The CL.V was first tested in July 1918, which led to an initial order from Idflieg for 20 aircraft powered by the Mercedes D.III engine for evaluation.

Further orders followed for CL.Vs powered by the BMW IIIa engine, which gave superior performance and were intended as dedicated two-seat fighters.

[1] In its civil configuration, designated F.6, the aircraft dispensed with the rear cockpit, and used the monoplane tail unit that had been fitted to the CL.V prototype.

One stripped-down example was used to set a world altitude record of 8,340 m (27,335 ft) on 22 October 1919.

[2] In 1923, another 14 CL.Vs were produced for the Norwegian Army Air Service by Kjeller Flyvemaskinsfabrik with the original monoplane tail.