Disclosed in the present invention is a shaft construction for motor-generators and alternators that provides effective airflow and improved overall cooling without the need for an external fan. The shaft comprises a plurality of circumferentially disposed centrifugal fan blades and longitudinal cooling channels. As the shaft rotates, the centrifugal fan blades pull the air inwardly across the winding end-turns on one end of the stator into the housing and propels the air at high pressure through the cooling channels along the shaft to cool the rotor inner circumferential surfaces, winding end-turns on the other end of the stator and bearings mounting surfaces, and exhausts through the exhaust vents on the ends of the housing. The airflow path provides effective cooling of the stator windings, rotor, shaft and bearings that prevents high temperature gradients, thus resulting in improved motor-generator performance.