*Unidentified ECO of Raptor 1 in "[[Fragged]]." [[Image:Fraggedextra2.jpg|75px]]
*Unidentified ECO of Raptor 1 in "[[Fragged]]." [[Image:Fraggedextra2.jpg|75px]]
Revision as of 09:06, 9 June 2006
Pilots and other enlisted in a recreation room on Galactica.
From the episodes "Act of Contrition" through "Pegasus", Galactica's combat ability was severely limited by her manpower - more so than her shortage of mechanical resources. This list was created to keep track of Galactica's current and former Viper pilots, Raptor pilots, and ECOs, and now includes members of the crew of Pegasus as well.
As of the Miniseries, Starbuck informs Cmdr. William Adama that "there are 20 of us climbing the walls down in the Ready Room". This is excluding the 20 members of Ripper's wing already sortied, and Apollo, on escort detail, and probably doesn't include ECOs. Also in the miniseries, three Mark VII Vipers are seen in formation inside Colonial One's ragtag caravan before they rendezvous with Galactica. These could have been left behind with the non-FTL capable ships, or could have been carried to Ragnar in other ships as was Apollo's Viper.
After the accident in "Act of Contrition," Capt. Adama states to Lt. Thrace that there are 21 pilots remaining, by which he probably refers only to the Viper pilots. It is difficult to imagine that Sergeant Hadrian made the same distinction when she referred to the 13 killed and 7 injured in the incident, since the most notable victim was actually a Raptor, not a Viper pilot. Of the 11 present for funeral services, at least one (Crashdown) and possibly two (unidentified #4?) are known to be ECOs. Racetrack and the fourth ECO are clearly not present. Another one ("Boomer" Valerii) and possibly two (unidentified #5 or #7?) are known to be Raptor pilots. This leaves 7 to 9 Viper pilots depicted in this scene. Adding the 7 injured pilots, we have a total of 14 to 16 Viper pilots accounted for, implying that 5 to 7 surviving and uninjured pilots are not present for some reason (perhaps on Combat Air Patrol or other duty).
Eight nuggets were then recruited to fill out the ranks, including Kat, Hot Dog and Chuckles, bringing the total to 29.
In "The Hand of God," Starbuck is seen giving combat flight training to an expanded class of 14 nuggets. Although not specifically discussed in this episode, it can only assumed that they have enlisted 6 more candidates from the civilian Fleet, probably from the "next group" that, according to Apollo, had "never even been in a cockpit" at the time of "Act of Contrition." Later in this episode, a total of 19 Vipers and 2 Raptors are deployed. (Starbuck is inactive at this time due to her knee injury.) Fireball, Chuckles, Stepchild and one unidentified pilot are killed in action, leaving Galactica with 31 Viper pilots. (According to scifi.com, three nuggets are killed and four Vipers destroyed in this episode, so we must assume that Stepchild and the unidentified death were among their number.)
However, in the next episode, "Flight of the Phoenix," 42 Vipers are sortied -- not only more pilots, but also more planes than Galactica should have actually available. The most reasonable conclusion is that this is simply an effects gaffe. But if this is taken literally as an increase in their ranks, then Galactica may have inducted more than 6 extra nuggets into the squadron since "Act of Contrition," and may be continuing to recruit despite Kat's assertion in "Final Cut" that "there are no replacements coming up."
After encountering fellow battlestar Pegasus, Galactica finally received a number of transfers to fill her depleted ranks. It's unlikely that any Pegasus crewmen were actually deployed against their compatriots at the climax of the episode. So, with Kat reinstated to flight status, but minus Apollo and Starbuck (transferred to Pegasus), Galactica can muster 27 Vipers against Pegasus. However, only 15 of Galactica's Mk. II Vipers can be clearly seen as the episode ends.
As of the episode "Scar," the Fleet has begun training many new nugget pilots in earnest (with flight simulators aboard the more-advanced Pegasus), and will obtain enough metal ore from asteroid mining to construct 2 entire squadrons of Vipers on Pegasus (this battlestar has Viper production facilities that Galactica does not). Following "Scar", it will be more difficult to determine the exact number of Viper pilots (by subtracting the dead from pre-existing numbers) because their numbers are decisively growing.
Others: Galactica is able to field six raptors simultaneously in "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II." The crews of Raptor 1 and Raptor 3 are accounted for. Boomer then pilots a raptor to the basestar in orbit of Kobol, while three raptors are sent to board Colonial One. These three probably did not need ECOs, given the target's lack of defensive options, but they certainly required pilots.
Note: Apollo is qualified to pilot a Raptor (Resistance, Pegasus), and may have piloted one of the boarding party in "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II." This would (awkwardly) mean that he flew himself back to Galactica while under arrest.
Note: The survival of two specialist ECOs by the time of Fragged means Apollo's headcount of surviving pilots in "Act of Contrition" could not have included them.
Present at funeral services in "Act of Contrition" are 11 pilots and ECOs, including Apollo, Starbuck, Boomer and Crashdown. The next ready room scene is in "Resistance," and features 20 people in addition to Apollo. Still present from the previous episode are:
Note: Cmdr. William "Husker" Adama flew a Viper Mk. II during the Cylon War, and can also pilot a Raptor (as seen in "Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down"). Col. Saul Tigh was also a Viper pilot of the same vintage, but there is less to suggest he has retained any sort of flight status.
Lt. Steve "Red Devil" Fleer - leader of Raptor SAR group in The Captain's Hand. (Note: This pilot wears a jacket with a Viper patch in the scene where Starbuck confronts the Pegasus pilots in TCH.)
Sharon Valerii (Caprica copy) - currently incarcerated on Galactica (technically this Valerii was never a member of the Colonial Fleet, but she retains her knowledge of how to fly a Raptor).
Present at funeral services in "Act of Contrition" are 11 pilots and ECOs, including Apollo, Starbuck, Boomer and Crashdown. The next ready room scene is in "Resistance," and features 20 people in addition to Apollo. Not present from the previous episode are:
), KIA in Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I
