Galactica

This LEGO^® Battlestar Galactica MOC is a replica of the Battlestar Galactica from the 2004 remake.

“So Say We All“

VIDEO TOUR OF THE GALACTICA

Quick Facts

Building time: Six weeks
Parts count: Approximately 2000
Versions made: One
Dimensions: 68cm long
Weight: 2.5kg

Gallery

Scroll down for the full gallery!

The Design Process

This LEGO^® Battlestar Galactica MOC was an incredibly challenging build, with a lot of difficult curves and angles. It is a unique design which is why I put off building it for so long, and started with the much easier Pegasus! I decided to go for as much detail as possible, and only compromised on a few areas.

I picked the scale based on a broader project – building the fleet. As the Galactica is the second biggest ship in the fleet (after Pegasus) I decided to go for a large scale (because I love a big ship), knowing I will only need to make Pegasus bigger. This means that I can still get a bit of detail on the smaller ships in the fleet. They will still only be to approximate scale (Colonial one is meant to be able to fit inside the flight pods after all!) but it should look fairly accurate. This MOC is an impressive 68 cm long and near-perfectly proportioned!

A close up of Galactica showing the “SNOT” panels and slopes used on the middle section.
A close up of the top of the ship showing the detail near the engines and the main guns.
A close up of the front top-section of Galactica
A close up of the middle section of Galactica, showing the “SNOT” pieces used for the front, flight pod and main body.
A close up of the engines.
A close up of the flight pod from the front

Galactica was such a fun build because it was is unique. I used “SNOT” (Studs not on top” for most of the build, including the front, the main body, the flight pods and the engines. This allowed me to get more precise angles. This MOC involved more rebuilds than any other MOC. I rebuilt the front section and the middle section a number of times because I wanted it to be perfect. The front section originally used slope pieces but it wasn’t smooth enough so I changed to “SNOT” panels.

The other area of significant change was the flight pods. It was a challenge to get the angles right and have the classic triangular opening. It took a few tries and a full rebuild of the flight pods to get there!

An earlier version of Galactica with “pointier” flight pods and a narrower main body
The final version with straighter flight pods and the iconic triangular opening.

As with most space ships, the grey is a challenge, so I got some maroon tile pieces to give it a classic BSG feel and add some colour. I am most proud of the attention to detail around the top of the engines, and underneath the ship (curved slope pieces became my friend, and I was lucky I got some in bulk a while ago!). This design is a bit different with the double stand, but it makes the MOC a lot more stable so it isn’t easily knocked!

Details on the top of the MOC near the engines
Details on the bottom of the MOC near the engines.
The front of the Galactica from underneath
A view of the entire ship from underneath. A lot of curved slope pieces were used!
A view from the front of the ship. No details were missed and I ensured the shape was just right – using “SNOT” panels at the top and slope elements at the bottom