I like it - it's a simple and practical mini Battlestar of the same vintage as the Galactica and not much smaller than a Valkyrie. Think of it as an HMS Invincible class equivalent, while the Galactica is like the USS Forrestal and the Pegasus like a Nimitz class. The RN carriers were going to be much more effective in patrolling the GIUK gap, while the big US carriers are morre effective in the open oceans. Or you could compare it to a USMC "Harrier carrier", which is also considerably smaller than a Nimitz class, but still plays a vital role.
I wouldn't like to be combat landing a damaged Viper or Raptor on those small strips bwtewwn the upper large engines and ablove the small engines, and it colud be a bit of a danger to the ship itself, but the approach path to the landing pods on all the various Battlestar designs (TOS and TNS, inculding the Defender) have the same problem of an approach path that is very close to the blindingly bright engines, witha potential for some sort of wake and the worry about a collision inside the engine (surely a very severe occurence for the big ship?).
