokker D.I Fokker D.II Fokker D.III Fokker D.IV Fokker D.V Fokker D.VI Fokker D.VII Fokker D.VIII Fokker Dr.I Fokker E.I Fokker E.II Fokker E.III Fokker E.IV Fokker E.V Halberstadt D.II Hannover CL.II Hannover CL.III Hannover CL.IV Hannover CL.V Hansa-Brandenburg W.12 Hansa-Brandenburg W.29 Junkers D.I Kondor D.6 Kondor E.III Naglo D.II Pfalz D.III Pfalz D.XII Pfalz Dr.I Pfalz E.I Pfalz E.II Phönix D.I LFG Roland D.II LFG Roland D.VI Siemens-Schuckert D.I Siemens-Schuckert D.II Siemens-Schuckert D.III Siemens-Schuckert D.IV Zeppelin-Lindau D.I
Bombers and ground attack	AEG DJ.I AEG G.I AEG G.II AEG G.III AEG G.IV AEG G.V AEG J.I AEG J.II AEG R.I Friedrichshafen G.II Friedrichshafen G.III Gotha G.I Gotha G.II Gotha G.III Gotha G.IV Gotha G.V Gotha GL.VII Gotha G.IX Hannover CL.II Junkers CL.I Junkers J.I Rumpler G.I Rumpler G.II Rumpler G.III Siemens-Schuckert L.I Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.II Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.III Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.IV Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI
Reconnaissance	AEG B.I AEG B.II AEG B.III AEG C.I AEG C.II AEG C.III AEG C.IV AEG C.V AEG C.VI AEG C.VII AEG C.VIII AGO C.I AGO C.II AGO C.III AGO C.IV AGO C.VII AGO C.VIII Albatros B.I Albatros B.II Albatros C.I Albatros C.III Albatros C.V Albatros C.VII Albatros C.IX Albatros C.X Albatros C.XII Aviatik B.I Aviatik B.II Aviatik C.I Aviatik C.VI DFW C.V LFG Roland C.II LVG B.I LVG C.II Rumpler C.I Rumpler C.IV Rumpler Taube
Trainers	Euler D.I
Prototypes	Albatros C.II Fokker V.1 Fokker V.2 Junkers J 1 Junkers J 2 Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.I