12/31/2011. Another design for the armor clad, ground attack requirement was this Zeppelin-Lindau CL.I. First flown on March 3, 1917, the 160 hp Mercedes D III two-seater was the brainchild of a design team headed by Claudius Dornier and used the light alloy construction he was pioneering with his series of giant flying boats. The CL.Is top level speed was 102 mph (164 kmh) at sea level. Only about nine were completed, the serials were C.1820/18 onwards.