Wildable cockpit

The "wildable cockpit" built during Season 2, and used throughout the Re-imagined Series universe.

The Wildable cockpit was a modular Viper cockpit set constructed for the second season of Battlestar Galactica by production designers Richard Hudolin and Doug McLean. The innovative modular design allowed set pieces to be "pulled apart in any which direction," providing unprecedented camera access for filming complex interior sequences.

Development

The Wildable cockpit addressed significant limitations of the Miniseries' integrated cockpit design, where Viper cockpits were permanently built into the full-scale Viper bodies. The production team, led by Richard Hudolin and Doug McLean, incorporated lessons learned from Season One to create an enhanced cockpit design described as "beyond astonishing" by visual effects supervisor Doug Drexler.

Visual Effects Integration

Doug Drexler, serving as CG Supervisor, was assigned by visual effects supervisor Gary Hutzel to create a computer-generated version of the Wildable cockpit for point-of-view shots. Recognizing the importance of accurate reference materials, Drexler personally photographed the physical set rather than relying on others, ensuring proper documentation for digital recreation.

Drexler's documentation process resulted in over 150 detailed reference photographs capturing the set's construction and design elements. These materials were subsequently lost for nearly a decade before being recovered during archive maintenance in 2017.

Production Impact

The wildable cockpit being used for Blood and Chrome as the Viper Mark III cockpit, the last known time this cockpit was used in the Re-imagined Series canon.

The "wildable cockpit" built during Season 2, and used throughout the Re-imagined Series universe, exemplified the collaborative relationship between the art department and visual effects team that characterized the series' production methodology. Drexler noted the exceptional working relationship with Hudolin and McLean, describing it as "one of the best working relationships we have ever had with an art department."

The modular design's flexibility proved essential for achieving the complex interior cinematography required for the series' realistic combat sequences, supporting the show's emphasis on practical effects and authentic environments. The innovation represented a significant advancement in television production design, allowing directors greater creative freedom while maintaining the series' signature aesthetic realism.

The wildable cockpit saw reuse throughout not only the Re-imagined Series until its conclusion, but also in Caprica as Air Force Viper cockpits used by Philomon and Zoe Graystone and, lastly, as the Viper Mark III cockpit in Blood and Chrome.

References