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85-672: Initially, the engines were built by GM Research, but starting with the third generation GT-305 , the Allison Engine division took over responsibility for commercializing gas turbine technology. This division, later merged with Detroit Diesel and renamed Detroit Diesel Allison, would produce approximately one hundred of the final design GT-404 engines, which incorporated ceramic components. Cost, driven by exotic turbine alloys and materials, and fuel consumption proved to be insoluble issues compared to conventional piston engines and further development of gas turbine engines at General Motors

170-543: A wood-burning stove in the living quarters. However, the panels were removed in 1986, reportedly for roof maintenance, during the administration of his successor, Ronald Reagan . A speech Carter gave in April 1977 argued the oil crisis was " the moral equivalent of war ". In November 1979, Iranian revolutionaries seized the American Embassy, and Carter imposed an embargo on Iranian oil. In January 1980, he issued

255-599: A "family aircraft". Before work on this design had progressed very far, Fisher sold the company to General Motors, which ended development owing to financial pressures of the Great Depression . Nevertheless, Gilman pressed ahead with the cylinder design, building a "paper project" V-12 engine. The Army was once again uninterested, but instead suggested Allison try selling it to the United States Navy . The Navy agreed to fund development of A and B models to

340-544: A LiftFan nozzle was tested in 1997 at NASA's Lewis facility. By 1997, a complete prototype had been demonstrated by the Rolls-Royce owned but American-controlled Allison Advanced Development Company. In 1965 a drag racer, Jim Lytle, created a car known as Quad Al which incorporated four World War II surplus V-12 Allison aero-engines in a four-wheel drive configuration, and developing approximately 12,000 hp (8,900 kW). Although its engines started, it never ran;

425-483: A boxier look. The turbine engines were installed in Greyhound MC-8 fleet numbers 5991 (engine T6), 5992 (T5, later T8), 5993 (T7), and 5994 (T5, later T9); and MTA RTS-II fleet numbers 3318 (T11), 3319 (T11, later T14), 3320 (T14, later T13), and 3321 (T13, later T15 & T12). Engine T10 was cannibalized for parts before being installed into a bus. Over 170,610 mi (274,570 km) of service with Greyhound,

510-499: A building at what was to become, in later years, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway . Along with the move, Allison hired Norman H. Gillman, a very talented engineer from a competing race team, as his chief engineer. Allison moved to Florida to invest in real estate after World War I, leaving Gillman in charge. Allison did not want the company to wither, so he asked Gillman to build a V-12 marine engine worthy of

595-543: A clutch to extract some of that surplus power. The resulting system, which Allison branded Power Transfer , gave the GT-309 an engine braking effect and improved fuel economy at partial load. As external combustion engines, the GM Whirlfire gas turbines were capable of burning a wide variety of fuels; for example turbine engines burning powdered coal were fitted to a Cadillac Eldorado and Oldsmobile Delta 88 in

680-456: A common horizontal axis. The single-stage rotary compressor draws air at atmospheric conditions through the intake and expels compressed air out radially into the side compartments, where the rotating drum-shaped regenerators preheat the compressed air using heat extracted from the exhaust gases. The compressed air is channeled through the combustors, where it is mixed with fuel and burned, and the resulting combustion gases are expanded through first

765-428: A compression ratio of 3.9:1. Whenever the transmission was in gear, the engine operated at a ready-idle speed of 19,300 RPM (gasifier turboshaft) and was capable of accelerating to 32,130 RPM in 2.7 seconds to combat throttle lag. The single regenerator preheated the compressed air from 400 to 1,100 °F (204 to 593 °C), resulting in exhaust gas temperatures of less than 500 °F (260 °C). Unlike

850-495: A few members of the Organization of Petroleum-Exporting Countries ( OPEC ), which made record profits. Under the new Iranian government, oil exports later resumed but production was inconsistent and at a lower volume, further raising prices. Saudi Arabia and other OPEC nations, under the presidency of Mana Al Otaiba , increased production to offset most of the decline, and by early 1979 the overall loss in worldwide production

935-522: A loyal customer base . A year after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Japanese manufacturers surpassed Detroit's production totals, becoming first in the world. Indeed, the share of Japanese cars in U.S. auto purchases rose from 9 percent in 1976 to 21 percent in 1980. Japanese exports would later displace the automotive market once dominated by lower-tier European manufacturers ( Renault , Fiat , Opel , Peugeot , MG , Triumph , Citroen ). Some would declare bankruptcy (e.g. Triumph, Simca ) or withdraw from

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1020-472: A mixed impact on the United States. Richard Nixon had imposed price controls on domestic oil as a result of the 1973 oil crisis. Since then, gasoline price controls had been repealed, but those on domestic oil remained. The Jimmy Carter administration began a phased deregulation of oil prices on April 5, 1979, when the average price of crude oil was US$ 15.85 per barrel ($ 100/m ). Starting with

1105-642: A race car team. This hobby resulted in Allison building a shop at the track in Speedway where he maintained his fleet of race cars. This shop became the site for Allison Plant #1. Fisher and Allison sold their interest in Prest-O-Lite to Union Carbide for $ 9,000,000. Allison started as an engine and car "hot rodding" company servicing the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis . James Allison

1190-495: A regenerator and additional component refinements, GT-305 achieved a brake-specific fuel consumption of 0.55 lb/hp·h, an improvement of 25% compared to the earlier GT-304 ; similarly, the engine weight of the GT-305 was reduced by 25% compared to the 304 . External dimensions were 37 in (940 mm) long, 27.8 in (710 mm) high, and 26 in (660 mm) wide. Exhaust temperature had been reduced considerably;

1275-428: 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 a regenerator rotates through the exhaust section, it picks up waste heat from the exhaust gases, then as it continues to rotate into the inlet section, the heat is transferred to the compressed air, preheating it before fuel

1360-647: A very limited degree for its airships , until the crash of the USS Macon in 1935, when the Navy's need for a 1,000 hp (750 kW) engine disappeared. The very first V-1710 was purchased by the U.S. Navy as their GV-1710-2, and appears to have had an Allison serial of number 1, suggesting that they restarted numbering for the V-1710. The first V-1710 engine purchased by the USAAC was AAC 33-42, Allison Serial No. 2,

1445-651: A windfall profit tax on oil companies. While the regulated price of domestic oil was kept to $ 6 a barrel, the world market price was $ 30. In 1980, the U.S. government established the Synthetic Fuels Corporation to produce an alternative to imported fossil fuels. When the price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil increased 250 percent between 1978 and 1980, the oil-producing areas of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Colorado, Wyoming, and Alaska began experiencing an economic boom and population inflows. According to one study, individuals who were between

1530-421: Is added in the combustors. In addition to improving thermodynamic efficiency, the regenerators serve to muffle engine noise and heat, reducing exhaust temperatures. The exhaust section operates at a lower pressure than the inlet section, so regenerator sealing is important to minimize loss of high-pressure compressed air. In a conventional piston engine, engine braking can be used to slow a vehicle without use of

1615-683: Is no object". The engine was redesignated GMT-305 in 1959 and further development for regular production was handed off from GM Research to Allison Transmission . As the GMT-305 , it incorporated approximately 30 lb (14 kg) of nickel in alloys, including the turbine blades (GMR-235), turbine wheels (16-25-6), turboshafts ( 4340 ), turbine bolts ( Inconel X), turbine and bulkhead casings (SAE 60347), and combustion chambers ( Hastelloy X). The first GMT-305 prototypes began shipping in November 1959 for fitment to U.S. military vehicles, including

1700-457: Is stepped down to 3,500 RPM through reduction gearing at the output to make it compatible with automotive components. A governor allows the output shaft to turn up to 4,500 RPM. An accessory shaft is driven from the gasifier/compressor shaft for engine ancillaries, including a gear-type lubrication oil pump. Initially, the first engines developed ( GT-300 and 302 ) did not have a regenerator, but adding regeneration to recapture heat from

1785-587: The 578-DX propfan . Unlike the competing General Electric GE-36 UDF , the 578-DX was fairly conventional, having a reduction gearbox between the LP turbine and the propfan blades. Noise considerations, plus a significant reduction in the real cost of aviation fuel, brought the NASA funded program to a halt. In 1995, Allison tested a prototype lift fan for the Joint Strike Fighter Program and

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1870-525: The Allison GT 404-4 turboshaft engine intended for trucks. Allison continued to work with General Motors on development of ceramic- turbine powered engines until the early 1990s. During their work they were able to engineer fairly stable automobile engines that were capable of burning a variety of fuels, such as gasoline, Diesel, kerosene, alcohol, vegetable oil, and coal powder. In the 1980s Allison collaborated with Pratt & Whitney on demonstrating

1955-618: The Allison J35 . The J35 was the primary powerplant for the F-84 Thunderjet and F-89 Scorpion , as well as appearing on numerous prototype designs. The J35 also finished production in 1955, by which point over 14,000 had been delivered. Allison also began development of a series of turboprop engines for the U.S. Navy, starting with the T38 and a "twinned" version as the T40 . The Navy

2040-711: The Carter Doctrine , declaring: "An attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States". Additionally, as part of his administration's efforts at deregulation, Carter proposed removing price controls that had been imposed by the Richard Nixon administration before the 1973 crisis. Carter agreed to remove price controls in phases. They were finally fully dismantled in 1981 under Reagan. Carter also said he would impose

2125-596: The Convair 580 turboprop passenger aircraft which was widely used by local service and regional airlines in the U.S. such as Allegheny Airlines , the original Frontier Airlines , North Central Airlines , as well as major carriers American , Eastern , United , and Pan-Am . Over the years a family of engines based on the T56 configuration was developed, culminating in the T406/ Allison AE1107 turboshaft for

2210-970: The Dodge St. Regis which met the CAFE fuel economy mandates passed in 1978. Detroit's response to the growing popularity of imported compacts like the Toyota Corolla and the Volkswagen Rabbit was the Chevrolet Citation and the Ford Fairmont . Ford replaced the Ford Pinto with the Ford Escort and Chrysler, on the verge of bankruptcy , introduced the Dodge Aries K . GM was having unfavorable market reactions to

2295-441: The GT-305 exhaust was 520 °F (271 °C) at full power, decreasing to 275 °F (135 °C) at idle. Firebird III had a two-cylinder auxiliary power unit for accessories and a special grade retarder to simulate engine braking, which Jan Norbye criticized as resulting from "the refusal of the turbine experts to tackle the problems at the base ... these two systems seem of dubious value except in an application where cost

2380-591: The GT-305 , commercial development of the GT-309 was handled by Detroit Diesel instead. However, Detroit Diesel and Allison were merged in 1970, resulting in the Detroit Diesel Allison Division of General Motors Corporation (DDAD), reuniting road vehicle gas turbine development in GM. The final evolution of the GM gas turbine engine was the GT-404 , which was developed by DDAD and had dropped

2465-492: The GT-309 was fitted to a conventional GMC Astro -95 cabover tractor and the RTX transit bus prototype of 1969. Compared to earlier engines, the turbine inlet temperature was increased again to 1,700 °F (930 °C). The gasifier (compressor) shaft idled at 15,000 RPM and BSFC was 0.45 lb/hp·h. A "power transfer" system was used to harness some of the gasifier turbine to the output shaft; with this engaged, engine braking

2550-569: The M56 Scorpion and a 28-foot personnel boat. The Whirlfire-powered M56 underwent winter conditions testing and accumulated 1,000 mi (1,600 km) of service with little trouble. In addition, the GMT-305 was fitted to an ore-hauling truck at an open-pit nickel mine in Sudbury, Ontario . GT-307 , a proposed successor to GT-305 , was designed in 1960 but never built. Instead, GM moved away from passenger cars with GT-309 (1964), which

2635-821: The Transbus Program also used a GT-404 . In the late 1970s, the U.S. Departments of Energy and Transportation jointly conducted the Gas Turbine Transit Bus Demonstration Program, using the DDA GT-404 gas turbine in both transit buses and highway coaches . 11 GT-404-4 engines were built for this program; this version was rated at a nominal 300 hp (220 kW) output with a turbine inlet temperature of 1,875 °F (1,024 °C); as-shipped, tested engine output varied from 282.8–304.3 hp (210.9–226.9 kW), with BSFC between 0.428 to 0.447 lb/hp·h. Under

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2720-790: The V-22 Osprey , the Allison AE2100 turboprop, used on newer models of the C-130 and the Allison/ Rolls-Royce AE 3007 turbofan which propels many regional airline aircraft, such as the Embraer ERJ 135 , ERJ 140 and ERJ 145 family of regional passenger jets that continue to be widely used in the airline industry. One of Allison's most successful projects is the Model 250 turboshaft/turboprop engine family, which

2805-466: The Whirlfire branding. GT-404 output was 325 hp (242 kW) at gasifier / power turbine speeds of 37,103 / 30,830 RPM, with a stall torque of 595 lb⋅ft (807 N⋅m) and BSFC of 0.475 lb/hp·h. Compared to the preceding GT-309 , the 404 returned to dual side-mounted regenerators, although the 404 used discs rather than drums. The 404 was considerably larger and heavier than

2890-458: The 1979 crisis. On July 15, 1979, President Carter outlined his plans to reduce oil imports and improve energy efficiency in his "Crisis of Confidence" speech (sometimes known as the " malaise " speech). In the speech, Carter encouraged citizens to do what they could to reduce their use of energy. He had already installed water tank heating solar panels on the roof of the White House and

2975-603: The Allison name. Gillman then proceeded to build an engine that relied on what was learned from building and modifying the venerable Liberty engine. Allison's company was sold to Captain Eddie Rickenbacker in 1927 for $ 700,000 after Allison moved to Florida. In 1929, shortly after the death of James Allison, the company was purchased by the Fisher brothers . The Fishers sold the company to General Motors , who owned it for most of its history. The Allison Engine Company

3060-639: The Asian models, which were mass-marketed and had a lower manufacturing cost as opposed to British and West German brands). Moreover, the rising value of the Deutsche mark and British pound resulted in the transition to the rise of Japanese manufacturers as they were able to export their product from Japan at a lower cost, resulting in profitable gains (despite accusations of price dumping ), and were now more widely available in North America and developing

3145-671: The Citation and introduced the Chevrolet Corsica and Chevrolet Beretta in 1987 which sold better. GM also replaced the Chevrolet Monza , introducing the 1982 Chevrolet Cavalier which was better received. Ford experienced a similar market rejection of the Fairmont and introduced the front-wheel-drive Ford Tempo in 1984. Detroit was not well prepared for the sudden rise in fuel prices, and imported brands (primarily

3230-684: The Detroit Diesel Allison plant in Indianapolis to Detroit and Portland, Oregon in 1971, for installation in prototype over-the-road tractors. In addition, it served in the electrical power generator set for the MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile fire unit. The list price of the first versions, at US$ 9,000 (equivalent to $ 50,000 in 2023), reportedly was "barely adequate to cover production costs" and not competitive with conventional diesel engines. Serial production

3315-597: The GMR-235 superalloy. With the regenerators, the engine weight increased to 850 lb (390 kg); each regenerator was 150 lb (68 kg). 7.27:1 reduction gearing made the output shaft speed compatible with conventional automobile accessories. A fluid input coupling was used between the engine and transmission; in addition, larger accessories were powered from the transmission, not the gasifier turboshaft, as it had been discovered that at idle, accessory power draw could exceed available surplus power. The GT-304 also

3400-621: The Gulf of Mexico. By 1986, daily worldwide demand for oil dropped by 5 million barrels but, non-OPEC production rose by an even-larger amount. Consequently, OPEC's market share reduced from 50 percent in 1979 to 29 percent in 1985. At the time, Detroit's "Big Three" automakers ( Ford , Chrysler , GM ) were marketing downsized full-sized automobiles like the Chevrolet Caprice , the Ford LTD Crown Victoria and

3485-543: The Iranian revolution, the price of crude oil rose to $ 39.50 per barrel ($ 248/m ) over the next 12 months (its all-time highest real price until March 3, 2008). Deregulating domestic oil price controls allowed U.S. oil output to rise sharply from the large Prudhoe Bay fields, while oil imports fell sharply. Although not directly related, the near-disaster at Three Mile Island on March 28, 1979, also increased anxiety about energy policy and availability. Due to memories of

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3570-526: The RTS-II buses to accommodate the turbine engines, a fabricator was contracted to custom install them; the GT-404-4 engines were hand-built at a per-unit cost of US$ 250,000 (equivalent to $ 1,170,000 in 2023). Externally, the modified RTS-II turbine buses for MTA required a boxy cover at back of the bus to accommodate the relocated air conditioning condenser, changing the profile from a slanted rear end to

3655-662: The U.S. market, especially in the wake of grey market automobiles or the inability of the vehicle to meet DOT requirements (from emission requirements to automotive lighting). Many imported brands utilized fuel-saving technologies such as fuel injection and multi-valve engines over the common use of carburetors . The overall fuel economy of cars in the United States increased from about 15 miles per US gallon (16 L/100 km; 18 mpg ‑imp ) in 1979 to 18 mpg ‑US (13 L/100 km; 22 mpg ‑imp ) by 1985 and 20 mpg ‑US (12 L/100 km; 24 mpg ‑imp ) by 1990. This

3740-521: The United States in 1979 was only 3.5 percent less than the record set for oil sold the previous year. A telephone poll of 1,600 American adults conducted by the Associated Press and NBC News and released in early May 1979 found that only 37 percent of Americans thought the energy shortages were real, nine percent were not sure, and 54 percent thought the energy shortages were a hoax. Many politicians proposed gas rationing . One such proponent

3825-593: The XV-1710-1, while Serial Nos. 3, 4, 5 were V-1710-4 engines for U.S. Navy airships, followed by a batch of 11 Air Corps engines purchased with FY-1934 funds (34-4 through 34-14) that covered Allison serials 6 through 16. After these the production race was on, totaling over 70,000 V-1710s. By this time the Army had become more interested in the design, and asked Allison to continue with a new "C" model. They had few funds of their own to invest, and Allison supported much of

3910-641: The ages of 15 and 18 during the 1979 oil crisis were substantially less likely to use cars once they were in their mid-30s. In response to the high oil prices of the 1970s, industrial nations took steps to reduce their dependence on the Organization of Petroleum-Exporting Countries (OPEC) oil. Electric utilities worldwide switched from oil to coal, natural gas, or nuclear power. National governments initiated multibillion-dollar research programs to develop alternatives to oil and commercial exploration developed major non-OPEC oilfields in Siberia, Alaska, North Sea, and

3995-555: The creator could not afford the custom gearboxes and clutches required to handle the enormous torque generated by the engines. The car survives, without its engines, in Indiana , USA. In 1992 General Motors tried to sell Allison to concentrate on rebuilding automobile market share. Rolls-Royce attempted to buy the company in 1993, but General Motors opted for a management buyout instead for $ 370 million. In 1995 US authorities approved, with restrictions on Joint Strike Fighter Program ,

4080-593: The demonstration program, four GT-404 -powered RTS-II (T8H-603) transit buses and four MCI MC-8 Americruiser coaches were placed into revenue service for the MTA (in Baltimore, Maryland ) and Greyhound Lines , respectively. The MTA terminated its test in July 1981 after three months in revenue service; by the time the study concluded in 1983, it had been placed under the auspices of NASA . Because GM declined to convert

4165-469: The development out of their own pocket. The V-1710-C first flew on 14 December 1936 in the Consolidated A-11 A testbed. The V-1710-C6 completed the Army 150 hour Type Test on 23 April 1937, at 1,000 hp (750 kW), the first engine of any type to do so. By then all of the other Army engine projects had been cancelled or withdrawn, leaving the V-1710 as the only modern design available. It

4250-411: The early 1980s as a response to the 1979 oil crisis . Other potential sources of fuel included methanol , ethanol , liquefied coal , and shale oil . 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 the gasifier (compressor) turbine was spinning at 26,000 RPM and the free (power) turbine

4335-569: The end of the war, Allison found itself with a large production infrastructure that was no longer needed. For this reason, in 1947, the Army decided to take General Electric 's versions of Frank Whittle 's jet engines and give them to Allison to produce instead. The main production model was GE's 4,000 lbf (18 kN) I-40, produced as the Allison J33 . By the time production ended in 1955, Allison had produced over 7,000 J33s. Allison also took over GE's axial flow engine design, becoming

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4420-459: The exhaust gases was found to reduce fuel consumption by 1 ⁄ 2 for the second-generation GT-304 , so subsequent generations of GM Whirlfire gas turbine engines incorporated a regenerator. For the GT/GMT-305 , two drum regenerators are arranged to either side of the turboshafts in large compartments; the regenerators turn at approximately 30 RPM. Within each side compartment,

4505-567: The four MC-8 buses averaged 4.26 mpg ‑US (55.2 L/100 km), less efficient than diesel piston-engined peer coaches, which achieved 5.66 mpg ‑US (41.6 L/100 km) on average. Similarly, over 19,660 mi (31,640 km) of revenue service with MTA, the four RTS-II buses averaged 2.7 mpg ‑US (87 L/100 km), consuming more than peer transit buses, which averaged 4.3 mpg ‑US (55 L/100 km) on similar routes. Allison Engine Company The Allison Engine Company

4590-433: The friction brakes; because the power turbine is not mechanically connected to the compressor in a free-turbine turboshaft engine, a similar effect cannot be accomplished. During the development of the Whirlfire engines, GM found the gasifier turbine could generate more power than was required to operate the compressor, so for the fifth-generation GT-309 (1964), GM and Allison coupled the gasifier and power turboshafts using

4675-415: The gasifier turbine, which is on the same shaft and is used to drive the rotary compressor, then through the power turbine, which is on the output shaft. At the gasifier turbine inlet, the design temperature is 1,650 °F (900 °C). For the GMT-305 , the rotary speed of the gasifier/compressor shaft is 33,000 RPM, while the power shaft turns at 24,000 RPM at full power; the power shaft speed

4760-484: The gasifier turboshaft through a perpendicular bevel gear arrangement; a conventional automotive starting motor is used to crank the accessory drive shaft (and gasifier turboshaft). A new nickel-base alloy, designated GMR-235, was developed and patented for the turbine blades in the Whirlfire engine. Externally, the Turbo-Cruiser was distinguished from piston-powered buses by "turbocruiser" script lettering on

4845-534: The government fixed short-term disruptions and by end of November the output came back to almost normal level. On January 16, 1979, the Shah of Iran , Mohammad Reza Pahlavi , and his wife, Farah Pahlavi , left Iran at the behest of Prime Minister Shapour Bakhtiar , who sought to calm the situation. After the departure of the Shah, Ayatollah Khomeini became the new leader of Iran . The rise in oil prices benefited

4930-479: The largest oil producer in the world, and oil from the North Sea and Alaska flooded the market. In November 1978, a strike consisting of 37,000 workers at Iran's nationalized oil refineries reduced production from 6 million barrels (950,000 m ) per day to about 1.5 million barrels (240,000 m ). Foreign workers left the country. However, by bringing navy personnel into crude oil production operations,

5015-411: The machine. The turbine buckets were bent, but in no instance did they fail even after subsequent running of damaged parts." The bus accumulated 9,000 mi (14,000 km) in testing. Brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) was a notable issue, which at 1.63 lb/hp·h was significantly greater than that of a comparable Detroit Diesel 8V71 diesel engine (approximately 0.40 lb/hp·h), even though

5100-443: The oil shortage in 1973 , motorists soon began panic buying, and long lines appeared at gas stations, as they had six years earlier. The average vehicle of the time consumed between two and three liters (about 0.5–0.8 gallons) of gasoline an hour while idling, and it was estimated that Americans wasted up to 150,000 barrels (24,000 m ) of oil per day idling their engines in the lines at gas stations . The amount of oil sold in

5185-699: The onset of the Iran–Iraq War , oil production in Iran fell drastically. Iraq's oil production also dropped significantly, triggering economic recessions worldwide. Oil prices did not return to pre-crisis levels until the mid-1980s. Oil prices after 1980 began a steady decline over the next 20 years , except for a brief uptick during the Gulf War , which then reached a 60% fall-off in the 1990s. Mexico , Nigeria , and Venezuela 's major oil exporters expanded their production during this time. The Soviet Union became

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5270-401: The preceding 309 , at 47 in × 28 in × 39 in (1,190 mm × 710 mm × 990 mm) (W×L×H) and 1,700 lb (770 kg). A special version of the Allison Transmission HT-740 heavy-duty automatic transmission was planned to be mated with the GT-404 , which omitted the torque converter and saved some space. The first GT-404 engines were shipped from

5355-405: The purchase of Allison by Rolls-Royce. The price was $ 525 million. In the year 2000, some of these restrictions were alleviated, and in 2001 the US government chose the F-35 with Rolls-Royce LiftFan and Pratt & Whitney F135 engines. Allison was also a partner with General Electric and Rolls-Royce on the F136 Fighter Engine Team. 1979 oil crisis A drop in oil production in

5440-403: The sides, blanked-out rear windows, and a large central exhaust stack at the roof. The rearmost seats were replaced by "a complete mobile laboratory with a large [rear-facing] instrumentation panel" for two engineers. Operating experience with the Turbo-Cruiser showed the engine's mechanical durability; according to W.A. Turunen, "on several occasions, pieces of instrumentation have passed through

5525-411: The turbine was 1,500 lb (680 kg) lighter. Other planned improvements would target throttle lag, which was 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

5610-419: The wake of the Iranian revolution led to an energy crisis in 1979. Although the global oil supply only decreased by approximately four percent, the oil markets' reaction raised the price of crude oil drastically over the next 12 months, more than doubling it to $ 39.50 per barrel ($ 248/m ). The sudden increase in price was connected with fuel shortages similar to the 1973 oil crisis . In 1980, following

5695-431: Was Harry Hughes , Governor of Maryland , who proposed odd-even rationing (only people with an odd-numbered license plate could purchase gas on an odd-numbered day), as was used during the 1973 Oil Crisis . Several states implemented odd-even gas rationing, including California , Pennsylvania , New York , New Jersey , Oregon , and Texas . Coupons for gasoline rationing were printed but were never actually used during

5780-401: 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. Turbine inlet temperature was increased to 1,650 °F (900 °C) from 1,500 °F (820 °C); after GM Research re-rated the temperature resistance of

5865-444: Was a patented steel-backed lead bearing, which was used in various high performance engines. It also built various drive shafts, extensions and gear chains for high power engines, on demand. Later its main business was the conversion of older Liberty engines to more powerful models, both for aircraft and marine use. Allison needed a place where his race car engines could be modified and repaired. On January 1, 1917 Allison moved into

5950-477: Was acquired in 1995 by Rolls-Royce plc , and became the Rolls-Royce Corporation subsidiary. In the late 1920s the United States Army funded the development of a series of high-power engines, as part of its hyper engine series, which it intended to produce on Continental Motors ' production lines. Allison's manager, Norman Gilman, decided to experiment with his own high-power cylinder design. Allison's engine became Manufacturer Serial No. 1, AAC S/N 25-521. It

6035-421: Was an American aircraft engine manufacturer. Shortly after the death of James Allison in 1929 the company was purchased by the Fisher brothers . Fisher sold the company to General Motors , which owned it for most of its history. It was acquired by Rolls-Royce plc in 1995 to become the US subsidiary , Rolls-Royce North America . A predecessor of Allison Engine Company, the Concentrated Acetylene Company ,

6120-417: Was available at an effectiveness of two to three times the equivalent effect as using a piston engine. The engine used a single rotating drum regenerator, moved to the top of the engine with a single combustor. With this reconfiguration, GT-309 measured 36 in (910 mm) long, 30 in (760 mm) wide, and 35.5 in (900 mm) high, consuming air at a rate of 4 lb/s (110 kg/min) with

6205-519: Was designed for heavy-duty applications, as demonstrated by its use in the Chevrolet Turbo Titan III truck and Turbo-Cruiser II/III buses; for this updated engine, the gasifier turbine and compressor were designed to operate at 35,700 RPM, generating 280 hp (210 kW) at a power shaft speed of 35,000 RPM (with reduction gearing, 4,000 RPM). Stall torque was 875 lb⋅ft (1,186 N⋅m) at idle. In addition,

6290-421: Was discontinued in the early 1980s. Because the Whirlfire engines are free-turbine machines, maximum torque is developed when the output shaft is stalled (not turning), and is approximately double the torque developed at full power output. In addition, the lowest fuel consumption is achieved at full power. In the third-generation GT/GMT-305 , the air intake is arranged axially with the turboshafts, which share

6375-640: Was fitted to the first Turbo-Titan , a heavy-duty Chevrolet Model 10413 truck-tractor with tandem rear axles; Turbo-Titan was tested with various loads, demonstrating superior acceleration and gradeability compared to the Loadmaster V-8 engine that was removed, a 322 cu in (5.3 L) overhead valve V-8 with 195 hp (145 kW) output. 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

6460-652: Was founded in September 1904 by James Allison, Percy C. "Fred" Avery and Carl G. Fisher . Avery was the holder of the patent for the product. This company was the predecessor of the Prest-O-Lite Company , a manufacturer of acetylene headlights. An explosion at the acetylene gas works in downtown Indianapolis caused the company to relocate out of town, near the race track in Speedway, Indiana . Allison and Fisher raced automobiles at that track, each owning

6545-580: Was interested only in the T40, but the complexities of the drive shaft arrangement doomed the engine and the project was eventually cancelled. Allison tried again with the T56 , basically an enlarged T38 with the power of the T40, and was eventually rewarded when this engine was selected to power the C-130 Hercules . Allison turboprop engines were also used to re-engine Convair prop airliners which resulted in

6630-595: Was invested in equipping the V-1710 with a complex two-stage supercharger, and when placed in aircraft designs like the P-39 or P-40, which lacked the room for a turbocharger, the engine suffered tremendously at higher altitudes. It was for this reason in particular that the V-1710 was later removed from the P-51 Mustang and replaced with the Rolls-Royce Merlin . With the need for the V-1710 winding down at

6715-485: Was roughly four percent. The war between Iran and Iraq in 1980 caused a further 7 percent drop in worldwide production and OPEC production was surpassed by other exporters such as the United States as its member nations were divided amongst themselves. Saudi Arabia, a " swing producer ", tried to gain back the market share after 1985, increasing production and causing downward pressure on prices, making high-cost oil production facilities less profitable. The oil crisis had

6800-569: Was scheduled to begin in 1972, and GT-505 and 606 variants were planned to follow in 1973, with increased outputs of 400–450 hp (300–340 kW) ( 505 ) and 550 hp (410 kW) ( 606 ). Limited field experience with the 404 was obtained between 1974 and 1977, including use in MC-7 Super 7 Turbocruiser buses for Greyhound. Later versions of the 404 used advanced materials, including aluminum silicate ceramic disc regenerators. The GM RTS-3T candidate prototype (1972) tested under

6885-485: Was soon found as the primary power plant of the new generation of United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) fighters, the P-38 Lightning , P-39 Airacobra and P-40 Warhawk . The Army had been leaning heavily towards exhaust-driven turbochargers , instead of the more common mechanically driven superchargers , favoring the theoretical advantage of using the otherwise wasted energy in the exhaust. Thus, little effort

6970-546: Was spinning at 13,000 RPM. The weight of the entire engine unit was 775 lb (352 kg). The GT-300 was fitted to an "Old Look" transit bus, which was branded "Turbo-Cruiser" . To reduce overall size, the single large burner was replaced by two smaller burners and the engine was re-designated GT-302 , which was fitted to Firebird I (XP-21). The GT-300 was designed with a 3.5:1 compression ratio and nominal design turboshaft speeds of 24,000 RPM (gasifier) and 12,000 RPM (power). Engine accessories are driven by

7055-597: Was started by the company in the early 1960s, when helicopters started to be powered by turbine, rather than reciprocating, engines. Allison turbine engines were used to power Bell 206 Jet Ranger and Long Ranger helicopters as well as the initial version of the Sikorsky S-76 helicopter. In the mid-1970s the Allison Division of General Motors Corporation in Detroit designed ceramic components into

7140-675: Was the X-4520, a 24-cylinder air-cooled 4-bank “X” configured engine designed by the Army Air Corps and built by the Allison Engineering Company in 1925. The result was presented to the Army in 1928, which turned down the development proposal. In 1929, shortly after the death of James Allison, the company was purchased by the Fisher brothers, who instructed it to use the cylinder design for a six-cylinder engine for

7225-769: Was the owner of the Indianapolis Speedway Team Company , a race car business in Indianapolis, Indiana. While it was founded as the Indianapolis Speedway Team Company, its name changed numerous times, first to the Allison Speedway Team Company, then the Allison Experimental Company and last as the Allison Engineering Company before becoming a division of General Motors . The company's only regular production item

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