In view of new Battlestar Pegasus resin kits (from JT-Graphics and yes, from another source which I can't say for now) coming out for the coming Wonderfest in the US, I have decided to put in the reference guide for this mighty ship. I don't have much in terms of images from ZOIC and what I do have, I'll share them here.
The Battlestar Pegasus was introduced some years after the First Cylon War. A Mercury class vessel, her structural design differs significantly from the original Galactica type battlestar. The "neck" section is smaller, and the Mercury class features eight sublight engine pods instead of the older class's six. Its edges are more angular, and the hull is more completely armored (no exposed ribs).
Each flight pod consists of two stacked landing bays with adjoined decks and hangars, which along with computer-assisted landings results in a faster Viper recovery rate. Each flight pod also has Raptor landing bays on the sides, allowing for rapid transfer of crew cargo when docked. These pods are fixed and do not retract when executing an FTL jump, suggesting advances in jump systems. Inside, the class features automated sliding doorways, basic computer recognition stations in vital areas, and networked computer systems.
The Battlestar Pegasus was among the two surviving Battlestars that survived the Cylon Surprise Attack on the Twelve Colonies. Battlestar Pegasus is a Mercury Class Battlestar, assigned to Battlestar Group 62 of the Colonial Fleet and comandered by Admiral Helena Cain. At the time of the attack, she was docked at the Scorpia Shipyard undergoing maintenance. The Pegasus was spared the Cylon virus as her computers were shut down at that time, allowing her to jump to safety and loosing over 700 crew members.
In the second season of the new series, it was revealed that after the Pegasus escaped from the shipyards, and before meeting Galactica, Pegasus had been performing repeated hit and run attacks upon Cylon forces. Pegasus had trailed a large Cylon fleet which jumped between systems with natural resources. In one of these jumps, Pegasus discovers the escaping fleet of Colonial ships protected by Galactica.
Below are the Battlestar Pegasus Orthos for your reference
A close look at the Hangar Pods
As a Mercury class Battlestar, Pegasus is substantially newer, larger and more powerful than Galactica. It is nearly twice the size, but only carries around half the crew due to greater automation. Pegasus had approximately 1,753 crewmembers at the time it encountered Galactica.
Pegasus has vastly superior weapons, flight decks, and armor compared to Galactica. Its forward weapons battery can devastate a Cylon basestar with a single salvo. It is armed with large anti ship KEWs, anti fighter/missile batteries and nuclear weapons. It has much larger flight decks than Galactica, two on each side of the ship for a combined total of four flight decks. Pegasus had four fully operational squadrons of Vipers at the time it encountered Galactica, and automation systems that allowed the production of new Vipers to help replace Galactica's losses. Unlike Galactica, Pegasus had flight simulators on board to facilitate the training of new pilots.
Pegasus is destroyed in action during the third-season episode "Exodus, Part 2". Disobeying orders from Admiral Adama to protect the civilians that first escape the Cylon occupation in the second season episode "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part 2", Apollo leaves all of his Viper squadrons with the civilian ships, along with most of the crew. Apollo is able to divert the attention of the four Cylon Basestars attacking Galactica after FTL jumping to New Caprica. The older battlestar continues to cover the evacuation of the New Caprica colonists. This distraction allows time for Galactica's FTL drives to be repaired and the planet-bound colonists to reach their ships and escape.
One Cylon Basestar is critically damaged by Pegasus' forward main batteries as it enters the fray, drawing the fire from the Basestars. After Galactica jumps away, Pegasus (now heavily damaged and unable to escape) is locked into a suicide course, weapons systems firing automatically. The crew is evacuated to several Raptors just before Pegasus rams a Basestar, destroying it. The explosion causes the battlestar to fragment, the starboard hangar pod colliding with and destroying another Basestar.
That was cool. I really like this post. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteIf you can please give us more info on the Pegasus.
Like: How many squadrons of Vipers can She hold?
Production rate?
How is FTL any more advanced than Galacticas?