GEM, Model 2500 Air Car
In November 1959, The Curtiss-Wright Corporation developed the Model 2500 Air Car with the hope that a hovercraft would be accepted as an alternative to the traditional family car. In order to appeal to the public, the car was given features such as dual headlights, tail lights, turn indicators, bumpers, and a convertible top. The hovercraft concept never caught on for general use, but the possibilities of the Model 2500 were not lost on the Army. In the early 1960s, the Transportation Research Command purchased two Curtiss-Wright Model 2500 Air Cars. The engineering and operational evaluation was part of an ongoing investigation into the potential military usage of air-cushioned vehicles. The Model 2500 was given the new acronym GEM for "Ground Effects Machine".
The GEM was a 360 hp, 3 passenger vehicle which traveled at speeds of 20 to 38 mph at heights of 10 to 12 inches in the air. It was expected to be able to travel over any unobstructed surface, including water. The power plant consisted of two 180 hp engines, reduction gears, and two fans mounted inside plenum chambers. Each chamber created a 10 to 15 inch air cushion which the car rode on. Directional control was achieved through vented ducts on the sides and rear of the vehicle. Although testing shoed that the car was capable of moving over water and flat ground,
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This Curtis-Wright GEM was one of two purchased by the US Army and tested at Fort Eustis.
Erected by US Army Transportation Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Military • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical month for this entry is November 1959.
Location. 37° 9.842′ N, 76° 34.591′ W. Marker is in Newport News, Virginia. It is in Fort Eustis. Marker can be reached from Washington Boulevard just north of Jefferson Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 321 Washington Blvd, Fort Eustis VA 23604, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. H-25A Mule (here, next to this marker); U-6A Beaver (here, next to this marker); Airgeep II VZ-8P (B) (here, next to this marker); Doak 16 VZ-4DA (a few steps from this marker); CH-37 Mojave (a few steps from this marker); UH-1H Iroquois (a few steps from this marker); U-1A Otter (a few steps from this marker); CH-54 Tarhe (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Newport News.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 28, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 246 times since then and 88 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 28, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
