Decorative Columns, Heston Air Park (Skybirds 21A)
| Exhibit |
|---|
Decorative Columns, Heston Air Park (Skybirds 21A) |
 |
| location: |
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Arch Two , Area 16 Aviation (display) |
| Shelf 02
1930s |
A pair of square Decorative Columns in bare cast metal, inspired by the columns at Heston Air Park, produced as part of the Skybirds range, item 21A.
Where the original columns were topped with the Airworks logo of an "A" and "W" superimposed to give a "Winged A", the Skybirds version replaced the original logo with a pointy "Skybirds" logo, making the pillars look a little bit like square-handled tin-openers.
The original columns
Heston Air Park was a little different to most aerodromes in that it was designed primarily for air enthusiasts, and went out of its way to add friendly touches. Where most aerodromes were built with their main building directly alongside a road (giving them high visibility to road users), the land bought to create Heston Air Park was set back from the main road, and was accessible from it via a straight service road (now named "Aerodrome Way"). In order to allow car users to recognise that they had reached the right place, and to understand that this little road was the correct one that they needed to turn down, Airworks flanked the sides of the access road with the pair of pillars with their logo.
The pillars became local landmarks in their own right, and some locals were deeply upset when they were finally removed.
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