Lilienthal constructed his man-carrying gliders for the purposes of experimentation. Currently, only two of his original craft exist: the "little biplane" and the "normal soaring apparatus." Eleven distinct machines were documented photographically, while plans and Lilienthal's writings describe several more. As Lilienthal did not name each glider he constructed, some of the names were later invented by biographers.
Different drafts and construction drawings exist. Probably a few different-sized constructions were completed and tested. Used for jumps made from a ramp and for attempts made standing in the wind.
First successful man-carrying glider. Distances up to 25 m (Derwitz/Krilow near Potsdam). The wing size was reduced after early experiments. Reconstructed on the basis of descriptions and photographs; a replica exists in OLM and other museums.