Initially I thought there was something wrong with my email but clicking
on the pictures, shows them just fine. The image for Space Viking was
the one that got me reading Piper so I have fond memories of it and
still have my original copy.

My personal opinion is that the one image was not really inspired by
Star Wars but is certainly could have been. I think it is more likely
that is was inspired by the old images from WW2 ball turrets on planes
like B17s as Whelan would have seen lots of movies showing them at that
time.

Gord