Viper Mark II

Viper Mk. II
Race:	Colonial
Type:	Military
FTL:	No
Propulsion:	1x Voram VM2-D15 upper turbo-thrust engine 2x Voram VM3-D22 turbo-thrust engines 2x reverse thrust motors RCS points
Crew:	1 pilot
Capacity:
CO:	{{{co}}}
XO:	{{{xo}}}
Role:	Space superiority fighter/interceptor
Weapons:	{{{weapons}}}
Armaments:	2x 800 rd. Thraxon MEC-A6 30mm Mass Accelerator Cannons (MECS) Dorsal storage bay for 8x HD-70 Lightning Javelin missiles (optional 50 megaton nuclear warhead) Weapon hardpoints for mounting missiles / munitions pods, etc. under the wings
Defenses:	Chaffs Flares
Aircraft:	{{{aircraft}}}
Aviation facilities:	{{{facilities}}}
Fate:	Retired from service, succeeded by Viper Mark III
Emblem:	[[Image:{{{patch}}}|175px|Ship's patch]]
Other Images:	Gallery
Dimensions
Length:	27.6 feet (~8.4m)
Width:	{{{width}}}
Height:	8.9 feet (~2.7m)
Weight:	{{{weight}}}
Wingspan:	15.5 feet (~4.7m)
Other:	{{{otherdi}}}
Game Information
Cost:	{{{construction}}}
Construction Time:	{{{construction}}}
Hull Size:	{{{hull size}}}
Hull:	{{{hull}}}
Mobility
FTL Cooldown:	{{{ftl cooldown}}} turns
Speed:	{{{speed}}} m/s
Turn Rate:	{{{turn rate}}}°/turn
Armor Sum
Armor Total:	{{{armor total}}}
Armor Left:	{{{armor left}}}
Armor Right:	{{{armor right}}}
Armor Front:	{{{armor front}}}
Armor Rear:	{{{armor rear}}}
Armor Top:	{{{armor top}}}
Armor Bottom:	{{{armor bottom}}}
Armament
DRADIS Range:	{{{dradis range}}} m
Processing Power:	{{{processing power}}}
Munition Slots:	{{{munitions}}}
Munition Cooldown Period:	{{{munition cooldown}}} turns
Squadron Slots:	{{{squadrons}}}
Squadron Size:	{{{squadron size}}}
Special Abilities:	{{{special abilities}}}
Additional Information

The Viper Mark II is a single seat fighter aerospace craft used by the Colonial Fleet during the First Cylon War. The fighter served with distinction, proving to be a capable fighting vehicle and winning renown across the Twelve Colonies; the Mark II is regarded as instrumental in ensuring that the Colonials did not lose the original Cylon War . Eventually, the Mark II was succeeded in service by the larger, and more advanced Viper Mark III (Blood & Chrome), in the later years of the War, however, the Mark II was still utilized by the military up to, and for at least two decades following, the Armistice ^{(TRS: "Razor Flashbacks", "Miniseries, Night 1")}. Owing to the iconic status that the Mark II achieved during its operational years, a squadron of 40 planes are chosen for preservation in the battlestar Galactica History Museum. These Vipers are later brought back online to defend Galactica, and later its civilian fleet, following the sudden Cylon attack on the Colonies ^{(TRS: "Miniseries")}.

Overview

Fore, side, top and aft views of the Mark II

The Mark II is a long, sleek vehicle with specialized features for zero-g and atmospheric combat, and reconnaissance.

The fore section comprises the nose back to the cockpit. Located there are the forward RCS systems for maneuvering the craft; the forward landing gear; the main avionics and sensor packages and the single-seat cockpit.

The stern comprises the main engines, numerous RCS maneuvering jets, fuel tanks, wings and vertical stabilizer. The wings themselves contain the kinetic energy weapons, their munitions storage and feeds. Mounting points beneath the wings allow missiles, munitions pods and other items to be rack-mounted ^{(TRS: "The Hand of God")}.

The wing's roots contain the main landing gear, retracted during flight. The Mark II's shape is distinctive because of the offset "intakes" mounted just behind the cockpit. The port / starboard "intakes" incorporate small but powerful reverse thrust engines that can quickly counter a Viper's forward momentum in an emergency ^{(TRS: "The Hand of God")}.

Avionics

Main article: Computers in the Re-imagined Series

Mark II main instrument panel

The Mark II is equipped with a Milso Delta-G Intrepid guidance system. The quad mounted gyroscopic ACRS is hot-linked to the cockpit instrument package and all RCS ports for enhanced performance .

As part of its use in the Cylon War, the Mark II was initially designed to resist Cylon attempts at disabling or damaging its flight controls . Given the number of analog gauges and controls, its likely that the Mark II was intended to be flown entirely without computer assistance in fear of compromise by an electronic attack. Nevertheless, a simple computer to manage the flight systems is present in the cockpit, assisting the pilot's Mark One Eyeball. Some gauges, such as the altimeter, are used only in atmospheric flight.

Armament

Main article: Weapons in the Re-imagined Series

Viper Mark II systems display ^{(TRS: "Miniseries, Night 1")}.

The Mark II is equipped with two 800 rd. Thraxon MEC-A6 30mm Mass Accelerator Cannons (MECS), as its primary weapon. These cannons are capable of firing 20 rounds per second and are augmented with orange tracers, which enable the pilot to see where the rounds are going, and adjust their aim accordingly.

These cannons are supplemented with a storage bay capable of holding up to eight Lightning Javelin missiles capable of carrying conventional or up to 50 megatons of nuclear tipped warheads.

Performance

The Mark II is as "nimble as a jackrabbit," and can rotate 180 degrees vertically in .35 seconds ^{(TRS: "Act of Contrition")}. It accelerates at six to seven G's, or 60 to 70 m/s² ^{(TRS: "The Hand of God")}.

Surviving Mark IIs

Main article: List of Vipers.

Following the decommissioning of the battlestar Galactica 40 years after the Cylon War ended, and its transformation into a museum, a squadron Mark IIs are chosen for preservation and display on the port flight deck. Following the sudden Cylon attacks, these Vipers are brought back to working order and used to defend the ship as it made its way to Ragnar Anchorage to refit. Eventually, these Vipers are used to defend the 50,000 survivors of the attacks as they flee the Colonies into deep space ^{(TRS: "Miniseries")}.

They served with distinction up until the end of the Fleet's journey, however not without losses. The few remaining Mark IIs are eventually destroyed after Galactica is flown into a star following the Colonial's settlement of a new world ^{(TRS: "Daybreak, Part II")}.

Related Imagery

• 
  The rear of a pristine Mk II.
• 
  Viper Mark II with visible battle damage.
• 
  Burning up in an atmosphere (Act of Contrition)
• 
  Viper in atmospheric flight (Razor)
• 
  Destroying a Cylon guard tower
• 
  Viper in perfect condition (Miniseries)
• 
  Viper in launch tube (Miniseries)
• 
  Viper in maintenance
• 
  A pair of Mk. IIs fly CAP
• 
  A squadron of Mk. IIs fly in formation during the Battle for the Tylium Asteroid
• 
  A pilot in a Mk. II Viper stares down an enemy Raider
• 
  A Mk. II fires its main 30mm guns
• 
  A Mk. II flies in the upper atmosphere of a gas giant
• 
  Kara "Starbuck" Thrace operates the Viper Mark II, with the checklists covering the lower display screen ^{(TRS: "Miniseries, Night 2")}.
• 
  A pilot powers up the Mk. IIs instrument panel
• 
  Main display configured for a landing
• 
  Guns armed
• 
  Instruments: radio-magnetic indicator
• 
  Instruments: altimeter
• 
  Instruments: attitude indicator
• 
  Instruments: torque indicator
• 
  Instruments: wireless receiver
• 
  Viper ejection handle ^{(TRS: "Act of Contrition")}.
• 
  Orthographic chart of the Viper Mark II during Kara Thrace's first lecture to nuggets ^{(TRS: "Act of Contrition")}.
• 
  Orthographic chart of the Viper Mark II cockpit controls during Kara Thrace's first lecture to nuggets ^{(TRS: "Act of Contrition")}.
• 
  Canopy detached following a SAR ^{(TRS: "You Can't Go Home Again")}

Original Series definition: Warrior slang for their Viper's high-velocity booster engines, e.g. "hit your turbos"

Re-imagined Series definition: Commanding Officer; e.g. William Adama

Re-imagined Series definition: Executive Officer, e.g. Saul Tigh

Original Series definition: a Cylon outpost ^{(TOS: "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I")}

Re-imagined Series definition: technology enabling travel across distances faster than the speed of light would permit, see: FTL

Re-imagined Series definition: standard deployment of craft on defense posture, an anachronistic colloquialism used to refer to patrols in space

Re-imagined Series definition: Colonial equivalent of radio

Re-imagined Series definition: the act of finding missing persons in the hopes of their rescue, see: SAR ^{(TRS: "Fragged")}

Galactica 1980 definition: Moonstone looks this up after Colonel Jack Sydell mentions that he used to be an Eagle scout; there is subsequent humor over the term as it literally means "a large bird," and does not provide the definition of the Boy Scout level ^{(1980: "The Super Scouts, Part I")}