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Akaflieg's involvement in motorized aviation was originally shaped by the idea of earning part of the funds for the glider construction itself through commercial use. For this purpose, an attempt was initially made to build a Rumpler Taube from 1912, but this failed due to the reconstruction of the 100 hp Argus engine. The city of Goslar provided a replacement, which provided a new 70 hp Mercedes engine and could be bought with donations from the city of Braunschweig. However, it was subsequently determined that the cell of the Rumpler pigeon could not be rebuilt either. A large-scale fundraiser raised so much money that the Akafliers were able to buy a brand-new airframe for a Heinkel HE 18. In these they equipped the Mercedes engine. The aircraft thus became the MB 4 and was christened “Braunschweig” in Broitzem in 1924.