Some years ago when the first Battlestar Gallactica came to television I was inspired to build a ship similar to - but not the same as - those on the series. One of the neighborhood kids had given me a box full of PC boards and with some model battleship parts and balsa wood I set to work. During the building process I began to come up with a story line to explain the ship and its appearance, which I relate here in an abreviated form:
The year is 1939 and the scientists of the world have gathered at a convention to try to figure out what they are going to do regarding Adolph Hitler and the Third Reich. Since it seems virtually impossible to cause his demise it is decided that this group of highly intelligent scientific thinkers will press on with an idea that many of them have voiced before - space travel. It is believed possible - but will require vast resources and materials to accomplish. Since no-one present has any desire to be left behind in the event that Hitler is successful in his conquest of the world a large ship capable of carrying them all must be built. A large area of land on Hudson's Bay is procurred and the massive construction project commences. Since most of the steel and other raw materials needed have been allocated to the war effort it is decided that a bit of piracy is in order. News reports of the day talk of the disappearance of many ships in the North Atlantic - believed to be due to the German Submarine fleet. Nothing is further from the truth. The ships are actually commandeered by the group of scientists and stripped for their weapons and materials. After several years the ship is finally ready for launch. On the fateful day all the members of the team climb aboard and pray that the ship works. Failure means certain death - a fate that all the members of the party view as an acceptable alternative to a slave like existance under the Third Reich. They strap themselves in, push the necessary buttons and pull the requisite levers, close their eyes and wait. After what seems like years the trembling of the ship stops and they look out for the first time on a big blue ball floating serenly in space below them. Now there is nothing left to do but try and find a new home.
Now a few of the many pictures I took of the ship - which for those interested is exactly 1m long - or 1/400th scale.
The year is 1939 and the scientists of the world have gathered at a convention to try to figure out what they are going to do regarding Adolph Hitler and the Third Reich. Since it seems virtually impossible to cause his demise it is decided that this group of highly intelligent scientific thinkers will press on with an idea that many of them have voiced before - space travel. It is believed possible - but will require vast resources and materials to accomplish. Since no-one present has any desire to be left behind in the event that Hitler is successful in his conquest of the world a large ship capable of carrying them all must be built. A large area of land on Hudson's Bay is procurred and the massive construction project commences. Since most of the steel and other raw materials needed have been allocated to the war effort it is decided that a bit of piracy is in order. News reports of the day talk of the disappearance of many ships in the North Atlantic - believed to be due to the German Submarine fleet. Nothing is further from the truth. The ships are actually commandeered by the group of scientists and stripped for their weapons and materials. After several years the ship is finally ready for launch. On the fateful day all the members of the team climb aboard and pray that the ship works. Failure means certain death - a fate that all the members of the party view as an acceptable alternative to a slave like existance under the Third Reich. They strap themselves in, push the necessary buttons and pull the requisite levers, close their eyes and wait. After what seems like years the trembling of the ship stops and they look out for the first time on a big blue ball floating serenly in space below them. Now there is nothing left to do but try and find a new home.
Now a few of the many pictures I took of the ship - which for those interested is exactly 1m long - or 1/400th scale.