In the anniversary year for Moscow Polytechnic, we are beginning to introduce you to interesting facts from the rich history of the university. Today we are talking about famous alumni of Moscow Polytech who made a huge contribution to the development of the Soviet automobile industry.
Fact 1. The first Soviet car
Exactly 100 years ago, on June 23, 1925, Konstantin Sharapov, a graduate of the Moscow Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering named after M.V. Lomonosov (MAMI, then Moscow Polytechnic University) defended his diploma project on the topic of "Small-capacity car for Russian operating and production conditions" and received an "excellent" grade. Two years later, based on Sharapov's diploma project, the first small car in the country, the NAMI-1, was created, which was mass-produced during 1927-1930.
It is the NAMI-1 that is considered the first Soviet car of its own design in history. The cars were built at the Moscow State Automobile Plant No. 4 "Avtomotor". A total of just over 360 of these cars were manufactured.
Fact 2. The First Director of KamAZ
The first general director of KamAZ, Hero of Socialist Labor Lev Vasiliev, graduated from MAMI in 1959 with a degree in mechanical engineering. From 1949, Lev Borisovich worked at the Moscow Plant of Small Cars (Moskvich), and in 1963 he headed it. He worked as the Minister of Mechanical Engineering for Light and Food Industry and Household Appliances of the USSR, and Deputy Chairman of the State Commission of the Council of Ministers of the USSR on Military-Industrial Issues.
In 1968 -1983, he was Deputy Minister of the Automotive Industry of the USSR. At the same time, in 1969 – 1981 he worked as the Director General of the Kamsk Association for the Production of Heavy Trucks (“KamAZ”) – since the beginning of the construction of the auto giant’s facilities and the auto city built nearby – until the commissioning of the second stage of “KamAZ”.
Fact 3. Twice Moscow Polytechnic
Chief Engineer of the ZiL (ZiS) plant, Anatoly Krieger, is a 1931 graduate of the Moscow Automobile and Tractor Institute named after M. V. Lomonosov (MAMI, Moscow Polytechnic). Anatoly Mavrikievich is a laureate of two Stalin Prizes and two USSR State Prizes. He was awarded, among other things, for his work on the production of light tanks during the Great Patriotic War and for the creation of post-war GAZ vehicle models. In 1954, he became the chief designer of ZIS and worked in this position for 28 years. Under his leadership, the ZIL-164, ZIL-157 vehicles, and the second post-war generation ZIL-130 and ZIL-131 trucks were developed. By the way, the ZIL-170 became the prototype of the first KAMAZ. Thus, A. M. Krieger can actually be called the father of KAMAZ.
Anatoly Kriger was not only a graduate of the university, but also a teacher at Moscow Polytech. In addition to working at the plant, Professor headed Department of Automobiles and Engines at the Plant-University at ZIL (later MGIU, now Moscow Polytechnic University).
Fact 4. The First Governmental Limousine
In 1946, the chief designer Andrei Ostrovtsev, a graduate of the Moscow Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering named after M.V. Lomonosov, was awarded the Stalin Prize for the creation of the ZIS-110 automobile. The ZIS-110 became the first government limousine of the highest class. The work was carried out at the request of the country's leaders. American Packards were used as models.
Ostrovtsev also developed an armored version of the car for the head of state — the ZIS-115. Since 1947, Stalin began to use this model as his main official car.
Incidentally, the executive and upper-class cars of the Aurus family, which replaced the executive-class ZILs, were also developed with the active participation of graduates of the Moscow Polytechnic University. For example, the chief designer of the project was MAMI graduate Yuri Chernenko.
Fact 5. The first mass-produced car with front-wheel drive
Georgy Mirzoyev, a 1956 MAMI graduate, held the position of chief designer of AVTOVAZ from 1976 for more than 20 years. Under his direct supervision, such popular Soviet and Russian cars as the Niva, the Pyaterka, the Eight, the Ten, the Oka, and the Chevrolet Niva were created and first rolled off the assembly line, and the Kalina and Priora projects were launched.
On his initiative, a mass-produced front-wheel drive car first appeared in Russia.
Professor Mirzoyev taught for many years and headed one of the oldest departments of the Togliatti State University, the Automobiles and Tractors Department, which provided AVTOVAZ with personnel. This department was created with the participation of MAMI specialists and was closely connected with our university.
