Avro Aircraft Ltd.
Avrocar

Designed and constructed in secrecy during the cold-war era of the Avro Arrow, the Avrocar never really "got off the ground" until the US miltary became interested in the 1950's and provided the major funding. It was powered by three J69-T9 turbojet engines that were used as gas generators to drive the tips of a centrally mounted 5-foot diameter fan

The Avrocar was not designed to be an air cushion vehicle but, rather, it was designed to leave ground effect and fly supersonically on a focused jet of air generated from its lift fan.  However, this part did not work out well and it spent its life hovering over field and stream at a cushion height of several feet!

Particulars:

Diameter: 18 ft    Empty Wt: 2,820 lb    Payload: 2000 lb    Max Speed: 225 kts

The Avrocar was built by