Existing comment:
Halberstadt CV.IV:
After the German Halberstadt CL.II fighter proved to be an effective ground attack aircraft in 1917, work began on creating an improved version specifically for that role. The resulting model, the Halberstadt CL.IV, turned out to be one of the best ground attack aircraft of World War I. It performed well in combat as a low-level attack airplane, relying on its excellent maneuverability to avoid ground fire.
After supporting the desperate German offensives of 1918, CL.IVs disrupted Allied advances by striking at troop assembly points. When not on close support of ground attack missions, they engaged in escort work. Toward the end of the war, CL.IV squadrons tried to intercept and destroy Allied bombers returning from mission on bright, moonlit nights, and they flew night sorties against Allied airfields. |