Squadrons of Galactica
Numerous squadron insignia[1] are visible on the walls of the pilots' ready room on Galactica. The squadrons can contain both Viper and Raptor pilots, which comprise its air wing,[2] the sum of all Viper squadrons, Raptors and support ships assigned to a battlestar.
An air wing is commanded by the battlestar's senior pilot, the Commander, Air Group, or "CAG". The term air group is only used in the title of the CAG, as in practice the Viper and Raptor force is called "air wing" (Pegasus).[3]
Squadrons are purely organizational in nature and likely a matter of generating esprit de corps (positive morale) in a group of pilots. In combat, Viper squadrons are color-coded (for example, Blue Squadron). These designations could be wireless code names that are assigned on an ad-hoc basis as needed for each mission.
Not all squadrons listed in this article are likely in active service. This is supported by the low number of Vipers on Galactica as well as the availability of a single hangar deck and flight pod for missions. The low number of pilots make it probable that many squadron patches shown represent those that served on Galactica in its past, but have since been assigned elsewhere or disbanded. This could be the case with Primus squadron, which served in the first Cylon War and whose patches might have been kept for historical or nostalgic reasons.
The squadron patches are numbered in sequence beginning with 1 (Primus). The exception is the Viper Weapons School patch, a golden version of the standard Viper patch.
Known Squadrons include:
- Fighter Squadron 1 Primus
- Fighter Squadron 3 Vigilantes
- Fighter Squadron 4 Demons
- Fighter Squadron 6 Vampires
- Raptor Squadron 7 Battleaxe
Of note, the standard Raptor patch is labeled "Fighter Squadron 10 Raptors".
Primus
Primus is the name of the 1st Viper Squadron of the Colonial Fleet, although it is unknown if it is still in active service.
William Adama was a member of this fighter group, in addition to other pilots from the Cylon War era such as Raymond Lai. The logo of this group is adorned prominently on the nose of many restored Viper Mark II fighters that were to occupy the Galactica Museum.
A photo of a younger William Adama and his two boys, Zak and Lee, shows the Primus logo on his jumpsuit and his old fighter, Viper 7242.
Vigilantes
The Vigilantes, 3rd Viper Squadron, is a long-established unit in the Colonial Fleet before the Cylon attack. Given that the squadron's logo adorns a wall in the quarters of Colonel Tigh (a commanding officer long removed from pilot service), it is likely that Tigh served as a member of the Vigilantes as a Viper pilot in the first Cylon War.
Captain Kara Thrace is a member of the Vigilantes (Act of Contrition).
Jackson Spencer, the former CAG of Galactica, is also a member of the Vigilantes. He and his squadron were completely destroyed by Cylon Raiders during the Cylon attack on the Twelve Colonies. The only known survivors at this time are Thrace, who was in the brig for striking a superior officer, and the crew of the Raptor supporting the squadron, Sharon Valerii and Karl Agathon. It is unknown if the Raptor crew was part of the squadron or just assigned to support it (Miniseries).
The first class of nuggets fly as members of this squadron (Act of Contrition).
Margaret Edmondson and Hamish McCall, Raptor pilots, are both members of the Vigilantes (Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I).
Known Members
Squadron Crests
-
Fighter Squadron 1
Primus -
Fighter Squadron 2
Name Unknown -
Fighter Squadron 3
Vigilantes -
Fighter Squadron 4
Demons -
Fighter Squadron 6
Vampires -
Raptor Squadron 7
Battleaxe -
Fighter Squadron 10
Raptors
References
- ↑ This is a reference to the use of now-commonplace shoulder sleeve unit insignia popularized in armed services such as the U.S. Army as early as 1918.
- ↑ Admiral Helena Cain in "Pegasus" uses the term in context: "I'm going to integrate the crews. And I'm starting by reassigning Captain Adama to the Pegasus air wing."
- ↑ The term "air group" is technically obsolete in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy as air groups are now known as air wings, but while the CAG is know officially called CAW, the title is still used, especially informally. As shown by the quote in the footnote above, this is also reflected in Battlestar Galactica.