Gas Turbine M1 Abrams

[Not Ideal]

Apologies if this is a super dense question.

The American M1 Abrams tank is driven by a gas turbine engine - how does this actually drive the tank tracks as surely the turbine must spin at silly rpms..??

And does it need to draw loads of air to run..??

Thanking you.

[TinyCappo]

Planetry gearing to bring down the RPM and then nothing more than a Very strong automatic transmission of some sort.

[J4CKO]

The engine provides power to a six-speed automatic hydrokinetic transmission (that's four forward gears and two reverse gears). The transmission turns sprockets on either side of the tank. The sprockets pull the track along

[VidalBaboon]

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-nrZqzQs3jMC&am...

[VidalBaboon]

Are you talking about the coupling from the Turbine to gearbox?

[Captain Muppet]

Not Ideal said:

rpms

The "r" stands for "revolutions". No need to pluralise the unit.

[Not Ideal]

VidalBaboon said:

Are you talking about the coupling from the Turbine to gearbox?

Exactly this.

[Not Ideal]

@VidalBaboon: Thank you for the link to the book - was just about to order from it Amazon until I saw it is priced at £172!

[VidalBaboon]

Not Ideal said:

VidalBaboon said:

Are you talking about the coupling from the Turbine to gearbox?

Exactly this.

Fluid coupling.

http://what-when-how.com/automobile/fluid-coupling...

[Not Ideal]

Perfect - thank you.