“Orlen” oil station in Bielany Wroclawskie

Highway oil stations of the "Streamline" type were designed by Friedrich Tamms. The building of atypical oil stations was planned at the junctions of state highways of the Third Reich. The name Furstenwalde came from the first realized project in the city of Furstenwalde in the Land of Brandenburg, which was built by Wilhelm Unger's company from Berlin. The objects, designed by Tamms, were to replace the previously built oil stations along state roads in the Third Reich. In an era, when autobahns were to become arteries of communication and proof of technical innovation and technological vision, the architecture of their service facilities also acquired a symbolic meaning. The triangular-plan buildings were built with connected exit and entry roads to the autobahn. The roof had the shape of the letter V. Small rooms provided space for travelers, workers, toilets and shops. The basement served as coal and fuel storage. These oil stations contained a number of innovations, that were not used anywhere else at that time. The first oil station of this type, despite numerous critical comments in the press of the time, was opened by Adolf Hitler himself on September 27, 1937, together with the autobahn. The advantage of these oil stations was, that they did not require a long building time. The oil station in Fürstenwalde operated until 1995. A year later it was included in the list of tourist attractions of the state of Brandenburg and became the last oil station of this type in Germany. After conservation and repair work, it was restored to its original appearance. There are three gas stations of this type in Poland: two on both sides of the A4 autostrada in Bielany Wroclawskie and one in Kolbaskow near Szczecin. Those near Wroclaw are the oldest still operating “highway” oil stations in Poland.

A large, but not very complicated, perfectly designed model of a typical building for modelers of any experience. Beginners can assemble it in a simplified form (without deepening the window and door openings, except for some small details). For experienced modelers there will definitely be room for imagination to run wild here. True, everyone will have to work carefully, meticulously, and patience will also be needed. Very good medium-size textual instructions, graphical ones are also excellent, but not the largest. There are no color and textures reserve in the publication, but they are unlikely to be needed.