It’s too late to order uniforms for Halloween, but there is still time for Galacticon 3. For any interested:
For any interested in Battlestar Galactica uniforms from the re-imagined series, here are several to pick from. I got a flight suit and Commander’s blues from these folks a few years ago. Not bad for the price. You can modify at will.
The Battlestar Galactica Fan Club had the pleasure of speaking with Fred Armisen, an alumni of Saturday Night Live as well as his new series Portlandia.
Fred also was featured in such films as Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo & Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy with Will Farrell.
Here's another little thing to throw into the mix, he is a BIG Battlestar Galactica Fan & if you tune into the show this (1/13) Friday night you'll see just how big a fan he is....
Shawn; I hear that you are a really big Battlestar Galactica fan?...
So what's the history on that?
Were you a fan of the orignial series to start with?
Fred: A few years ago, somebody told me to watch it.
They insisted.
And I started and totally loved it.
I continued on into the next year. It was DVDs and also iTunes downloads.
I also remember a long time ago, watching Patton Oswalt do standup at this club.
He went on and on about how great Battlestar Galactica is.
It's so good and I got into the humanity (?) of all the characters.
I liked how flawed they made everyone, but not in a show-offy way.
And they visually addressed how objects would fly through space.
I know that's a weird thing to bring up, but the way the vipers move through space, they stop and turn so quickly.
It makes sense that it would be that way out there.
And Gaius.
It was so cool trying to figure out what he was about.
I didn't know very much about the original series.
I like that Richard Hatch is so present in this one.
I like when things like that happen.
Shawn: What's your take on Caprica?
Fred: It moves everything forward and keeps it alive, and I'm always a fan of that. It makes me optimistic too that more can still be made.
Shawn; You are obviously well known for your comeidic turns on film & with Saturday Night Live....
Talk to us about Portlandia....
Where did the idea for this show come from?
Fred: I used to make these short videos with my friend and musician Carrie Brownstein.
They were just these weird little videos, not quite comedy, and we called it "Thunderant".
We shot them in Portland which is where Carrie lives.
After a while, we had enough to try to think of another venue for them.
So we pitched it as a TV show.
Shawn You think you'll be using the BSG theme on Portlandia in the future?
Fred: I'd like to.
Shawn: Anything you'd like to say to the folks in the Battlestar Galactica Fan Club & out there to the World directly?
Fred: I just want to say thank you for reading this and for having me on here.
I will tell you first hand that meeting the people from BSG was a HUGE thrill and I was completely starstruck.
They are really cool.
We got the crew of Portlandia hooked on the series too.
On the episode, which comes out this Friday night, we built it so that the tension is like BSG.
We cut it similarly and added that tense music.
I love the show (Battlestar Galactica I mean) and this is a great site!
The Battlestar Galactica Fan Club had the opportunity to catch up with Kathy Coleman & talk to her a little bit about her life & career and explore some interesting aspects that were brought out in our chat.
The added benefit is that Kathy is a truly wonderful & open person and really interested in sharing with all of you.
Let's check in with Kathy...
Shawn :So Kathy, what prompted you to get into show business in the first place?
Kathy: It wasn't so much my idea, but my Mothers.
When I was young I was very outgoing and people would stop my Mother on the street and tell her that I should be in show business.
It wasn't much of a stretch for me because I liked to perform for people and show them a range of emotions, from laughter to crying.
Pretty much that's it.
Shawn ;What were the circumstances of your first acting job?
Kathy: It was a commercial for Shakey's Pizza.
They were looking for a Goldilocks to go along with their three bears.
Probably 100 girls tried out for the part and then it got down to myself and Melissa Gilbert!
If you look at the the commercial on youtube, you'll see why I got it.
Shawn: How did you you get the part on Land of the Lost as Holly Marshall?
Kathy: Many, many auditions and call backs...7 to be exact.
The network had to approve of me and on down the line (Producers, Directors etc).
I really wanted to land a series.
My Mother and I had a deal that if I ever got a series, I could have a pony.
I got the series, she stayed true to her word and my pony "Comanche" came into my life.
Yeah!
Shawn: What were Spencer Milligan (Rick Marshall) & Wesley Eure (Will Marshall) like to work with?
Kathy: Great!
Just like a real family.
Although I had never had a Father, nor a Brother that age.
My siblings were much older than I and had a different Father.
Shawn: After the show what parts did you get?
Kathy: Not a lot...commercials mostly.
I had grown at a normal rate and they could get actors that were 18 to play 15 year olds, so having me on the set was not only expensive, but the time frame of how long they could work me played a factor as well.
3 hours of school a day and all.
Shawn: Was it difficult as a child actor to make the transition to older roles?
Kathy: No, that wasn't the problem.
But by the time I'd turned 18 I was already married and started having babies.
Married into the Bell family (Bel-Air) and moved to Fallon Nevada to work on the family farm...5 thousand gallons of milk produced daily and 12 Thousand hogs a year!
It was a state of the art farm...a multi-million dollar operation.
Shawn: Did you feel like you were being pushed to do more Saturday or Sci-Fi/Fantasy?
Kathy: No, I was never asked to do more children's television or Sci-Fi.
I don't believe I was ever typecast.
Take out the braids and I could have portrayed any normal teenager, problems and all.
Shawn: Were you interested in exploring more dramatic roles?
Kathy: Yes, if I had stayed in the business that's exactly what I would have liked to have done.
Shawn: In the years since the show went off the air and between acting jobs, what have you been up to?
Kathy: Lot's of exploring...my childhood was very controlled, so for many years I enjoyed being out of control.
For instance the different places I lived and the adventures I went on...Mexico being one of them.
Shawn: Do you have any special projects under way?
Kathy: My book!
I've been working on it for about 7 years, at times putting it down for months at at time.
I'm also in the process of living alone for the first time in my life.
It's pretty weird, but I'm having fun with it.
Totally self reliant and broke sometimes, compared to always having had plenty of money and no worries in that department.
However the part I'm really loving about this experience is that I only answer to myself!
VERY COOL FEELING!!! The Cover of Kathy's book "The Whole Truth and Nothing But the Truth"
Shawn: Speaking of projects...the re-make of Land of the Lost with Will Ferrell, it could have gone many directions but they chose to spoof it and go in a comedic direction, what was your take on that?
Kathy: It wasn't Land of the Lost...period!
Shawn: Both you and Wesley Eure had cameo appearances in the film that didn't make the final cut, what was your reaction to that?
Kathy: Bummed at first, but after seeing the film and the reaction from the fans, I felt pretty good not to be a part of that bomb!
Ha Ha!
Shawn: Have you wanted to become more active in television & film again?
Kathy: Absolutely...I'd love to find a great director to work with and explore the range of my depths and talent.
Just one juicy role!
Shawn: You do some interesting art work, very aboriginal in style, what's your inspiration to do this besides the style?
Kathy: My Mother is Australian...so that's a big part of it.
But the art part fell out of the sky, just woke up one day and had a desire to study these incredible people after reading hundreds of books!
The art just came out of me, I love doing it.
It takes me to a really great freeing place in my soul.
Shawn: We were talking about your book...is this simply covering the Land of the Lost or is it more autobiographical with that being part of the story?
Kathy: Exactly.
My life has been like a snow storm. The damaged photo cover reflects that storm. the book follows the weather pattern of my journey.
Of course, Land of the Lost being part of that.
Shawn: Insofar as Land of the Lost is concerned, or any TV show for that matter, people usually don't know what's going on behind the lights & cameras.
So is this going to be a tell all kind of thing?
Kathy: But of course!
Shawn: What do you see for yourself and where do you want to go professionally?
Kathy: I see myself content and blessed in whatever comes my way.
I would love to have a role someday...acting or otherwise....where I could stand naked so to speak and turn slowly & get to that place of true honesty.
Shawn: A word of advice for anyone who wants to get into the acting gig?
Kathy: Always go for what you want in life and don't walk away from your dreams or live kicking yourself for not trying.
It's like any other choice you make in life, some parts of the the business are great and some just aren't!
For those of you searching for a special Valentine's Day card, I designed these pretty awesome Cylon Valentine's Day cards with three different possibilities for the inside of the card (Only one version is shown). I can also create a custom inside message if you'd prefer. The purchase on the site gets you a PDF so that you can download and print on your own printer. Check them out! Just wanted to share my Battlestar Galactica love!!! http://www.etsy.com/shop/lindz2488
The battlestar thermopylae was one of A hand full of nova class battlestars in service with the colonial fleet just before the second cylon invasion;The Nova class was an upgrade from the mercury class;It survived the cylon onslaught probably because it's commander chose not to activate the new CNP program,which the cylons exploited throughout the fleet.
The thermopylae joined with other surviving colonial fleet elements,and maintained subspace silence in case the cylons were listening in on normal communications;They did however intercept transmissions ;First, from the galactica,who was leading A fleet of civilian ships to A safe haven outside the system;Then,from the raven battle group,who was set to engage A large cylon group,led by cylon model zero, at the Omari nebula.
The thermopylaye,along with other surviving colonial fleet groups,went to the assistance of of the raven battle group,and was part of the colonial fleet's victory at the omari nebula.
THE MODEL KIT
This resin model kit of the nova class battlestar was supplied by Jack Burgin jr.,of the facebook group Colonial Fleet Shipyards:
The kit is about 22 inches long assembled,and consists of heavy resin parts; It is hollow cast,in case one wants to install lighting;Even though super glue,better known as 'CY',is generally recommended,For the major subassembly attachments,The best choice is to use standard gorilla glue(the foaming kind) for strength;Of course,read the directions.
Sometimes,resin parts do warp,so, in this case,A good supply of carpentry C clamps is advisable.
The only mod I made to the kit was to it's stern section,around the FTL drive,which looked A little 'naked' to me;I actually had a spare pegasus kit in my stash,So, I armored up the rear superstructure to make it look closer to the more recognized version of A nova;Basically,you can call it A nova variant.
As for painting: After priming and an initial wash,I applied A first coat of model master AMC grey;Then,thinning out canada voodoo grey,and turning down the pressure on my airbrush,I went after the individual panel lines;A final dark wash and dullcote finished the ship.
The stand started as A wood plaque from A.C. moore;The columns were grecian columns from amazon,normally used to decorate fancy cakes,and attached to A specially cut piece of PVC pipe,to support the ship; The logos,made by my trireme XO,'bunny' nonemaker,were printed out,laminated,and applied to the base;These pictures were taken at A model club meeting the previous evening by club president mike kloppenburg.
CONCLUSION
This kit was enjoyable to say the least;Now,as far As I know,It is still for sale at the group page,along with other BSG related kits,including the classic eastern alliance destroyers,cylon guardian basestars,cylon tankers,and assorted classes of colonial fleet ships.
At this time,I also have on order an ARES CLASS WARSTAR;This is simular to the monster titan class,except with the addition of two extra flight pods! According to info,It's at least another size larger that the nova I just built;Very much anticipating the arrival of that beast!
If you are interested in adding one of these rare jewels,contact jack through the FB group 'colonial fleet shipyards';However,as far as I know, he also sells them on Ebay;Everything he produces is consistently in scale with the moebius galactica and pegasus kits;So, this could be an opportunity for one to build up A fleet of his/her own!
The caveat is this: After you order,It may take up to A year or beyond for it to ship;It's obvious that resin models,especially large ones, can't be produced overnight,especially when the caster has other commitments;However,If you have A sizable well of patience,the results will be indeed worth it!
Battlestar Galatica Movie April 7, 2014 | 02:20PM PT Film Reporter Dave McNary Film Reporter @Variety_DMcNary
Universal is ramping up a movie version of the sci-fi franchise “Battlestar Galactica,” aiming to develop the film as a complete reimagining of the story.
“Transcendence” writer Jack Paglen has signed on to write the screenplay. Paglen has also committed to Ridley Scott’s “Prometheus” sequel for Fox that will start production this fall.
Original series creator Glen Larson will produce the “Battlestar Galactica” film.
There have been three “Galactica” TV series (including the brief “Galactica 1980″). The first, starring Lorne Greene and Richard Hatch, ran during the 1978-79 season and was centered on humans engaged in a lengthy war against a cybernetic race known as the Cylons while searching for Earth.
In 2003, a reimagined “Battlestar Galactica” miniseries aired on Sci Fi Channel. The second series, starring Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell, went on to run for four seasons.
In 2009, speculation emerged that Bryan Singer was attached to direct a “Battlestar Galactica” movie.
Universal’s exec VP of production Scott Bernstein and director of development Jay Polidoro are overseeing the latest version of “Battlestar Galactica” for the studio.
Warner Bros. will open “Transcendence,” starring Johnny Depp, on April 18.
Paglen is represented by ICM Partners and Lichter Grossman Nichols Adler and Feldman. Larson is represented by the Lichtman Group, manager Denny Bond of Management 3 as well as attorneys Neville Johnson, Douglas Johnson and James Ryan of Johnson & Johnson.
The Following Has Been Declassified By Approval Of The President; It Is Intended For Review By Senior Officers Of The Fleet.
CYLON MODEL ZERO
This Particular Human Cylon Model, Which Has rarely been Seen As Of Recently, Has Been Determined To Be A Major Figure In The Continued Conflict Between The Cylons And The Twelve Colonies.
Much About This Model Is Unknown; However, Through Extensive Research Going Back To Before The First Cylon War, Along With Ultra Covert Intel Gathered At Great Risk, The CDM Has Been Able To Construct A Somewhat Basic Background On What Could Have Been The Beginning Of Our Struggle To Stave Off Destruction By The Very Machines We Created.
ORIGIN
The Actual First Name(Or Alias) Of This Cylon Is Unknown,Due To Her Efforts To Destroy All Proof Of Her Identity; However, It Is Proven That She Is The Daughter Of Zoe Graystone, The FIRST Cylon Created By Daniel Graystone, Who Created The First Copy Of Zoe As The First Human Model Cylon,Or 'Skinjob'.
As Zoe Graystone Reached Young Adulthood, Her Father Had Used Artificial Insemination To Impregnate Her ,As She Herself Was Unable To Propagate Through Natural Means; The Identity Of The Father Is Unknown, Except He Was A Member Of The STO(Soldiers of The One) Terrorist Organization. Through A Series Of Complications With Her Biology, Zoe Graystone Died Giving Birth; The Child Was Raised By The Gradparents.
Almost All Of Her Childhood Is Unknown, Except She Was Just As Rebellious As Her Mother; And, She Was Enthralled By The Legend Of Artemisia, A Figure From the History Of Sagittaron; A Ruthless Warrior, Artemisia Fought With Cunning And Brutality, Someone The Sagittarons Almost Never Choose To Talk About.
Somewhere In Her Late Adolescence, She Began To Find Out The Meaning Of Her Own Exsistence; She Found Out She Was Just An 'Experiment' Created By Man's Carelessness In Respect Of Creation; She Began To Resent,And, Later Hate Mankind For Not Respecting The Power They Had Been Granted; She Would Later Find The Basic Programming That Was Instilled In Cylon Memory Functions; A Near-Genius Level Student In School, She Began To Secretly Change The Programming, Enabling The Cylons, Just Tools Of Man Beforehand, To Gain Conciousness Of Man Making Them Slaves, And The Fact That They Were In Many Ways Better Than Man, So, Why Should Man Be Superior? This Is, As Many Experts Conclude, Was the Beginning Of The Cylons' Quest To Make Their Own Creators Extinct.
As The First Cylon War Got Underway, She, And A Division Of Cylons Took Over A Large Factory Complex Owned By Her Grandparent's Company,Graystone Industries; They Began To Design,And Build Not only More Soldiers,Now Called Centurions, But Large And Small Attack Spacecraft As Well As Other Weapons; Fortunately, They Did Not Have The Materials To Make Nuclear weapons; They Did, However Build Large Ships,Called Basestars To Attack Each Of The 12 Colonies.
Then The Combined Military Forces Of The Colonies Began To Turn The Tide; Model Zero And Her Core Forces Were Forced To retreat, Eventually Leading To An Armistice; She Began To Realize That She Would Have To Have Better Technology In Order To Finally Wipe out the Human Race; She Made Drastic Advances In Not Only Tech, But Biology As Well; She Began To revive, Then Perfect, The Formula For Creating Human Models; To Kickstart The Process, She Became The First Cylon 'Hybrid'; A Biologic In Control Of A Ship's Systems; When The Process Was Perfected To A Science, She Broke Free Of The Hybrid Chamber; What Also Helped Was Laboratory Experiments Using Captured Humans For Study, So Human Cylon Models Could Be Indistinguishable From real Humans; At This Point, She Also Used Biologics To Control A New Breed Of Centurions, And Made The New Fighters,Called Raiders, Into Biomech Drones.
It Is Rumored That The Centurions, Often Called 'Guardians' Are Loyal To Model Zero; It Is Probably She Who Programmed The response Familiar To All Cylon Models: "By Your Command"; Without A Doubt She Instilled The Hatred Of The Human Race In All Cylon models; She Would Eventually Create 12 Models Of The Human Cylon Line; The Guardian Centurions Look To Her As The One True God.
What Is Speculated Is That She Will Not Make Multiple Copies Of Herself; That She Will Make Herself A New Body Every 20 Years, Or When Needed; She Created, And Perfected The 'Resurrection' Process That Makes the Cylons Nearly Immortal.
Current Status
Model Zero Has Rarely Been Seen Since She Left The Colonies; She Is Constantly On The Move, And Closely Guarded By The Centurions Under Her Command; According To A Classified Covert Operation Some Years Back, This Is Her Base Ship:
And, In The Same Covert Operation, This Was The Only Current Image Taken Of Her; This Was Transmitted Out Just Before The Operative Was Discovered,And Killed:
As Seen Here, She Is Still In Command Of Core Cylon Forces; As Far As We Know, Her Agenda Has Not Changed; For Whatever reason, She As A Big A Threat To The Colonies As Ever.
Thank you all for your continuous support and being members of the Battlestar Fan Club! Another year is passing us by as we reflect on what has happened throughout the year. Many of us thankful for the blessings we have and are fortunate to share on to others. Thanksgiving Day is not just about celebrating and giving thanks for all things. It’s also a day of reflection in which we all take a moment to remember others. People in our lives whom have passed away, Memories we cherish that span our lifetime, Looking to the future because at times life throws us a curve ball. However, through it all we remain steadfast in order to continue striving forward. Continuously reminded by the people whom have touched our lives.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving Day with your Family and Friends. If you happen to be folks that also help out at shelters feeding the homeless, WE THANK YOU. In closing I want to say thank you to all our members. Who are here in the states and around the globe doing your part remembering and keeping Battlestar Galactica alive and strong. Thank you!
Just a little info we just want to pass along that we just got to each and everyone of you.
The American Cinematheque will be showing BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: THE MOVIE on the big screen in Sensurround (as it was originally shown theatrically) at the historic Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood this Friday night, preceded by a discussion with original series creator Glen A. Larson, plus writer Terry McDonnell and visual effects artist Pat McClung.
You can find more info about it on their website here:
With great sadness I must report the passing of a giant.
Having known this wonderful guy & having thought so much of him as a person, it has taken me a while to compose my thoughts, maybe not so much as to what to say but as to get myself to say it.
I am of course speaking of Denny Miller, who is so well known to Battlestar Galactica fans as Ser-5 in the classic episode "Gun on Ice Planet Zero".
Denny passed away on September 9th of this year.
Of course Denny's career spanned much more than one episode of Battlestar Galactica...did you know that he was the first blond Tarzan?
Yep, he starred in the 1959 film "Tarzan, the Ape Man".
Perhaps the role that Denny was best known for was as Duke Shannon on the television series "Wagon Train" which ran from 1957-1965.
Denny always said that the role he most enjoyed was as "Wyoming" Bill Kelso in the the film "The Party" which starred Peter Sellers of Pink Panther fame.
Denny had roles in many great television westerns such as "Laramie", "Have Gun, Will Travel" & "The Rifleman".
He appeared on "Gilligan's Island", first as surfer Duke Williams & then as Tongo the ape man.
Denny also appeared on such diverse (and well known & loved) shows as "The Brady Bunch", "I Dream of Jeannie", "Gunsmoke" & "Alice"
Denny also played the Gorton's Fisherman in Gorton's television commercials for 14 years.
Denny also joined us for the 2008 Galacticruise & I wanted to share one of the wonderful pictures that photographer Chris Loomis took of him then.
Filmography & all else aside...Denny was one of the kindest & most decent human beings I have met & he had a wonderful partner in wife Nancy...she too is a great and wonderful person and my thoughts are with her.
They were always so very kind to me.
How much more can be said?
Words are probably not enough, but know well that this man made his mark on the world and in the minds & hearts of millions of people...a true Gunslinger for our times...
Ever Since My Local Hobby Shop Told Me That Moebius Was Actually Going To Do A Pegasus Kit To Go Along With The Galactica, And Viper Kits, I Have Been Sitting On Pins And Needles In Anticipation! The First Word About The Release Date Was About Now; Then, September; Now, It looks like Late This Year, Along With The Much-Delayed Cylon Centurion.
Now,Lo and Behold, On Moebius' Facebook Page, The Line Drawings Are Out! And, They Look Good! So, I Really Don't Want To Think About The Reasons(Or The Rumors) Why This Kit Was Delayed; I Just Want Mine. And, Since My Ship,The Raven, Is Of The Same Class, Hopefully, JT Graphics, Or Some Other Decal Company, Can Provide Custom Names.
Now, Let's All Pray To The Lords Of Kobol That A Raptor, A Heavy Raider, Some More Battlestar Designs, A Cylon Base Star, And Maybe a Classic Centurion Will Be Forthcoming.
Oh, Did I Forget To Mention That Moebius Is Re-Doing The CLASSIC BSG Ships Also? I Know That Will Whet A Few Appetites!
Ok everyone, time for a trivia challenge for all you die hard fans!
(And the winners get prizes!).
There is a band in Canada (based in Vancouver) known collectively as Big John Bates...of course in this case named after the band leader...the aforementioned Mr. Bates!
During the run of the show, the props master (a big fan of the band created a prop that included them) ...in this case a magazine (cover)...two sides (and yes I'm going to include those images)...that Kara Thrace was reading in one of the scenes.
Front Cover Prop
So here is the challenge...you have to find the scene where Kara aka Starbuck is holding that magazine!
It only appears in one short scene throughout the entire series (gives you an excellent reason to go back an re-watch everything)...
Ok, so you got the idea...so here are the rules of the game...once found, send an email to shawn@galacitcon.org naming the episode (if you can do a screen grab with that, all that better)...the three best times win.
Back Cover Prop
First Prize: 1 Big John Bates CD (or 12" Vinyl) your choice, 1 Big John Bates T-Shirt & 1 hour of free tattooing at Darkday Tattoo in Vancouver, BC!
(Special rules regarding the Tattoo...IF you don't live in the Pacific Northwest or don't plan on getting to Vancouver anytime soon, the prize is transferable, BUT you need a special password along with proper ID to claim it!)
It DOES occur to me that of course that next year Galacticon IV: Resurrection will be in full swing in Seattle, which is only a few hours from Vancouver...just a thought!
In the Colonial Fleet, A Warstar is basically A 'Mega-Battlestar', or, A Warship with more Firepower and Capability than A standard Battlestar;A Further Definition is A Ship that can seize and control an Area of Space until Reinforcements arrive; Also, A Ship that can provide Massive Support and Firepower for A Primary Battle Group,Sometimes as A Flagship.
Earth Equivalents are: 'Man 'O War', Dreadnought, and 'Super-Battleship'.
This was A Critical Need for the Newly Formed Colonial Ministry of Defense when they needed an Answer for the Massive Firepower the Cylons begun to bring into Play in the First Cylon War; They needed A Pure Warship that could Give as well as it would Get,Because in some battles,The Standard Battlestars were not enough;And The Colonies could not afford A Long War of Attrition.
After considering many Designs,the CMoD settled on The Marathon-Class Warstar Design: A Simple Hybrid of Atlas and Jupiter class Battlestars ,Utilizing Parts and Production from both classes to construct one Large Warship:
This Ship is designed to deliver double the Firepower and Attack Capability of At least two Jupiter-class Battlestars,with an Expanded Air Wing and A Marine Company on board;With Minimal Support,It can take control of an Area of Space until A Battle Group can arrive.
MARATHON-CLASS SPECIFICATIONS:
ARMAMENT:
60 Heavy KEW Turrets
120 PDG Twin Mounts
96 PDG Single Mounts
4 Horizontal Missile Tubes
10 Vertical Missile Tubes
AIR WING:
8 Viper Squadrons + 1 Reserve Squadron
(180 Vipers)
2 Raptor Squadrons
(48 Raptors)
10 Standard Heavy Shuttles
CREW:
15,000 (Standard)
12,000 (Minimal)
A Total of 7 Marathon-class Warstars were initially planned to be built,with an Option for More;However, the Ending of the First Cylon War,and, The Approval of the Massively Larger and More Powerful Ares- class Warstar Design pretty much made the Marathon class Obsolete.
Two Marathons were completed and one was partially built when the Armistice was declared; The Two Completed Ships fought in the last half of the war,and served with Distinction;After the war, they were retained in the Fleet.
MARATHON-CLASS DISPOSITION
MARATHON (WSR-110)
Lead Ship of the Class and First of the Warstar Line;Participated in at least 5 Major Battles as part of Warstar Group One (WSG-01); Credited with Destroying 7 Cylon Base Stars and at least 23 Supporting Vessels;Helped Re-Take Cimtar near the Outer Rim of the Cyrannus System; Was Dispatched to Canceron for the Last Battle before the Armistice was declared after the loss of the Battlestar Columbia;However, A Unforseen Problem with it's FTL Drive Delayed it's Deployment and it arrived at Canceron one hour after Cylon Forces had withdrawn.
With the Approval of the Ares -class design for Production,The Fleet began to Re-Organize; And, after the Accidental Loss of the Miltiades, Marathon was teamed up with the Second Ares-class Warstar, Plataea, to form Warstar Group Five (WSG-05), assigned to the 5th Fleet.
Helena Cain served with Distinction aboard the Marathon,as A Squadron Commander,Part of her Meteoric Rise through the Fleet Ranks to eventually have the Mercury-class Battlestar, Pegasus,as her Flagship.
At the Beginning of the Second Cylon Invasion, WSG-05 and the 5th Fleet were on the Periphery of Colonial Space; The New Fleet CNP Program had not been downloaded into these Ships;Since Communications with Fleet HQ on Picon were severed after the Initial Attack,The 5th Fleet has not been heard from; Rumors are, they are still out there,Maintaining Subspace Silence...
STATUS: UNKNOWN - PRESUMED ACTIVE
MILTIADES (WSR-105)
Second Ship of the Class; Assigned to Warstar Group Three (WSG-03); Participated in 2 Major Battles,and took Heavy Damage in Both;Credited with Destroying 2 Cylon Base Stars and 10 Supporting Vessels.
5 Years after the Armistice,Miltiades was Destroyed in A Freak Accident as A Result of an Accidental Combustion in her FTL Drive;The Only Survivors were 2 Viper Pilots and A Raptor Crew on CAP who managed to get clear of the Massive Explosion; An Investigation Revealed A Flaw in The Ship's Redesigned Fuel Cells that led to the Catastrophe;The Flaw was Identified and Corrected in Marathon.
STATUS: DESTROYED-STRICKEN FROM FLEET LIST
PASAUNIAS (WSR-107)
The Pasaunias was 35% Complete at the Time the Armistice was Declared;With the Cancellation of the Remaining Marathon-class Ships,it was decided to Retrofit this ship to Jupiter-class specs; It eventually became the Last Jupiter-class ship built by the Colonies: The Battlestar Herodotus.
STATUS: CONVERTED
THE MODEL
It's really sad that Moebius Models lost it's License from NBC/Universal to Produce these kits(There are some of these floating around under the Revell Germany Label,they're probably Moebius Molds),Because now,These Kits are getting more scarcer than Chicken Lips;And, if you happen to find one on E bay,or another Auction Site,we're talking BooCoo Cubits! If Lords of Kobol be kind,Hopefully, Someone will crank out these kits again!
I Grabbed 3 of these kits from Monsters in Motion,Via E Bay;To my surprise,2 of them were the 'Limited San Diego Comic Con' Edition Molded in CLEAR PLASTIC! What the Frak? Well, I didn't care! A Coat of Grey Dollar Store Primer from the Rattle Can took care of that Technicality!
Beforehand,I found Pictures of other People's Interpretation of Warstars,to guide me to Possible Directions I could go;Then, I decided to go with the only thing that really works: Keeping It Simple.
I Started with the Center Body: A Normal Hull would have the 2 Hull Inserts,where the Flight Decks would retract into before the FTL Jump; I Installed 2 on the Upper Half,and 2 on the lower;The Result is A Bigger Center Body; Two Pieces of PVC Tubing connected the pins that connect top to bottom; I also made sure all 4 Hull Inserts were solidly reinforced;When those points were secured, I closed the Open Spaces with Evergreen Styrene sheet #4062 ;I cut the Pieces to shape,with the Ribs in the Vertical Position;Once all the Gaps were filled, I moved to the Head;I Followed the Same pattern;Once everything was in place,I Used Evergreen Styrene Strip #6-115(.015x.100) and 6-8206(.022x.066) to replicate the Armor on Battlestars from the First Cylon War;Since I really didn't have the time to precisely replicate the pattern on the Armor,I decided to 'Wing It',and be as random as I could; I made sure all the Unprotected Areas,except for the PDG Gun Stations,Viper Launch Portals,and Engine exhaust Portals,were Covered;
Added Extra Sublight Engines,and Gun Turrets from the Spare kit,and, the Horizontal Missile Tubes and other doodads from an Armor Kit I Built A Month Earlier; Painting was done with Model Master Colors( They're out of Production too! FRAK ME!) Weathering was done with polly scale acrylics,and Scorch Marks were added with Tamiya Dry Brush through Cut out Patterns in An Index Card.
Oh, The Third Kit I bought will be the Herodotus;I've Already Built the Galactica.
I just wanted to quickly wish my very own Chief Mechanic on the Raven, Senior Chief Petty Officer Ronnie "Cueball" Beaton, A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope you have a great one. And I know I share the same sentiments as all your fellow shipmates!
Here is a bottle of my special ambrosia just for you on your birthday!
For the double tanks I'm giving you a few options so that you can decide which one you desire to buy depending on your budget. I got the ones from Thinkgeek and they are very comfortable. If you want to buy one thats not really expensive check the last two links.
For the boots I just used military boots that I already had and I would also recommend that you do that but if you are looking for the boots that they used on the show they are called Gall 8" Toe Zipper Boots but sadly they stopped production on those so the link I gave you is the closest I could find.
This is what you are going to need to sew on to the shirt. Included in this package is:
2 - Precut and formed Faux Suede Shoulder Panels 4 - 1 inch gold painted Stealth Side-release buckles 1 - OD Green Fuzzy-side velcro 3.5" circle 1 - Green or black Hook-side velcro 4 - 8" long x 1" wide straps (for pocket and wrist straps) 4 - 4" long x 1" wide straps (for pocket and wrist straps) 2 - 1" Tri-glide Buckles (optional for wrist straps)
There are a bunch of choices when ordering rank pins. I'm giving several options so that you can decide which one you desire to buy depending on your budget. I got the ones from ebay because Anovos is way too expensive and the shipping to Canada for alchemy arms is also expensive. The ebay are very good and they look exactly like the ones from anovos except they don't come in a presentation case and take about 4 weeks of shipping.
Make Sure that you read both version because there are differences between the older and the newer versions of the tutorial. Also make sure that before you sew anything on that you properly pin it down so that it does not move and make sure that they are in the right positions before you sew it down. If you do make a mistake it isn't the end of the world you can always rip it off and sew it back on.
Last of all remember that you don't need to buy everything at the same time and to take your time with it and remember that if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comment section below and I will try to answer to the best of my abilities.
Well known of course for his role as Starbuck in "Battlestar Galactica", Dirk is probably equally as well known for his role as Templeton "Face" Peck in "The A-Team."
Dirk's first film "Georgia, Georgia" debuted in 1972 & he followed up with a string of television and film appearances, notably alongside Linda Blair in "Ruckus" & notably as Jake Barnes in the 1996 film "Alaska".
Dirk is also the author of several books, the first of which "Confessions of a Kamikaze Cowboy: A True Story of Discovery, Acting, Health, Illness, Recovery, and Life" which was published in 1991.
Shawn: What was your first Con experience?
Dirk: I can't remember, sometime around '98. In Florida. I was sure people thought I was Harrison Ford...why else would they be coming to see me???
Shawn: How did it go?
Dirk: I was stunned that people remembered me. The very first "fan" I met at this convention was in an elevator on the way to the signing area and she did a double take as she recognized me & said, "Whatever happened to you?" I'm not sure what she meant. Did she wonder why she didn't see my on TV anymore (I also wonder that) or was it that I looked..."older"? But I never forgot and quite often sit in front of the fire during the winter, with a cigar and whiskey and wonder, "What the hell happened to me?"
Shawn: How about the best Con you've been to?
Dirk: Most of them have been quite good...seriously...and the fans are wonderful, though I STILL don't know how or why they remember me. I suppose I'd choose the show I did in Salt Lake City in the summer of 2013. It was an inaugural show, had 45,000 people attend and so smoothy I wanted to hire the promoter, Dan Farr, to run my life. I was hoping Marie (Osmond) would come to see me but alas it was not to be. Why are you never remembered by those you WANT to remember you?
Shawn: How about the worst Con?
Dirk: A show in Denver about 10 years ago. I think 400 people showed up. Most of them NOT to see me. I spent most of my time in the bar.
Shawn: How about the strangest or most unusual fan you've encountered at a Con?
Dirk: I think all fans are strange and unusual, as are all actors. All people. Once you scrape the surface. The wonderful thing about "fans" is, they aren't afraid to show it...for the most part. There's no such thing as an "ordinary" person...you just need to get to know them, which I try to do in some small way at shows...even if is for a minute or so to do it.
Shawn: Have you had any actual bad experiences at a Con?
Dirk: I've been stranded at the hotel after the show was over a couple of times. And one time the promoter absconded with all my (and a few other actor's) money. About a month later...an envelope full of cash arrived at my home in Montana. Yikes!
Shawn: What would you do differently if you were running a Con?
Dirk: I'd give Dirk Benedict an hour and a half to do his "talk"...so he can truly get everything off his chest. Of course we'd have to charge admission. And hire lawyers?
Shawn: Have you ever wanted to get an autograph from anyone?
Dirk: Nope and I'm not sure why. Fred Astaire gave me his, George Peppard gave me his & Dwight Schultz keeps promising to give me his, but other than that, I've led an autograph free life. Do you know I don't have one picture of myself from any of the films or TV shows I've done hanging in my home. I think it's because I don't like looking back...which makes doing conventions painful in a way...and driving dangerous as hell.
Shawn: What are you currently working on?
Dirk: Trying to make the answers to these questions interesting...and finding a woman who can put up with my scatological, eclectic life-style.
Shawn: OK, how about future projects then?
Dirk: Learning how to embrace celibacy as a way of life. Oh, yoiu mean professionally... Nope. make me an offer. I'd like to do some acting, now that my kids have found more interesting people to hang out with and I have time to do whatever I want. And then there is "The Third Book"...of which the procrastination of wriing...keeps me up at nights. But it is a wonderful excuse to drink.
Posted by Dragonlady on November 26, 2013 at 12:00am
Wizard World: Austin Texas was a blast! But before I start, I would like to say a very BIG THANK YOU, to all those that were able to come and help out at the Raven table:
-Honorary Raven Member: Robert Ybarra
-Honorary Member: Ruth Anne
-Raven Colonial Marine NEW NCOIC- Corporal Paul "Iceworm" Oakley
- Jr and Little Eddie (Little Ravens)
I could not have done it without their help. Wizard World was so busy with lines of people trying to get in. I ran into several familiar faces especially two people I did not expect to see there from the Paintball Community I belong too. When I saw both of them at the table and Robert Ybarra was talking to the both of them, this gentleman looked over towards me and said "DragonLady???? What are you doing here?" I looked at him and said "Oh no!!! Oh geez!" And we just gave each other a hug! I said to him "Fallout, what are you doing here? I never figured you to be a science fiction type person!" Well apparently he is! We got him to join BFC! But before we parted, I told him on the side, "You did not see me here and I won't tell your secret either!" And we both laughed! In the paintball community, I am someone that is known and had developed a reputation for being a player that plays hard and someone you don't want to mess with but a fair player. In this sport, the way you command yourself, is what determines how people see you as a player. And I have worked hard maintaining my good and well respected reputation. So it was really good to see people from my paintball community and loves science fiction like I do at Wizard World in Austin this weekend! This was a total surprise. We gave this individual his callsign "Fallout" because during one of his first game at our old homefield (122 acres in size) he suffered a heat stroke in front his son. His son was shouting loud asking someone to help his father out! Robert and I happened to be right there close by them so we came to his rescue and helped him out. He was with our group of people defending the location we were at. We helped him out until the field doctor arrived and got him to his clinic. He had to be helped off the field. We checked on him after we all came off the field for a break. From then on, the rest was history........ :-)
I also would like to thank our Raven Member and Model builder: Phillip Cocking, for representing the Raven and BSG as a whole, at a memorabilia exhibition in Birmingham, United Kingdom, this past weekend as well. Just check these beautiful photos of the Raven in the TOS version that he send me with her own rag-tag fleet:
Thank you Phillip for representing us and BSG as a whole. It goes to show you everyone, that no matter where you are at, you can represent the group you belong too and show your love for BSG as a whole in your own little way and we will be behind you and support you.
Lastly, I wanted to say a special thank you to our very own Raven Colonial Marine Member and NEW Raven Marine NCOIC: Corporal Paul "Iceworm" Oakley! He was there with me the whole entire duration that I was there at the convention. He helped me carry things that I brought with me for the Raven and set up the table. We tag teamed talking to fans that came by the table and promote not only the Raven, but BFC and Galacticon 4. We accomplished a lot of things that day and at the same time, enjoy doing it. I have to honestly say, he went above and beyond the mission the Raven Marine OIC gave him. And for that, I thank him! Now, I have to make some more flyers, sign up sheets, business cards , ready for whenever the next convention appearance the Raven will be showing up to.
Good news, Battlestar Galactica fans: Universal is resurrecting plans for a film reimagining of the sci-fi franchise.
The project will be produced by series creator Glen Larson, according to Variety.
Battlestar Galactica previously had two lives on television. The first was in an ABC series that lasted from 1978 to 1979; the show, while low-rated, developed a cult following. In 2003, Ronald D. Moore and David Eick reimagined Battlestar Galactica as a three-hour miniseries; its success led to an acclaimed sci-fi series that ran from 2004 to 2009.
In Battlestar Galactica, humans (living on planets known as the Twelve Colonies) are engaged in a war against the Cylons, a cybernetic race that wants to exterminate the human race. A major attack devastates the Colonies, and leaves only one ship in the Colonial battle fleet — the Battlestar Galactica — intact. The survivors go off in search of a fabled thirteenth colony known as Earth.
Rumors of a Battlestar Galactica film have persisted for years, including speculation in 2009 that Bryan Singer was attached to direct. John Orloff was hired to write a script in 2011, according to Deadline.
The latest writer attached to the project is Jack Paglen. Paglen is also writing the screenplay for the Prometheus sequel, which starts shooting this fall, Variety reported.
Rather than using characteristics from the 1978 or 2004 series, the new film is supposed to be another reboot of the Battlestar Galactica world, but with a similar premise. The original plan back in 2009 was to keep characters such as Apollo, Starbuck and Baltar, albeit with different actors (and potentially different genders).
When I got out of the academy on picon, they assigned me to the battlestar themistocles;I found myself the driver of A gently used Viper Mk.III with thor squadron;I had qualified in the Mk.II,but, I found this quite an upgrade! Even as A nugget,this was just too good! Thor squadron raised A lot of hell with the cylons;This is where I bagged my first 17 confirmed kills.
When I moved on to the Battlestar Raven(where I transitioned to the Mk. VII),the chief of the themistocles promised to take good care of her;Unfortunately,about A year later,I found out some nugget cracked her up bad on landing,and she was only good for spare parts;Oh well....
THE KIT: BAD-AZZ 1/32 VIPER MK.III
This is what I got for christmas recently;This, to date, is the only kit of of the Mk.III available; It is very nicely molded in resin,and worth the $250 price tag;It comes from JT graphics,which is right now doing some re-organizing;Jeff Walclawski,the owner, mostly specializes in decals;however, he does have some resin kits in his catalog,including BSG subjects;Among those,he has A 1/2500 galactica(RDM),which he says is humongus!
This particular subject was easier than I thought it would be;And quite enjoyable; Not A lot of cleaning up of the parts;Not too many parts to begin with;Again credit to the one who molded the parts; The instructions are quite easy;However, make sure you are paying attention to the direction of each part as you are installing it; For instance,make sure you don't install the high engine backwards,like I almost did.
Not A lot of filling and sanding required;But, as you will need super glue for this hog, adequate ventilation is A must! The only thing I did different was replace the kit seat with A quickboost F-14 seat,as it looks much better; My only complaint about the construction was the canopy: You get A resin frame,and A clear vacuform mold; You have to cut the excess clear to fit the frame and trim it to fit,A very dodgy operation;And to make sure the canopy will fit afterwords; The Decals are nice,but on the very thin side,easily torn; Patience is definitely required here.
The colors I used were model master dark sea blue,for pre shading, then, hitting the individual panels with medium grey.
Overall, A good addition to my collection;Now, i'm going to have to get A basketball case for this hog!
