In 1936, the company’s activities would diversify with the launch of a small scooter for the civilian market, fitted with the Husky single-cylinder agricultural engine produced in-house. When the US entered the war, military interest in small, economical vehicles grew exponentially, as they could be used for short journeys and delivering messages or packages within bases, freeing up conventional vehicles for other duties.
As a result, the company received an order for 606 motorised three-wheelers and 495 motorised scooters with sidecars, all equipped with the aforementioned single-cylinder Husky, intended for service on bases. Soon after, the company was surprised to receive what would become its largest military order: a contract to mass-produce its Scooter Model 53, which was to be air-dropped and used by parachute troops, and which would be designated the G683 Airborne Infantry Scooter.
This small, very robust and compact motorised cycle, equipped with the inevitable 4.6 hp Husky 16M71 engine, was chosen for being a fast and reliable means of transport—potentially disposable if necessary—that could accompany US parachute troops when dropped into combat zones. Anticipating the opening of the second front in Europe planned for mid-1944, Cushman would produce 4,233 scooters that entered service in March 1944, in time to participate in Operation Overlord. These were supplemented by a further 501 examples built in 1945, totalling 4,734 units delivered to the military. Simple and robust, the Model 53 could tow a small trailer carrying weapons and various equipment, had a range of 160 km—roughly the same as a Sherman battle tank—and could reach 65 km/h on the road.
When used off-road, it was capable of crossing small watercourses and climbing ramps with a 25% gradient, accompanying the parachutists without significant limitations. Its combat debut occurred around D-Day, being dropped over France to accompany the troops of the two famous airborne divisions (the 101st and 82nd) that took part in the initial phases of Operation Overlord. A few dozen Model 53 units were loaned to the British, who used them in the same way to support airborne units.
After the war, the G683 was considered obsolete by the military and the remaining examples that had not been delivered were designated by Cushman as the Model 53A, being painted in cheerful colours and sold on the civilian market, where they achieved some success, mainly due to their very low fuel consumption