In the mid-1950s, the Soviet Union was gradually returning to peaceful life. The country was recovering from the war, the welfare of the population was growing, and with it, new needs emerged. More and more people were thinking about owning their own transport. However, there was a huge niche between a motorcycle with a sidecar and a full-fledged passenger car, which the domestic industry had not yet filled.
In letters sent to factories and newspaper editorial offices, citizens increasingly asked for a simple, compact, and inexpensive car for the family. These appeals became one of the reasons for the emergence of one of the most unusual projects of the Soviet automotive industry – the NAMI-050 "Belka" microcar.
The "Five by Five" Car
One of the initiators of the project was Fyodor Reppikh, deputy chief designer of the Irbit Motorcycle Plant. Having collected numerous appeals from citizens, he turned to NAMI specialists and found support from well-known designers Yuri Dolmatovsky and Vladimir Aryamov.
It was Aryamov who proposed the concept, which became known as "five by five".
The future car had to meet several requirements at once:
- carry five people;
- weigh about 500 kilograms;
- be equipped with a 0.5-liter engine;
- consume no more than 5 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers;
- provide a range of up to 500 kilometers.
It was not possible to fully realize these indicators, but they set the direction for all further work.
For the mid-1950s, the very idea of a five-seater microcar seemed very bold. Most European microcars of that time were essentially motor-carriages with two or three seats.
Against this background, the "Belka" was conceived as a full-fledged family car.
Unusual Layout
The designers chose a rear-engine wagon layout for the car.
The power unit was located in the rear of the body. A two-cylinder opposed engine from the M-72 motorcycle was used as the engine.
Its characteristics were as follows:
- displacement – 0.75 liters;
- power – 23 horsepower;
- air cooling with forced fan.
The gearbox was borrowed from the "Moskvich-401", and all wheels received independent spring suspension.
For a microcar of the mid-1950s, this was a very modern solution.
The braking system used a hydraulic drive, although the mechanisms themselves remained motorcycle-based.
Maximum Space in Minimum Area
One of the main advantages of the NAMI-050 was its body layout.
With a length of less than 3.5 meters and a wheelbase of about two meters, engineers managed to create a surprisingly spacious interior.
Practically the entire internal volume of the car was used to accommodate passengers.
As a result, in terms of space utilization, the "Belka" surpassed not only the production "Moskvich" cars of that time but also many European small cars.
The car's curb weight was about 640 kilograms.
With an engine power of 23 horsepower, the power-to-weight ratio reached approximately 36 horsepower per ton, which was considered a quite decent indicator for a Soviet microcar of the mid-last century.
A Door Like No Other
The most unusual element of the design was the access system to the interior.
Instead of conventional doors, the designers made the entire front part of the body open.
The front panel lifted upwards, after which the driver and passenger could enter the cabin through the opening.
A separate door on the right side was provided for rear passengers.
A similar scheme was already used on some European microcars, in particular on the BMW Isetta. However, Soviet engineers adapted it for a much more spacious body.
The solution also had its drawbacks.
The main problems were:
- difficulty in sealing joints;
- penetration of dust and moisture into the cabin;
- questionable safety in a frontal collision.
Later, an alternative version appeared with a side door and a sliding front seat, but the design became significantly more complex.
Why the Car Was Named "Belka"
The project's name was associated with Irbit, where it was planned to organize the car's production.
This city was traditionally associated with fur fairs, so the image of a squirrel (Belka in Russian) turned out to be a quite logical symbol for the future car.
Some early sketches even featured decorative turn signals made in the shape of a small animal.
The project quickly attracted public attention.
Newspapers and magazines regularly published images of the car, stories about the progress of development, and forecasts for future production.
Some publications featured plans to produce up to 20 thousand cars annually.
For Soviet citizens, the "Belka" gradually turned into a symbol of future mass motorization.
Experiments with Plastic and a Rural Version
Work on the project was not limited to the basic version.
In 1956, artist Eduard Molchanov prepared a simplified rural modification.
It differed in a number of features:
- a canvas tent instead of rigid doors;
- a folding windshield;
- an externally mounted spare wheel;
- simplified seats.
At the same time, experiments with fiberglass were underway.
For the mid-1950s, such materials were considered very promising. Engineers hoped to reduce the car's weight and lower production costs due to plastic body panels.
Subsequently, similar developments found application in other NAMI projects.
Why the "Belka" Didn't Win
It seemed that the car was close to mass production.
However, on January 30, 1957, the Council of Ministers of the USSR decided to create a people's car on a different basis.
When choosing the future model, the country's leadership opted for an already existing foreign design.
The Italian Fiat 600 was chosen as the base.
Based on it, the development of a car began, known first as the "Moskvich-444", and later becoming the ZAZ-965.
The "Belka" had a serious drawback.
The M-72 motorcycle engine:
- did not provide the necessary resource;
- was inferior to full-fledged automotive engines;
- required further refinement.
The creation of a new power unit was delayed, while the body of the future "Zaporozhets" was already practically ready for production.
Interestingly, the first experimental models of the "Moskvich-444" were temporarily equipped with engines taken precisely from the "Belka".
Why the Fiat 600 Was Preferred
For the Soviet leadership, the Italian design looked like a more reliable option.
The Fiat 600 had several important advantages:
- was already in mass production;
- had a proven production technology;
- was equipped with a full-fledged automotive engine;
- did not require lengthy experimental work.
Against the background of the Italian model, the "Belka" remained a promising, but still experimental project.
Given the need for rapid mass production, the choice was obvious.
Legacy of a Failed Project
The NAMI-050 never became a production car.
The built prototypes were distributed to museums and various departmental organizations, and the project itself was officially closed.
Nevertheless, the accumulated experience was not lost.
Developments tested on the "Belka" were later used in other projects:
- the S3A invalid motorcycle carriage;
- experimental models S4A and S5A;
- compact LuAZ SUVs;
- further NAMI experiments with plastic bodies.
Many ideas that seemed too bold in the mid-1950s later found their place in the domestic automotive industry.
The NAMI-050 "Belka" became one of the most interesting pages in the history of the Soviet automotive industry. This small car appeared during a period when the country was just beginning to think about mass motorization of the population.
Its bold layout, spacious interior, unusual body design, and many innovative solutions made the project truly unique.
However, the practicality and production readiness of the Fiat 600 outweighed the experimental approach of Soviet designers. As a result, the future "Zaporozhets" became the USSR's people's car, and the "Belka" remained a vivid reminder of what the country's first mass microcar could have been.