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38-457: GM designed and built prototype trucks in the 1950s using the same gas turbine engines as the ones used in its Firebird concept sports cars, including the Turbo Titan I ( GT-304 turbine , also fitted to Firebird II) and II (GT-305, Firebird III). Rival Ford had built a similar turbine-powered Big Red concept truck, first shown at the 1964 New York World's Fair . The dual-turbine GM Bison

76-444: A free-turbine turboshaft design in which the output shaft is not mechanically coupled to the compressor shaft, but to maintain a nearly-constant operating temperature and provide for engine braking , the engine was fitted with a variable clutch that coupled the gasifier (compressor turbine rotor) with the output shaft; this system was developed jointly with Allison Transmission and branded "Power Transfer". Raw exhaust gas temperature

114-543: A "twin dial" steering unit. The GT-309 was derived from earlier GM gas turbine engines developed for the Firebird concept cars of the 1950s. For the GT-309, the turbine and compressor were designed to operate at 35,700 RPM, with reduction gearing used for the upper output shaft, generating 280 hp (210 kW) at a shaft speed of 4,000 RPM. Stall torque was 875 lb⋅ft (1,186 N⋅m) at idle. The GT-309 has

152-497: A comparable Detroit Diesel 8V71 diesel engine (approximately 0.40 lb/hp·h), even though the turbine was 1,500 lb (680 kg) lighter. Other planned improvements would target throttle lag, caused by accelerating the gasifier turbine to peak speed, and lack of engine braking. GT-304 (1956) was the first GM gas turbine to include a regenerator, which used exhaust heat to warm intake air, improving fuel consumption to 0.77 lb/hp·h. As fitted to Firebird II, GT-304 output

190-469: A fiberglass body with seven short wings and tail fins. It is a two-seater powered by a 225 hp (168 kW) Whirlfire GT-305 gas turbine engine, with a two-cylinder 10 hp (7.5 kW) gasoline engine to run all the accessories. Its exterior design features a double-bubble canopy and included cruise control , anti-lock brakes , and air conditioning . It also featured air drag brakes similar to those found on aircraft that emerged from flat panels in

228-547: A regenerator and additional component refinements, GT-305 achieved a brake-specific fuel consumption of 0.55 lb/hp·h. The engine was redesignated GMT-305 in 1959 and further development for regular production was handed off from GM Research to Allison Engine Company . General Motors Air Transport The General Motors Air Transport Section ( GMATS ) was a corporate air service operated by General Motors to provide fast transportation for employees that needed to travel between various GM locations. Originally named

266-555: A total staff of 230. In 1965, Willow Run, Michigan served as the maintenance base for GMATS, with the main passenger facility at Detroit City Airport . Anderson Municipal Airport in Indiana was another major hub for GMATS, as the region had important production facilities and no regularly scheduled flights. In 1999, GM and DaimlerChrysler established a joint venture company, Automotive Air Charter, to use excess capacity of their respective corporate air services to meet demand in

304-420: A vertical tail fin. It has a 370 hp (280 kW) Whirlfire Turbo Power gas turbine engine, which has two speeds, and expels jet exhaust at some 1,250 °F (677 °C). The weight of the car is 2,500 lb (1,134 kg), with a 100-inch wheelbase. At first, Conklin was the only person qualified to drive the car, and he tested it up to 100 mph (160 km/h), but upon shifting into second gear

342-406: Is developed when the output shaft is stalled (not turning), and is approximately double the torque developed at full power output. In addition, the minimum specific fuel consumption , and thus highest efficiency, is achieved at full power. The first engine, carrying an internal designation of GT-300 (1953), did not have a regenerator. The GT-300 had an output of 370 hp (280 kW) when

380-402: Is on the same shaft and is used to drive the rotary compressor, then through the power turbine, which is on the output shaft. The power shaft speed is stepped down through reduction gearing at the output shaft to make it compatible with automotive components. An accessory shaft is driven from the gasifier/compressor shaft for engine ancillaries, including a gear-type lubrication oil pump. For

418-474: The GT-304 and subsequent engines, the rotating drum regenerators are arranged to either side of the turboshafts in the side compartments. Within the compartments, a vertical bulkhead divides the regenerators into low-pressure exhaust (occupying approximately 2 ⁄ 3 of the regenerator) and high-pressure inlet (the remaining 1 ⁄ 3 ) sections. As the exhaust section of the regenerator passes through

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456-750: The NBAA's Block Aircraft Registration Request program. As part of GM's subsequent financial collapse and bailout, the company was forced to close the corporate aviation section. This included laying off the remaining staff, relinquishing the leases on seven jets, and closing the passenger facility at Detroit Municipal Airport. GMATS helped establish the Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management degree at Eastern Michigan University. Former GMATS directors included Eugene (Gene) Zepp (ret. 1978), and Ken Emrick (ca. 1993). Historically, GMATS flew

494-516: The "Air Transport Section of General Motors Corporation", it colloquially became known as the General Motors Air Transport Section. Prior to World War II , General Motors briefly owned Eastern Airlines , but sold it by 1938 to quell any monopoly concerns and smooth the way for wartime production contracts. While the sale of the commercial airline meant GM did not have access to in-house air transportation, there

532-595: The Firebird IV for the 1969 show circuit as the Buick Century Cruiser . Reportedly, the show car was crushed in the 1980s. Specifications The 1956 Motorama movie Key to the Future [1] projected a vision of the future. It shows a nuclear family that are hot and perspiring in a convertible on their way to a day at the beach, but they are stuck in a freeway traffic jam . In a flashforward to

570-407: The Firebird concept cars and other GM concept buses and trucks are free-turbine turboshaft machines with two spools: one compressor/gasifier turboshaft and one power/output turboshaft sharing a common axis without a mechanical coupling between them. Initially, the first engines developed ( GT-300 and 302 ) did not have a regenerator , but adding regeneration to recapture heat from the exhaust gases

608-583: The Turbo-Cruiser II and III, and other bus prototypes including the RTX and later RTS-3T that competed in the Transbus Program . General Motors Firebird The General Motors Firebird comprises a quartet of prototype cars that General Motors (GM) engineered for the 1953, 1956, and 1959 Motorama auto shows. The cars' designers, headed by Harley Earl , took Earl's inspiration from

646-504: The bodywork of the car to slow it from high speeds; an "ultra-sonic" key that signaled the doors to open; an automated guidance system to help avoid accidents; and a "no hold" steering system. The car's steering was controlled by the driver by a joystick positioned between the two seats. Specifications The Firebird IV debuted at the 1964 New York World's Fair , in the General Motors Futurama Exhibit. It

684-530: The cars still make regular appearances at car shows. The tradition of offering prototype vehicles continued with the Pontiac Banshee series. From 1967 to 2002, the Pontiac division of GM marketed its Firebird line of pony cars , which had no direct relation to these series of Firebird concept cars. General Motors researched the feasibility of gas turbine engines in cars as early as the 1940s. It

722-423: The charter business. In November 2008, General Motors Chairman Rick Wagoner (along with Ford and Chrysler CEO's) flew to Washington D.C. to ask for government assistance . All three were heavily criticized for flying on private jets while asking for government funding. In an attempt to hide the flight status of the air fleet GM requested (and was granted) permission to remove GM owned aircraft from tracking under

760-469: The exhaust gases, it picks up waste heat, then rotation brings it into the inlet section, where the heat is transferred to the compressed air. The regenerators turn at approximately 30 RPM. In addition to improving thermodynamic efficiency, the regenerators serve to muffle engine noise and heat, reducing exhaust temperatures. Because the Whirlfire engines are free-turbine machines, maximum torque

798-554: The following equipment: The GMATS logo was painted on various GM location helipads. It can be viewed in a historic satellite view of the GM Technical Center at 42.30436,-83.02413 (image from 2012, as of 2020 the helipad has been painted over), and at the former Rochester Products Division building in Rochester, NY at 43.044055,-77.651925 (image from 2002, as of 2019 the helipad has been painted over). The logo

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836-406: The front, a high bubble canopy top, and a vertical tail fin. Its exterior bodywork is made entirely of titanium . The engine output is 200 hp (150 kW). To solve the exhaust heat problem, the car feeds the exhaust through a regenerative system, allowing the engine to operate nearly 1,000 °F (538 °C) cooler, and also powers the accessories. Capable of using different types of fuel,

874-480: The future, they are cruising at a high-speed in air-conditioned comfort along an automated freeway with no other vehicles (except once a Firebird I) to be seen in a turbine-powered Firebird II. The movie's concept was that General Motors would provide such a future. An example of this type of forecast is the approach in vehicle infrastructure integration using electronic vehicle control and improved highway infrastructure. The Whirlfire gas turbine engines fitted to

912-423: The gasifier (compressor) turbine was spinning at 26,000 RPM and the free (power) turbine was spinning at 13,000 RPM. The weight of the entire engine unit was 775 lb (352 kg). With a second burner, the engine was re-designated GT-302 and fitted to Firebird I (XP-21). Brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) was a notable issue, which at 1.63 lb/hp·h was significantly greater than that of

950-656: The innovations in fighter aircraft design at the time. General Motors never intended the cars for production, but rather to showcase the extremes in technology and design that the company was able to achieve. GM preserved the prototype cars at the GM Heritage Center in Sterling Heights, Michigan . Models of the cars are in the permanent collection of the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn , and

988-678: The logo of the General Motors Air Transport Section (GMATS). By 1953, the research team had developed the Firebird XP-21. This was later referred to as the Firebird I, which was essentially a jet airplane on wheels. It was the first gas turbine-powered car tested in the United States . The design is entirely impractical, with a bubble-topped canopy over a single-seat cockpit, a bullet-shaped fuselage made entirely of fiberglass , short wings, and

1026-607: The most common is Kerosene . The concept car was also the first use by General Motors of disc brakes on all four wheels, along with a fully independent suspension . It also featured a non-operational guidance system intended for use with "the highway of the future," where an electrical wire embedded in the roadway would send signals that would help guide cars and avoid accidents. This car appears in GM's sponsored-film short " Design for Dreaming ". Specifications The Firebird III debuted at Motorama in 1959. The concept car featured

1064-565: The outside of the wheels to facilitate fast cooling—and the wings actually have aircraft-style flaps for slowing from high speed. A miniature version of the Firebird I crowns the Harley J. Earl Trophy , given to the winner of the Daytona 500 . The second concept car, the Firebird II of 1956, was designed as a four-seat, family car. It has a low and wide design with two large air intakes at

1102-479: The tires lost traction under the extreme engine torque and he immediately slowed down for fear of crashing. Racecar driver Mauri Rose later test drove the car at the Indianapolis Speedway . GM never actually intended to test the power or speed potential of the gas turbine, but merely the practical feasibility of its use. The braking system differs from standard drum systems, in that the drums are on

1140-417: Was 1,700 °F (930 °C) at the gasifier inlet, but a regenerator was used to muffle noise and recover heat energy by preheating inlet air, resulting in tailpipe exhaust temperatures of 300 to 500 °F (149 to 260 °C). Compared to a diesel engine of similar output, the GT-309 was more compact and was only 1 ⁄ 3 of the weight. The GT-309 was also fitted to GM New Look bus prototypes, as

1178-456: Was 200 hp (150 kW) at a gasifier turbine speed of 35,000 RPM. The gasifier turbine idled at 15,000 RPM and the power turbine operated at up to 28,000 RPM. Overall compression ratio in the gasifier stage was 3.5:1. The GT-305 (1958) fitted to Firebird III had an output of 225 hp (168 kW) (at turbine speeds of 33,000 RPM gasifier / 27,000 RPM power) and weight of 600–650 lb (270–290 kg). With

Chevrolet Turbo Titan III - Misplaced Pages Continue

1216-640: Was also exhibited at the 1964 World's Fair; under most operating conditions, the Bison would drive on its GT-309 turbine engine, using the auxiliary 700 hp (520 kW) turbine as needed for loads, grades, or acceleration. Reportedly, the Turbo Titan III prototype was destroyed in the late 1960s. The Turbo Titan III was built around the General Motors GT-309 gas turbine engine and featured streamlined Space Age -styling. The cab

1254-457: Was another sleek, aircraft-inspired, turbine-engined "future" design, which GM coded internally as the XP-790. Its designers conceived it for a future in which cars steered automatically via programmed guidance systems, to "ensure absolute safety at more than twice the speed possible on expressways of the day." Though billed as being turbine-powered, the Firebird IV was non-functional. GM repackaged

1292-421: Was built using fiberglass and steel, with prominent air intakes for the GT-309 engine on either side of the front fascia. At the time, the head of design for General Motors was Bill Mitchell . The chassis was a conventional Chevrolet tilt-cab cab-over-engine, first marketed in 1960. Both the headlight units and front turn signals retracted into the body when not in use. The interior featured aircraft-like gauges and

1330-416: Was found to reduce fuel consumption by 1 ⁄ 2 in the second-generation GT-304 fitted to Firebird II, so subsequent generations of GM Whirlfire turbines incorporated a regenerator. The single-stage rotary compressor pushes compressed air out radially into the combustors, where it is mixed with fuel and burned, and the resulting combustion gases are expanded through first the gasifier turbine, which

1368-532: Was key in the creation of the air transport infrastructure within GM. In 1948, GM updated and consolidated the corporate aircraft under the control of Operations-Central Office Aircraft, within the Central Office Manufacturing Staff. By 1952 this was reorganized into the General Motors Air Transport Section. In 1961, GMATS had a total of 36 pilots and 150 maintenance staff, and by 1965 this had grown to 27 pilots, 27 co-pilots and

1406-409: Was not until the early 1950s that the company began building an actual engine, under the direction of Charles L. McCuen, general manager of General Motors Research Laboratories, with Emmett Conklin leading the project. The fanciful top speed of all four concept cars is "200 MPH." As these concept cars were not specifically tied to any one division of GM, the Firebird I, II, and III were adorned with

1444-432: Was still a vital need for quick transportation between GM facilities. During the company's involvement in wartime production between 1940 and 1945 many of the individual divisions acquired military aircraft to aid in production and efficiency at plants widely dispersed across North America. Harold R. “Bill” Boyer of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, a former General Motors vice president and head of GM Cadillac Cleveland Tank Division

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