Hangar deck

Staff and crew of the battlestar Galactica (BS 75) gather on the hangar deck to celebrate the completion of the Blackbird ^{(TRS: "Flight of the Phoenix")}.

The hangar deck is where auxiliary craft, such as Vipers, Raptors, atmospheric shuttles, and even captured enemy craft are stored and maintained between ops. They are generally situated next to, or under the flight deck of the command vessel for quick access.

Design and Operations

Hangar bays are designed to store and maintain auxiliary craft that a vessel may carry, however, not all hangar bays can accompany every possible type of small craft. Depending on the craft, hangar decks will vary in size. On large battlestars, hangars are long and narrow, designed to hold dozens of craft, and quickly refit or refuel fighters and scouts that could be called upon to launch on a moment's notice. They feature numerous alcoves that are used as storage and work bays, and feature diagnostic, and maintenance equipment in each section that allow the deckhands, colloquially known as "Knuckledraggers," to work quickly and efficiently with their assigned aircraft. Vipers stored in these alcoves can then be dragged across the slim deck and into the connected launch tubes when called upon, under the direction of the Deck Chief ^{(TRS: "Miniseries")}.

Lee "Apollo" Adama and Saul Tigh accompany Colonial Marines to a Raptor waiting on a hangar deck vehicle elevator ^{(TRS: "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II")}.

Access to the above flight deck is granted by large elevators that are located at regular intervals along the length of the flight pods. They are kept secured while in operation by airtight doors to prevent any atmospheric leaks or other kinds of serious accidents ^{(TRS: "Miniseries, Night 1")}. These elevators are the preferred method of launching Raptors on older battlestars, where they are lifted up to the landing bay, taxi, then "lift off" through one of the pod's fore or aft openings ^{(TRS: "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II")}. Newer ships, such as the Mercury class, have specialized Raptor launch pads outside of the landing bay, that enables flight crews to launch scouts, while keeping the pods clear of superfluous traffic ^{(TRS: "Razor")}.

The cramped and humid hangar bay of the Osiris (0913), during the First Cylon War.

On smaller ships, the hangar decks are much more cramped, and have no structural similarities to their larger battlestar counterparts. Conditions on these ships can be less than ideal, with smaller working spaces, high temperatures, and high humidity. However, they still feature the personnel and equipment needed to maintain a healthy fleet of fighters for fleet protection ^{(TRS: "Blood and Chrome")}.

Other Uses

A service for the dead is performed following the renewed Cylon attacks.

Hangar decks have had many other uses, especially during times of combat. They have been used as temporary morgues for fallen crew ^{(TRS: "Miniseries" and "Razor")}, meeting halls for prayer services or shipboard ceremonies ^{(TRS: "Miniseries", "Razor" and "Pegasus")}, and can even be converted for use as a courtroom ^{(TRS: "The Son Also Rises")}.

After the decommissioning of the battlestar Galactica, the unused starboard hangar deck was converted into a gift shop to accompany the brand new Museum set up in the above flight deck. Following the Fall of the Colonies the starboard hangar deck was used several times as temporary housing for homeless civilians, ultimately becoming the permanent "Camp Oil Slick" following the destruction of several vessels during the evacuation from New Caprica. The occupants of many vessels were temporarily sheltered here during the crossing of the Passage ^{(TRS: "The Passage")}. Another section was set up as a bar, that became a popular recreational spot in the later years of the Colonial's exodus ^{(TRS: "Taking a Break From All Your Worries")}.

Deck Gang Operations

With action stations called, Vipers are moved off the hangar deck and into the launch tubes.

The hangar deck serves as the workplace for the deck gang, colloquially known as "knuckledraggers," who maintain the ship's complement of fighters and support craft.

This group of characters, led by Chief Galen Tyrol, represents what actor Alonso Oyarzun described as an opportunity to "watch everyday people working on the ship and find out what they do on the ship."

The deck gang's importance to the series extends beyond their technical functions, as they represent the working-class personnel who keep the ship operational during humanity's exodus. Characters like Cally Henderson, Socinus, and others provide a ground-level perspective on life aboard a battlestar that complements the command-level storylines.

Production Notes

Production Design and Inspiration

The hangar deck represents one of production designer Richard Hudolin's most successful achievements in creating a realistic, functional military environment. According to Hudolin, "The hangar is very much like what you would see on an aircraft carrier. I deliberately designed the hangar in a way that the set could be extended using visual effects."

This aircraft carrier inspiration was part of the broader design philosophy for Galactica, which drew heavily from real-world military vessels, particularly World War II submarines and aircraft carriers, to create what executive producers Ronald D. Moore and David Eick described as "Das Boot in space."

Physical Set Properties

During the production of the miniseries and first season, the hangar set housed impressive full-scale props that brought the space to life. The set included a full-size Viper Mark II and a partially constructed Viper Mark VII, along with a complete full-size Raptor set.

Visual Effects Enhancement

The hangar deck set benefited significantly from computer-generated imagery (CGI) to create the illusion of a vast space. Visual effects supervisor Gary Hutzel explained the process: "The set extensions really give the show an added scope and they certainly give viewers a sense that the Galactica is a vast ship. Where a set was originally over eighty feet in length, we've made it over 600 feet in length thanks to set extensions."

The production employed green screen technology and CGI set extensions to create environments and give the hangar bay greater scale than was physically possible on the soundstage. To balance this, one wall can be turned into a green screen and used for CGI set extensions when necessary. This can be seen in the Miniseries or during Cain's arrival on Galactica in "Pegasus." Wayfinding signs on each dividing wall are also often changed to give the impression that viewers are seeing different, though virtually identical sections of the deck.

Studio Transitions

The hangar set underwent significant changes when production moved from Lions Gate Studios (used for the Miniseries) to Vancouver Film Studios for the series. According to Hudolin, "The biggest stage at Vancouver Film Studios is 110 feet square, so we had to split the main set and slightly redesign a few things. But I don't think viewers would notice any differences."

See Also

• flight pod
• launch tubes
• landing bay