'GALACTICA' AT 40: THE VIPER - CLOSE-UP!

The fastest and most advanced fighting craft of the Colonial forces, the Viper (aka 'Starhound fighter'), gets a superb close-up examination in this great art which originally appeared in Famous Spaceships of Fact and Fantasy magazine, from 1979.

'GALACTICA' AT 40: INTRODUCING MAREN JENSEN AS ATHENA...

Adama is blessed with a young and talented set of children, rounded out by Maren Jensen playing the lovely Athena, a communications/control expert on the Galactica bridge, and efficient personal shuttle pilot to her father (as seen with the pilot episode), then progressing to become a skilled but edgily volatile Viper pilot. Loyal and compassionate, her relationship with Starbuck is loving but bordering on fractious (even violent- inducing steam burns no less!) whenever his eyes start to roam...

'GALACTICA' AT 40: WHEN 'WORZEL' MET 'GALACTICA'!

You could always count on the UK children's TV listings/feature magazine Look-In to bring together cover stars of the most eclectic kind, as especially seen here - both Cylon and Galactica fused with the comedic British scarecrow comedy figure of Worzel Gummidge (as played by another sci-fi TV legend in former Doctor Who Jon Pertwee) for this fun 1979 artwork created by magazine cover regular artists Arnaldo Putzu.

'GALACTICA' AT 40: INTRODUCING ADAMA

Despite his own early misgivings and personal doubts about his abilities to lead them after the Cylon sneak attack, the remains of the Twelve Colonies of Mankind couldn't be in better hands for safety and protection in the search for the lost Thirteenth Tribe, than those of the passionate and commanding presence of Adama, as played with steely grit, authority and personable charm by respected Canadian actor Lorne Greene.

CLASSIC ART: BATTLE IN THE HEAVENS!

The Battlestar Galactica comes under attack as its moves into deep space, away from the attacked Colonial Fleet, as seen in this iconic Ralph McQuarrie art used in all kinds of film and series publicity at that time, like this lovely international poster for Saga of a Star World (in its feature-film composition) showcasing the superb design and evil Cylon villains. And, of course, the mighty Sensurround sound experience that UNIVERSAL loved to put in bigger showcase theatres back in those halcyon days!