Cushman Scooter Model 32

History

This Cushman Motor Scooter was made for WW2 Airborne troops. The rugged, simple Model 32 was designed to travel through a foot of water, climb a 25 percent grade and had a range of about 100 miles.

Cushman Motor Works transitioned from making engines for industrial and farm use to producing scooters around 1936. During WWII, the company manufactured three models of Cushman scooters: the Model 32, a Model 39 three-wheeler, and a Model 53 airborne scooter designed to be parachuted out of aircraft. The US armed forces ordered 495 units of the Model 32 military scooters with sidecars. These scooters were equipped with 7-inch, 8-inch, or 9-inch tires, minimal lighting, and brackets to conserve materials. The Model 32 boasted impressive fuel efficiency, being able to travel over 75 miles on just one gallon of gas. Towards the end of the war in Europe, Allied paratroopers utilized scooters like the Model 32 to enhance unit connectivity, increase mobility, and transport small loads. models of Cushman scooters: the model 32 as shown, a model 39 three-wheeler and a model 53 airborne that was parachuted out of aircraft. 495 of the Model 32 military scooters with sidecars were ordered by the US armed forces in WWII.