Hannover CL.III on the Western Front about September 1918 The CL.III (factory designation Typ 3b) was derived from the CL.II; its airframe was lightened and strengthened to improve performance and it was designed to use the water-cooled
Mercedes D.III straight-six engine rather than the
Argus As.III engine even though most D.III engines were reserved for
fighters. In the event most aircraft used the readily available As.III engines. The Argus-engined variant was designated
CL.IIIa. The aircraft had redesigned
ailerons with aerodynamic balances that overhung the wingtips, a modification that provided greater manoeuvrability, especially at the low levels that it was expected to be operating at in its new ground-attack role as the (escort squadrons) were reassigned as (battle squadrons). Like the other Hannover "light-C-class", or "CL" designated aircraft designed by
Hermann Dorner, it included an unusual
tail structure, with two
horizontal stabilizers which allowed a wider
field of fire for the
observer. The CL.IIIb was an experimental aircraft that that was used to evaluate the
NAG C.III engine. After the war, a single CL.III was developed into the
HaWa F.3, a limousine aircraft with seats for two passengers in an enclosed cabin where the gunner's cockpit had been. ==Variants==