Watch: An In-Depth Look At Battlestar Galactica’s Colonial Viper

Video: The Colonial Viper Mk II space superiority fighter is one of the more memorable machines in modern sci-fi, enjoying pride of place in both the original Battlestar Galactica TV series of 1978 and the 2004 remake of the same name and blowing countless Cylon raiders out of vacuum. In fact, the Mk II is so iconic that US Air Force pilots nicknamed their F-16s ‘Vipers’. Now, a YouTube channel has a short history of the spacecraft and its successes.

The Mark II is notable because of its low-tech construction; in the newer Battlestar Galactica series, it’s a relic from the original Cylon war. The much more advanced Mark VII is a superior fighter — except when its advanced electronics and avionics are remotely disabled by Cylon electronic warfare. That’s when the dependable Mark II comes into play.

This video is from Spacedock, a new YouTube channel built around the specifications and history of spacecraft in popular sci-fi. It’s previously covered the inimitable Incom T-65 X-Wing of Star Wars fame, and the much more lame USS Enterprise. [YouTube]