Designed in Germany in the 1950s the Zugvogel (Migratory Bird) is a high-performance glider capable of long duration flights. The fuselage is primarily constructed of steel tube covered with fabric; the nose is fiberglass, while the wings and tail are wood. The Zugvogel IIIB was introduced in 1957 for the newly created open class of gliders. Approximately thirty were built up to 1962.