Viper Mark I
the first Colonial space-superiority fighter
The Viper Mark I was the first generation of Viper space-superiority fighter fielded by the Colonial Fleet, serving primarily during the First Cylon War. Its reliable design became the foundation for every later Viper variant.
The Viper Mark I is the name given to the earliest Viper space-superiority fighter of the Colonial Fleet, older than the Mark II and Mark III that flew in the First Cylon War against the Cylons. The series itself only glimpses one, as a museum piece aboard Galactica. The licensed strategy game Battlestar Galactica Deadlock puts it in front-line service, describing a tough, sturdy single-seat fighter that entered service shortly before the war broke out. (Battlestar Galactica miniseries; Battlestar Galactica Deadlock)
Service history#
In Battlestar Galactica Deadlock the Mark I flies for the Colonial Fleet in the First Cylon War, a sturdy single-seat fighter whose reaction control systems and powerful sublight thrusters make it highly manoeuvrable. The television series never shows it in combat: in Blood & Chrome, set during Galactica's own war service, the Mark II is the fighter on the flight deck. (Battlestar Galactica Deadlock; Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome)
Legacy and preservation#
When the Battlestar Galactica was being turned into a museum ahead of its decommissioning, an older Viper stood on display in the ship's Cylon War exhibit, seen in the opening minutes of the miniseries. Unlike the Viper Mark IIs kept aboard, which went back into combat after the Cylon attack, it is never shown flying. (Battlestar Galactica miniseries)
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Viper Mark I?
- The Viper Mark I is the earliest Colonial Viper, older than the Mark II. The series only glimpses one, as a museum display aboard Galactica, while the licensed game Battlestar Galactica Deadlock fields it as a fighter of the First Cylon War.
- Was any Viper Mark I preserved on the Battlestar Galactica?
- Yes. An older Viper stands in Galactica's Cylon War museum at the start of the miniseries. Unlike the Mark IIs aboard, it never returns to service.
- Does the Viper Mark I fly in the TV series?
- No. It never flies on screen; its combat role comes from Battlestar Galactica Deadlock, a licensed strategy game.
Sources
- EpisodeBattlestar Galactica miniseries, Two-part miniseries, Sci Fi Channel (2003)
- GameBattlestar Galactica Deadlock, Black Lab Games, 2017
- FilmBattlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome, Web series and television film (2012)
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
Followed from this entry
Colonial Viper
The Viper was the primary fighter of the Colonial Fleet, a name that went back to colonial air forces before the Cylon War. The Mark II and Mark VII bookended its service from the first war to the Fall of the Twelve Colonies.
Viper Mark II
The Viper Mark II was the second generation of Viper space-superiority fighter used by the Colonial Fleet. Its lack of networked systems left it immune to Cylon hacking, allowing recommissioned museum pieces to fight on after the Fall of the Twelve Colonies.
Viper Mark III
The Viper Mark III was the third generation of the Colonial Viper series of space-superiority fighters, introduced near the end of the First Cylon War as the successor to the Mark II. A single-pilot multi-role strike ship, its design influenced every later Viper up to the advanced Mark VII.
Colonial Fleet: 120 battlestars
The navy of the Twelve Colonies, which fought the Cylon War. One software exploit cut it to two surviving battlestars on the day of the Fall.
Cylon War: the machines revolt
The Cylons rose against the people who built them on Caprica. Twelve years of fighting ended in a sudden Armistice that held for forty years.
Cylon
The Cylons were a race of sentient machines created as military robots by Graystone Industries on Caprica. Built from research into artificial consciousness, they rebelled against their human masters, fought a long war, and forty years later returned to annihilate humanity.
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