Battlestar Galactica quick questions: That photo the pilots touch

Cafe Society
1

The one in the pilots’ briefing room that they all touch as they walk by: Who is that a photo of/what is its significance?

Also: why does the BSG logo (the “ship patch”) have “BSG 75” on it? What’s the 75?

2

Dunno about the picture, but I assumed Galactica is the 75th Battlestar made.

3

Don’t know about the 75, but the photograph is explained by series creator Ronald Moore in his blog. “Laura” in the following refers to Laura Roslin, the President played by Mary McDonnell:

Pretty neat.

4

I wondered the same thing. It will probably be the storyline of a show in the future.

5

Hmmm…didn’t the first Galactica series premier in 1975?

6

Nope. 1978.

7

I’ve wondered about that too, and AFAIK there is no (as yet) official explanation. So your guess is as good as anyone’s.

It probably has something to do with why they cut the corners off all their paper.

8

The little BSG-75/Galactica/logo thingy they show at the end of the opening credits is the ship’s insiginia/crest. Check out this page: Vulture's Row: The CV Guide for examples of current Navy carrier crests including the name & number. (look lower than USS Independence)

As for the designation/numbering of BSG-75, Navy ships have both a type designation and a hull number.

Combatant types are as follows:

BB Battleship
CVN Nuclear Powered Aircraft Carrier
CV Aircraft Carrier
CGN Nuclear Power Guided Missile Cruiser
CG Guided Missile Cruiser
DDG Guided Missile Destroyer
DD Destroyer
FFG Guided Missile Frigate
FF Frigate
SSBN Nuclear Powered Ballistic Missile Submarine
SSN Nuclear Powered Submarine

For example, CVN-75 is the USS Harry S Truman, DDG 73 is the USS Decatur, BB-35 was/is the USS Texas, and BB-61 is the USS Iowa. I think the hull numbers are sequential in a broad type- the fleet carriers (CV/CVN) numbers have been sequential since the get-go, with CV-1 being the USS Langley, and the CVN 77 being the George H.W. Bush.

Back to the OP, it seems obvious that the Galactica is a BSG type ship, probably BSG = Battlestar, and it’s the 75th Battlestar constructed. Now if the Colonial fleet had 100+ battlestars, then I’m guessing the latest ones were probably BSG-150 through BSG-200.

9

The deleted scene from “33” can be seen here (second pic at bottom of the page)

10

You see a smiliar custom in many old war movies. The pilots, as they file out of the ready room to embark on a mission, each touch a picture posted on the wall for good luck. The picture is often a pin-up, but could well be of their home city, a monument, or some other totem.

I seem to recall one movie where the crew had zero confidence in their new commanding officer – just a kid, really – until he pulled off some daring thing or other, at which point he was invited to slap the photo of, IIRC, Betty Grable’s backside, indicating his full acceptance.