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 was the first in the series of Viper space-superiority fighters employed by the Colonial Fleet, used primarily during the First Cylon War against the Cylons. It proved to be a successful and reliable design, and it served as the foundation for the generations of Vipers that followed, all of which retained many of its core characteristics. Over the course of the war it was gradually phased out in favor of the newer Mark II and Mark III models.
Service history#
The Viper Mark I entered service as the first generation of the Colonial Fleet's signature space-superiority fighter and was relied upon throughout much of the First Cylon War. Its design proved both successful and dependable, and as the war progressed the type was gradually withdrawn in favor of the newer Mark II and Mark III, which carried forward many of its core characteristics.
Legacy and preservation#
While the Battlestar Galactica was being converted into a museum shortly before the outbreak of the Second Cylon War and the exodus from the Cyrannus Star System, at least one Mark I Viper was preserved as a display piece within the ship's First Cylon War exhibit. Unlike the Viper Mark IIs preserved alongside it, which were later recommissioned and returned to active service, this fighter remained on display throughout the exodus from the Twelve Colonies.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Viper Mark I?
- The Viper Mark I was the first in the series of Viper space-superiority fighters employed by the Colonial Fleet. It was used primarily during the First Cylon War against the Cylons.
- Why was the Viper Mark I important to later Vipers?
- The Mark I proved to be a successful and reliable design, and it served as the foundation for the generations of Vipers that followed. All later variants retained many of its core characteristics.
- What happened to the Viper Mark I?
- Over the course of the First Cylon War the Mark I was gradually phased out in favor of the newer Mark II and Mark III models. At least one was later preserved as a museum display piece.
- Was any Viper Mark I preserved on the Battlestar Galactica?
- While Galactica was being converted into a museum shortly before the Second Cylon War, at least one Mark I Viper was preserved as a display piece in the ship's First Cylon War exhibit. Unlike the Mark IIs preserved alongside it, which were later recommissioned for combat, the Mark I remained on display throughout the exodus from the Twelve Colonies.
Sources
- WikiViper Mark I — Battlestar Wiki entry
- WikiViper — Battlestar Wiki entry
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Related entries
Colonial Viper
The Viper was the primary space superiority fighter of the Colonial Fleet, developed on Caprica before the Cylon War and fielded through seven major marks. 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
The Colonial Fleet was the naval arm of the military of the United Colonies of Kobol, founded during the Cylon War to unite the forces of the Twelve Worlds. At its height it numbered some 120 battlestars, yet a single Cylon exploit reduced it to two ships in the opening minutes of the Fall.
Cylon War
The Cylon War, also called the First Cylon War, was a twelve year interstellar conflict between the Cylons and the Twelve Colonies of Kobol. It began when the Cylons rose against their human creators and ended in a sudden Armistice that held for over 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 decades long war, and forty years later returned to annihilate humanity.
Mentioned in2 entries
Colonial Viper
The Viper was the primary space superiority fighter of the Colonial Fleet, developed on Caprica before the Cylon War and fielded through seven major marks. The Mark II and Mark VII bookended its service from the first war to the Fall of the Twelve Colonies.
Raider Type I
The Raider Type I was the first in the series of Raider space superiority fighters fielded by the Cylon fleet. It served against the Colonial Fleet during the First Cylon War.
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