Metropolitan-Vickers: Gatric

1947 G.1 marine gas turbine and gearbox from MGB 2009, on display in the Science Museum in 2010

NB This is a subsection of Metropolitan-Vickers: Gas Turbines

1943 Metropolitan-Vickers received an order from the Royal Navy for a gas turbine propulsion plant to replace one of the three Packard petrol engines in Motor Gun Boat M.G.B. 2009. The petrol engines would provide (relatively) economical propulsion for cruising, while the gas turbine would provide a considerable boost in power on the limited occasions when high speed was needed.

1947 The Metrovick G.1 or Gatric engine was commissioned. It made use of a 'third batch' F2/3 engine as the gas generator, driving a new four-stage power turbine. Its output was transmitted through a gearbox and free-wheeling device to drive the propeller.

Trials in MGB2009 showed that the engine did not collect unusual levels of deposit, even operating at sea level, that it was easier to maintain than the internal combustion engines alongside, and that it handled satisfactorily in the craft. Orders were subsequently received for further Naval designs.

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