"The VIPER is the most advanced flying machine ever devised by man." - Captain Apollo

A Viper squadron - Battlestar Galactica

Aside from the Galactica, the most well-known ship in the Battlestar Galactica universe is the Viper.  This sleek one-man attack craft was seen in every episode of the short-lived series.  However, it's interesting to note that in the series blockbuster pilot movie "Saga of a Star World" - which took 50 days to film and many months of pre-production planning - nowhere in the movie is the name "Viper" mentioned!  Several times throughout the movie, the ships are referred to as either "fighters" or "fighter planes" - NOT Vipers!  The ships are not called Vipers until the second episode, "Lost Planet of the Gods".  The first four (captioned) photos below are from "Saga of a Star World" and the last photo is from "Lost Planet of the Gods", Part 1.