Early in 1917,
Idflieg, the German Army Inspectorate of Flying Troops, developed a requirement for a new type of two-seat aircraft, smaller than the existing C-type aircraft. This type, known as CL-type (Light C type) aircraft, was used to equip
Schutzstaffeln (Protection flights) to escort reconnaissance aircraft.
Halberstadt developed an aircraft based on its earlier, unsuccessful
Halberstadt D.IV single-seat fighter to meet this requirement. Originally designated the
Halberstadt C.II, it was redesignated the Halberstadt CL.II when the CL designation was applied. The CL.II was a single-engined
biplane with an all-wooden structure. The fuselage was covered with thin
plywood panelling. It housed the crew of two in a single cockpit, with the observer's 7.92 mm (.312 in)
machine gun being mounted on an elevated gun ring, giving a good field of fire, allowing downward fire at targets on the ground. A tray large enough to hold ten stick grenades was attached to the left side of the fuselage. The aircraft had provisions for a wireless radio. When needed, the radio and antenna could be installed in the observer's cockpit, and a generator, that would also supply current for heated flight suits, could easily be installed. The generator was directly driven by a pulley on the engine and mounted on the left side with a teardrop shaped fairing covering it. With the generator removed, a flat panel would be fitted instead. The CL.II passed its
Typenprüfung (type-test) on 7 May 1917, which resulted in production orders being placed. Halberstadt built 700 CL.IIs by the time production shifted to the improved
CL.IV in mid-1918. A further 200 CL.II aircraft were built in 1918 by the
Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke (BFW). ==Operational history==