Skyway

The Skyway, manufactured by Williams in 1954, is a significant addition to any pinball collection. As one of the earlier examples of the Electro-Mechanical (EM) era, it showcases the innovative design and gameplay features that would become hallmarks of the industry. This machine's unique blend of space-age flair and nostalgic charm makes it an intriguing piece for collectors and enthusiasts.

At its core, Skyway is a travel-themed pinball with a focus on exploration and adventure. The game's layout is characterized by several notable features, including a slingshot, two pop bumpers, and a scoring bumper. Eight rollover lanes on the left side of the playfield feed a kicker alley that shoots the ball back to the top of the playfield, while an upper playfield ball kicker propels the ball onto an elevated wireform track feeding a line of kick-out holes. What sets Skyway apart is its use of a single impulse flipper, a precursor to the modern multi-flipper layouts we see in later pinball machines.

The design and art on the Skyway are equally noteworthy, featuring a stylized travel-themed artwork with depictions of women in stylish attire, as well as space-age elements like rockets and satellites. This machine's theme and artwork are reflective of the post-war optimism and fascination with exploration that defined the 1950s. Skyway was designed by Harry Williams, one of pinball's most influential designers, and its elevated wireform track - an early forerunner of the habitrails found in modern solid-state games - was notably reused by Williams himself decades later on Stern's 1981 'Freefall'.