The Magneplane1, a large‐gap high speed vehicle concept, has an integrated magnetic suspension‐propulsion system. Two aspects of the system study are discussed in this paper: (a) lift and drag force calculations, and (b) magnet design for the scale model. The first task is to derive general force laws and to develop techniques for analyzing general guideway configurations. Both analytical approaches and computer methods of solution have been investigated. These techniques will be discussed. The second task relates to the verification of the theoretical predictions of system performance using a 1/24 scale model. In order to provide an adequate magnetic field for the 12″ gap, five superconducting coils are required in a full scale vehicle. In the 1/24 scale model permanent magnets are used to give magnetic fields for the 1/2″ gap. Both Alnico and Samarium Cobalt magnets are considered. The design of the magnets made use of the computer program MAGNET 2.