1636 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).


1636 in poetry, Births
Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1636 in poetry, Deaths
Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1636 in science
The year 1636 in science and technology involved some significant events.


163693 Atira
163693 Atira /əˈtɪrə/, provisional designation 2003 CP20, is a stony asteroid, dwelling in the interior of Earth's orbit. It is classified as a near-Earth object. Atira is a binary asteroid, a system of two asteroids orbiting their common barycenter. The primary component with a diameter of approximately 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) is orbited by a minor-planet moon that measures about 1 km (0.6 mi). Atira was discovered on 11 February 2003, by astronomers with the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research at Lincoln Laboratory's Experimental Test Site near Socorro, New Mexico, in the United States.


163693 Atira
It is the namesake and the first numbered body of the Atira asteroids, a new subclass of near-Earth asteroids, which have their orbits entirely within that of Earth and are therefore alternatively called Interior-Earth Objects (IEO). As of 2019, there are only 36 known members of the Atira group of asteroids. Atiras are similar to the larger group of Aten asteroids, as both are near-Earth objects and both have a semi-major axis smaller than that of Earth (< 1.0 AU).


163693 Atira
However, and contrary to Aten asteroids, the aphelion for Atiras is always smaller than Earth's perihelion (< 0.983 AU), which means that they do not approach Earth as close as Atens do in general. Atira has an Earth minimum orbit intersection distance of 0.2059 AU (30,800,000 km) or approximately 80.1 lunar distances.


163693 Atira, Physical properties
Atira is a S-type asteroid and orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.5–1.0 AU once every 8 months (233 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.32 and an inclination of 26° with respect to the ecliptic. With a perihelion of 0.50 AU the body also classifies as a Venus-crosser –  as Venus orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.72–0.73 AU –  but does not get as close to the Sun as Mercury (which orbits between 0.31 and 0.47 AU). As no precoveries were found, Atira's observation arc begins with its discovery observation in 2003. It has a rotation period of 3.3984 hours with a brightness variation of 0.36 magnitude (U=2) and a very low albedo of 0.0231.


163693 Atira, Physical properties
With a diameter of 4.8 kilometers, Atira is one of the largest Near-Earth objects. Early estimates of its size ranged from 1 to 2 kilometers, but those were based on an assumed higher albedo of 0.20. Its larger size and low albedo were discovered when Atira was imaged by radar in early 2017. These radar images also revealed that Atira is a binary asteroid.


163693 Atira, Binary system
Atira came within 0.207 AU (31,000,000 km) from Earth in January 2017, the closest since its discovery in 2003. This provided an opportunity to study the asteroid by radar. Images taken at Arecibo Observatory on 20 January 2017 revealed that Atira is a synchronous binary asteroid with a minor-planet moon in orbit. The primary with a diameter of 4.8±0.5 km is possibly elongated and very angular in shape. The secondary is tidally locked and has a diameter of 1.0±0.3 km. Additional images taken on 23 January 2017 showed that the two components are orbiting each other at a distance of about 6 km with an orbital period of 15.5 hours.


163693 Atira, Atira class
Knowing that traditionally the first known object in a new class of asteroids will become the name of the new class of asteroids, due consideration was given to the name for (163693). The other classes of near-Earth asteroids are Amors, Apollos, and Atens (as mentioned above), named after a Roman, Greek, and Egyptian god, so a preference was given to a god or goddess beginning with the letter "A". Given (163693) was discovered by the LINEAR program which operates out of the southwestern United States, preference was also given to a name of local origin.


163693 Atira, Atira class
The minor planet was named after Atira [ətíɾəʔ], the title of a goddess of the Native American Pawnee people. She is the wife of the creator god, Tirawa, and goddess of Earth and the evening star. The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 22 January 2008 (M.P.C. 61768).


1636: Commander Cantrell in the West Indies
1636: Commander Cantrell in the West Indies is a novel in the 1632 series written by Eric Flint and Charles E. Gannon and published on June 3, 2014.


1636: Commander Cantrell in the West Indies
The story follows the adventures of Eddie Cantrell a supporting character in 1633 and 1634: The Baltic War. Eddie is married to the daughter of the Danish King and is sent to America to set up a colony and to explore for oil in the Gulf of Mexico while defending against the Spanish and even pirates.


1636: Commander Cantrell in the West Indies, Literary significance and reception
Eric S. Raymond called the book "a solid installment in the ongoing series". The reviewer for SFRevu wrote that "This is a pretty standard Ring of Fire novel. Fans of the series will find a lot to enjoy here, even though it isn't advancing the main story line." However, he still finds the story interesting and looks forward to the continuation of this storyline. Mark Lardas of the Galveston Daily News gave a positive review.


1636: Commander Cantrell in the West Indies, Literary significance and reception
One reviewer for the Midwest Book Review called the book "an enjoyable thriller that provides readers with plenty of operational military maneuvers at sea and in Trinidad, and understanding of strategic concerns though the latter sometimes turns boring due TMI detail" while another reviewer for the same publication called it "an engrossing alternate history read highly recommended for fan of the genre". A reviewer for another publication wrote, "He [Flint] and Gannon write an intriguing tale filled with what-ifs that never strain the reader’s ability to believe this might occur. Although unfamiliar with the backstory and characters, I had no trouble following the various story threads, and the book begins with a short overview to set the stage."


1636: Seas of Fortune
1636: Seas of Fortune is an anthology of short stories written by Iver Cooper and set in the 1632 series. The anthology was released in the United States on January 7, 2014. It is divided into two roughly equal novella-length parts, Stretching Out and Rising Sun. Each part ("braid") consists of several linked ("braided") short stories, seven in the case of Stretching Out and five in Rising Sun. The compilation was published in trade paperback in 2014 and in mass market paperback in 2015. The book received moderate reviews, with respectable sales. Stretching Out is set in northern South America and the Caribbean while Rising Sun is set in Japan, in the North Pacific, and on the west coast of North America.


1636: Seas of Fortune
Six of the seven Stretching Out stories were  previously released electronically in the online version of the Grantville Gazette in serial form, starting with Volume 11 and continuing in six installments until Volume 21.


1636: Seas of Fortune
This part contains two threads, one centering on Maria Vorst, a Grantville-trained downtimer who heads an expedition to what is now Suriname to set up a colony that could export rubber, bauxite, minerals, tropical products, and other natural resources that are not obtainable in Europe, but are necessary for sustaining Grantville's industrial development, and the other thread centers on Henrique Pereira da Costa, a Portuguese Marrano (secret Jew), and his half-brother indentured servant Maurício, who initially are roaming the jungles of Brazil in search for rubber trees.


1636: Seas of Fortune
All of the Rising Sun short stories were first published in this anthology. This part is primarily about the expansion of the Japanese empire that is a response to the introduction of history books obtained from Grantville. The main storyline centers on exiling of Japanese Christians to California to found a colony in the vicinity of Monterey Bay that would exploit the resources of North America and also hinder European expansion into the Pacific. This colonization expedition is headed by Date Masamune. Only the first story (Where the Cuckoo Flies) and a portion of the second story (Fallen Leaves) are set in Japan.


1636: Seas of Fortune, Literary significance and reception
The reviewer for SFRevu wrote that "This is a rare collection from a shared universe. There is a fairly low bar to entry as none of the action is truly dependent upon the main action of the Ring of Fire series... Cooper is exploring a part of the world that has been rarely mentioned." The Midwest Book Review writes "Both segues expand the Ring of Fire universe into new or previously limited geography and culture" and "built on real events enhanced by historical speculation but with a nice Grantville twist."


1636: Seas of Fortune, Literary significance and reception
Although he "strongly recommends" the book, the reviewer for the Fistful of Wits wrote that he "had not expected it to be a series of mostly interconnected short stories" and that, as could "be expected in a collection of short stories like this one," it didn't tell the whole story of any of the characters involved." Nonetheless, he added that he "liked the settings, liked the characters, and liked where Cooper took them both."


1636: Seas of Fortune, Literary significance and reception
1636: Seas of Fortune barely missed getting listed on the Locus Trade Paperback List in 2014, but did well enough to be labeled as a runner-up.


1636: The Devil's Opera
1636: The Devil's Opera is a stand-alone novel in the alternative history 1632 series with minor character overlaps. Published on October 1, 2013 the book is written by David Carrico and Eric Flint. It is a semi-detective novel set in a growing industrial city that is a continuation of two series of stories that David Carrico had originally written in the electronic versions of the Grantville Gazette that were serialized over several issues and later compiled into the compilation 1635: Music and Murder, one series involving criminal investigation and crime fighting and other series involving music and social revolution.


1636: The Devil's Opera
The novel starts with the discovery of a body floating in a river by a new character, but things are not as simple as they first appear to be since more unsolved crimes begin to occur. Later, detectives Byron Chieske and Gotthilf Hoch of the recently formed Magdeburg Police, formerly the city watch, are called in to investigate. These two characters were first introduced in the story "None So Blind" that was published in the tenth issue of the Grantville Gazette. Some of the criminals involved in this novel were also developed in these serials.


1636: The Devil's Opera
The other main storyline involves musician Marla Linder and her husband Franz Sylwester and how they used music to motivate the common people to resist the conservative forces that were trying to take over and return the world to medieval way of doing things after the emperor was incapacitated during battle. These two characters were first introduced in the story "The Sound of Music" that was published in the third issue of the Grantville Gazette.


1636: The Devil's Opera, Literary significance and reception
The reviewer for Booklist wrote that the book is "Another engaging alternate history from a master of the genre." However, he does warn readers that "familiarity with previous stories is, if not essential, at least strongly recommended." The reviewer for SFRevu wrote "This is a later book in a well-established world and is not the best entry point." Mark Lardas of the Galveston Daily News called it "an old-style police-procedural mystery, set in 17th century Germany." Two separate reviews were published in the Midwest Book Review. One reviewer called the book "a powerful and fast-paced story" while the other called it "an engaging for the most part low key tale". The Fistful of Wits reviewer admired "the pacing and denouement" of the novel.


1636: The Devil's Opera, Literary significance and reception
1636: The Devil's Opera barely missed getting listed on the Locus (magazine) Hardcovers Bestsellers List in 2014, but did well enough to be labeled as a runner-up.


1636: The Kremlin Games
1636: The Kremlin Games is a novel in the 1632 series written by Gorg Huff and Paula Goodlett along with Eric Flint. It is the fourth book in the series to be listed on the New York Times bestseller list for hardcover fiction. This book reached number 30 on the NY Times list during a single week in June 2012. Besides being listed on the NY Times Best Seller list, 1636: The Kremlin Games was also listed on the Locus Hardcovers Bestsellers List for the month of September in 2012 at number 6.


1636: The Kremlin Games, Plot
The story follows Bernie Zeppi, an  auto mechanic from Grantville, as he travels East to Russia and helps to set in motion various chains of events that leads to fundamental reordering of Russian history and a massive shift from a primarily agrarian economy to a more industrialized one. In writing the review for 1636:


1636: The Kremlin Games, Plot
The Kremlin Games, the reviewer for the SFRevu wrote a positive review stating that the book "is another side story in the ongoing Grantville saga" and that the "action is carried on by characters that haven't played a significant role in earlier parts of the series" and the book "allowed fans to get involved in the development." The reviewer for the San Francisco Book Review wrote that this book "is a standout even in a wonderful series" and it has "war, political intrigue, romance, [and] even car chases." The Midwest Book Review said that this installment "is an enjoyable thriller with a wonderful second order effect on Bernie and the Russians."


1636: The Kremlin Games, Plot
A sequel, 1637: The Volga Rules, was published in 2018.


1636: The Saxon Uprising
1636: The Saxon Uprising is an alternate history novel by Eric Flint in the 1632 series, first published in hardcover by Baen Books on March 29, 2011, with a paperback edition following from the same publisher in March 2012. It is a direct continuation of 1635: The Eastern Front. The threads mentioned in this novel are taken up in 1637: The Polish Maelstrom.


1636: The Saxon Uprising, Plot summary
In the alternative history scenario of the novel and series, Emperor Gustav Adolphus, ruler of the new United States of Europe, has suffered a head trauma in battle, rendering him unable to rule. The Swedish chancellor Axel Oxenstierna seizes this opportunity to try to reestablish the power of the nobility in the USE. He keeps the USE army occupied fighting against Poland and reinforcing Bohemia, leaving Swedish and Provincial forces as the only professional soldiers in the country.


1636: The Saxon Uprising, Plot summary
He uses this advantage to co-opt the ruling Crown Loyalist Party and bully its leader, Prime Minister Wilhelm Wettin, into co-operating with him. Other conservative leaders remain wary, such as the landgravine of Hesse-Kassel, which has the strongest provincial force; she chooses to keep neutral in the conflict. When Bavaria invades the Upper Palatinate the only soldiers available to meet them are the Thuringia-Franconia National Guard and one battalion of USE forces. Wettin, discovering that Bavaria invaded on the covert invitation of the Chancellor to ensure the defense forces cannot oppose his coup, confronts Oxenstierna, only to be arrested and removed from office.


1636: The Saxon Uprising, Plot summary
Meanwhile, Swedish general Johan Banér lays siege to Dresden, the capital of Saxony, which is under the control of Oxenstierna's opponents. Ernst Wettin is the official Imperial Administrator, but Gretchen Richter and the Committees of Correspondence hold the real power there. They enter into an informal alliance with Saxon rebel forces in Vogtland in order to protect as many people as possible from Banér's butchery.


1636: The Saxon Uprising, Plot summary
Rebecca Stearns and the opposition Fourth of July Party coordinate with the CoC to act in a restrained manner and undermine the legitimacy of Axel Oxenstierna and the Crown Loyalists gathered in Berlin. Meanwhile, Princess Christina and Prince Ulric travel to the capital at Magdeburg, symbolically aligning themselves with Oxenstierna's opponents and further undermining the Swedish Chancellor.


1636: The Saxon Uprising, Plot summary
Mike Stearns, leader of the USE army in Bohemia, takes this opportunity to lead his Third Division into Saxony to break the siege of Dresden. He meets General Banér in battle during a snow storm in which his troops are more prepared to battle. Banér is killed, the Swedish forces routed, and the siege broken. Gustav Adolphus regains his wits soon after that and puts an end to Oxenstierna's bid for power. Wilhelm Wettin is released from custody and reinstated as Prime Minister, but with his Crown Loyalists discredited agrees to call early elections. Gustav Adolphus meets with Mike Stearns to negotiate an orderly transition of power, and the emperor commissions Stearns to take on the invading Bavarians.


1636: The Saxon Uprising, Literary significance and reception
The reviewer for SFRevu gave a mostly positive review by saying "The main plot moves forward with a huge cast of characters and lots of bouncing around. There are numerous little interludes that tell the reaction to events from the point of view of multiple areas."


1636: The Saxon Uprising, Literary significance and reception
In contrast, the reviewer for the Shiny Book Review gave a more mixed review by writing "Confused yet? Yeah, I was too actually." and "The story was okay, though the author does have some memorable one-liners in it that made me laugh out loud and caused more than one person to look at me funny. The writing itself is good, as you would expect from Eric Flint, and the series continues to chug along."


1636: The Saxon Uprising, Literary significance and reception
The Fantasy Book Critic gave the most positive review by saying that the "book is also very entertainingly written with so many moments that make one laugh out loud, with action galore, but also with tragedy, suspense and the occasional heartbreak."


1636: The Saxon Uprising, Literary significance and reception
1636: The Saxon Uprising was listed on the Locus Hardcovers Bestsellers List for a single month in 2011 at number 4.


1637
1637 (MDCXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar and a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar, the 1637th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 637th  year of the 2nd millennium, the 37th  year of the 17th century, and the  8th   year of the 1630s decade. As of the start of 1637, the Gregorian calendar was 10 days ahead of the Julian calendar, which remained in localized use until 1923.


1637 Swings
1637 Swings, provisional designation 1936 QO, is a dark asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 50 kilometers in diameter. Discovered by Joseph Hunaerts in 1936, it was named after Belgian astronomer Pol Swings.


1637 Swings, Discovery
Swings was discovered on 28 August 1936, by Belgian astronomer Joseph Hunaerts at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Uccle, Belgium. In the following month, it was independently discovered by astronomer Cyril Jackson at Johannesburg Observatory in South Africa.


1637 Swings, Orbit and classification
The asteroid orbits the Sun in the outer main-belt at a distance of 2.9–3.2 AU once every 5 years and 5 months (1,967 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.04 and an inclination of 14° with respect to the ecliptic. In 1907, Swings was first identified as 1907 YT at Heidelberg Observatory. However, the body's observation arc begins with its official discovery observation at Uccle in 1936.


1637 Swings, Physical characteristics
According to the surveys carried out by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite IRAS and NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer with its subsequent NEOWISE mission, Swings' surface has an albedo of 0.042, and measures 45.15 and 52.99 kilometers in diameter, respectively. It has an absolute magnitude of 10.4.


1637 Swings, Physical characteristics
As of 2017, the body's spectral type, rotation period and shape remain unknown.


1637 Swings, Naming
This minor planet was named after Pol Swings (1906–1983), a Belgian astrophysicist, astronomer and president of the International Astronomical Union during 1964–1967, who significantly contributed to the understanding of the physics of comets and their spectra. The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 20 February 1976 (M.P.C. 3932).


1637 in Belgium
Events in the year 1637 in the Spanish Netherlands and Prince-bishopric of Liège (predecessor states of modern Belgium).


1637 in England
This is the current revision of this page, as edited by InternetArchiveBot (talk | contribs) at 03:31, 19 November 2019 (Bluelink 1 book for verifiability.) #IABot (v2.0) (GreenC bot). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this version.


1637 in literature
This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1637.


1637 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).


1637 in poetry, Births
Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1637 in poetry, Deaths
Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1637 in science
The year 1637 in science and technology involved some significant events.


1638
1638 (MDCXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar, the 1638th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 638th  year of the 2nd millennium, the 38th  year of the 17th century, and the  9th   year of the 1630s decade. As of the start of 1638, the Gregorian calendar was 10 days ahead of the Julian calendar, which remained in localized use until 1923.


1638 AM
The following radio stations broadcast on AM frequency 1638 kHz:


1638 New Hampshire earthquake
The 1638 New Hampshire earthquake struck central New Hampshire on June 1, 1638 (Julian calendar). It was the first major earthquake to strike New England following the start of European colonization. Modern analysis places its epicenter somewhere near what is now central New Hampshire, with an estimated magnitude between 6.0 and 7.0 mbLg. This makes it the largest earthquake on record in New Hampshire and New England, and the second strongest in northeastern North America after the 1663 Charlevoix earthquake.


1638 in Belgium
Events in the year 1638 in the Spanish Netherlands and Prince-bishopric of Liège (predecessor states of modern Belgium).


1638 in Sweden
This is the current revision of this page, as edited by BHGbot (talk | contribs) at 13:31, 18 June 2020 (WP:BHGbot 6 (List 5): fixed sort key; WP:GENFIXES). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this version.


1638 in art
This is a list of events that occurred in the year 1638 in art.


1638 in literature
This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1638.


1638 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).


1638 in poetry, Births
Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1638 in poetry, Deaths
Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1638 in science
The year 1638 in science and technology involved some significant events.


1639
1639 (MDCXXXIX) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar and a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar, the 1639th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 639th  year of the 2nd millennium, the 39th  year of the 17th century, and the  10th  and last year of the 1630s decade. As of the start of 1639, the Gregorian calendar was 10 days ahead of the Julian calendar, which remained in localized use until 1923.


1639 Amatrice earthquake
The 1639 Amatrice earthquake occurred on 7 October near Amatrice, in the upper valley of the river Tronto, at the time part of the Kingdom of Naples, now Italy.


1639 Amatrice earthquake, History
The princes Orsini left the city destroyed by the earthquake, whose shock lasted 15 minutes and caused about 500 deaths (although many bodies remained under the rubble). Damage was estimated between 400,000 and 1 million scudi of the time.


1639 Amatrice earthquake, History
Many inhabitants fled to the countryside, where tents were set up, while others found refuge in the church of San Domenico. Among the buildings destroyed or badly damaged, there were: the princes Orsini's palace  (that at the time of the earthquake they were out of town), the Palazzo del Reggimento (Regiment's palace), the church of the Holy Crucifix, and other houses. Rosaries and processions were organized by the people to invoke the end of earthquakes. There were also heavy losses of the cattle (the main source of income at the time), which forced the population to migrate to Rome and Ascoli Piceno.


1639 Amatrice earthquake, History
The effects of the earthquake were described in detail in a report published by Carlo Tiberi in 1639, subsequently revised and updated in a second edition of the same year.


1639 in Ireland, Deaths
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1639 in literature
This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1639.


1639 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).


1639 in poetry, Births
Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1639 in poetry, Deaths
Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1639 in science
The year 1639 in science and technology involved some significant events.


1639 transit of Venus
The first known observations and recording of a transit of Venus were made in 1639 by the English astronomers Jeremiah Horrocks and his friend and correspondent William Crabtree. The pair made their observations independently on 4 December that year (24 November under the Julian calendar then used in England); Horrocks from Carr House, then in the village of Much Hoole, Lancashire, and Crabtree from his home in Broughton, near Manchester.


1639 transit of Venus
The friends, followers of the new astronomy of Johannes Kepler, were self-taught mathematical astronomers who had worked methodically to correct and improve Kepler's Rudolphine tables by mere observation and measurement. In 1639, Horrocks was the only astronomer to realise that a transit of Venus was imminent; others became aware of it only after the event when Horrocks's report of it was circulated.


1639 transit of Venus
Although the friends both died within five years of making their observations, their ground-breaking work was influential in establishing the size of the Solar System; for this and their other achievements Horrocks and Crabtree, along with their correspondent William Gascoigne, are considered to be the founding fathers of British research astronomy.


1639 transit of Venus, Background
By the 17th century, two developments allowed for the transits of planets across the face of the Sun to be predicted and observed: the telescope and the new astronomy of Johannes Kepler, which assumed elliptical, rather than circular, planetary orbits.


1639 transit of Venus, Background
In 1627, Kepler published his Rudolphine Tables. Two years later he published extracts from the tables in his pamphlet De raris mirisque Anni 1631 Phaenomenis which included an admonitio ad astronomos (warning to astronomers) concerning a transit of Mercury in 1631 and transits of Venus in 1631 and 1761. The Mercury transit occurred as predicted and was observed by Johann Baptist Cysat in Innsbruck, Johannes Remus Quietanus in Rouffach and Pierre Gassendi in Paris, vindicating the Keplerian approach. But their observations threw into question previous theories about the Solar System, as Mercury was shown to be much smaller than expected.


1639 transit of Venus, Background
Although Kepler's calculations indicated that the 1631 transit of Venus would best be visible from the American continent, he was not fully confident of his prediction, and advised that European astronomers should be prepared to observe the event. Gassendi and others in Europe watched for it but, as predicted, the Sun was below the horizon during the transit. According to modern calculations, observers in much of Italy and along the eastern Mediterranean should have been able to view the last stage of the transit, but no such observations were recorded. Kepler had predicted a near miss for a Venus transit in 1639 and, as the next full transit was not expected for another 121 years, Gassendi and the other astronomers concentrated their efforts in other areas.


1639 transit of Venus, Background, Jeremiah Horrocks
Jeremiah Horrocks (1618 – 3 January 1641) was born in Lower Lodge, Toxteth Park – now part of Liverpool but at that time a separate town. His father James was a watchmaker, and his mother Mary Aspinwall was from a notable Toxteth Park family. Several members of the Aspinwall family were also in the watchmaking trade, and it is said that a watchmaker uncle first interested Jeremiah in astronomy.


1639 transit of Venus, Background, Jeremiah Horrocks
Jeremiah joined Emmanuel College on 11 May 1632 and matriculated as a member of the University of Cambridge on 5 July 1632 as a sizar, which meant he did not have the means to fully support himself and was given specific duties to compensate for a reduction in fees. At Cambridge, he would have studied the arts, classical languages, a little geometry, and some traditional astronomy, but not the latest work by Galileo, Tycho Brahe and Kepler. He used his spare time to teach himself the more demanding mathematical astronomy and familiarise himself with the latest thinking. Horrocks read most of the astronomical treatises of his day, identified their weaknesses, and was suggesting new lines of research by the age of 17. In 1635, he left Cambridge without formally graduating, presumably owing to the cost of the graduation ceremony.


1639 transit of Venus, Background, Jeremiah Horrocks
After leaving Cambridge, Horrocks returned to his home in Lancashire and began collecting books and instruments in order to pursue his main interest, the study of astronomy. In the summer of 1639, he left home and moved about 18 miles (29 km) along the coast to the village of Much Hoole. This was probably to become tutor to the children of the Stones family, prosperous haberdashers who lived at Carr House, within the Bank Hall Estate, Bretherton.


1639 transit of Venus, Background, Jeremiah Horrocks
Horrocks was the first to demonstrate that the Moon moved in an elliptical path around the Earth. He also wrote a treatise on Keplerian astronomy and began to explore mathematically the properties of the force that became known as gravity. Decades later, Isaac Newton acknowledged Horrocks's work in relation to the Moon in Newton's Principia.


1639 transit of Venus, Background, William Crabtree
William Crabtree (1610–1644) was a cloth merchant from Broughton Spout, a hamlet in the township of Broughton near Manchester, which is now part of Salford. The son of John Crabtree, a Lancashire farmer of comfortable means, and Isabel Crabtree (née Pendleton), he was educated at a grammar school in Manchester – probably the forerunner of Manchester Grammar School, which was then situated between the Collegiate Church and what is now Chetham's School of Music. He worked in Manchester, married into a wealthy family and in his spare time studied mathematics and astronomy.


1639 transit of Venus, Background, William Crabtree
He carefully measured the movements of the planets, undertook precise astronomical calculations and rewrote the existing Rudolphine Tables with improved accuracy. He maintained an active correspondence, much of it now lost, with Horrocks, two other young astronomers – William Gascoigne and Christopher Towneley – and Samuel Foster, Professor of astronomy at Gresham College, London and alumnus of Emmanuel College. It is not known whether Horrocks and Crabtree ever met in person but from 1636 they corresponded regularly, and, because of their shared interest in the work of Johannes Kepler, referred to themselves, along with William Gascoigne, as nos Keplari (we Keplarians).


1639 transit of Venus, Background, William Crabtree
Crabtree's observations had convinced him that, despite their errors, Kepler's Rudolphine Tables were superior to the commonly used Lansberg's tables, and he became one of the first converts to Kepler's new astronomy. By 1637, he had convinced Horrocks of the superiority of the Keplerian system, and, using their own planetary observations, both men made many corrections to Kepler's tables, which Crabtree converted to decimal form.


1639 transit of Venus, Background, Transit of Mercury
On 29 September 1638, Horrocks wrote to Crabtree about a likely forthcoming transit of Mercury on 21 October 1638 (Old Style) which Kepler had not predicted. He explained that he intended to construct what would later be called a helioscope by attaching his telescope to an "oblong stick, carrying a plane surface at right angles to itself on which to receive the Sun’s image", and that he would draw a circle with numerical markings on a sheet of paper on which to project the image of the Sun. In the event, no such transit took place as Mercury passed over the Sun well outside the limit for a transit, but the exercise proved to be an important dry-run for the later observation of the transit of Venus.


1639 transit of Venus, Background, Transit of Mercury
In October 1639, Horrocks had calculated that transits of Venus occur not singly, but in pairs eight years apart, and realised that the second transit would occur in less than four weeks. He was convinced that a measurement could be made of the apparent diameter of the planet to within a fraction of a second of arc when it was seen as a dull black disk on the face of the Sun, compared to an accuracy of around one minute of arc when seen in its normal position as the bright morning star close to the Sun. He wrote to his younger brother and to Crabtree in Broughton, advising them to observe the event on Sunday, 24 November (4 December New Style). To quote Horrocks: "The more accurate calculations of Rudolphi very much confirmed my expectations; and I rejoiced exceedingly in the prospect of seeing Venus".


1639 transit of Venus, Observation of the transit
Horrocks was concerned that the weather would be unfavourable for the transit as he believed the rare planetary conjunction would produce severe weather:


1639 transit of Venus, Observation of the transit
The chance of a clouded atmosphere caused me much anxiety; for Jupiter and Mercury were in conjunction with the Sun almost at the same time as Venus. This remarkable assemblage of the planets (as if they were desirous of beholding, in common with ourselves, the wonders of the heavens, and of adding to the splendour of the scene), seemed to forebode great severity of weather. Mercury, whose conjunction with the Sun is invariably attended with storm and tempest, was especially to be feared. In this apprehension I coincide with the opinion of the astrologers, because it is confirmed by experience; but in other respects I cannot help despising their more puerile vanities.


1639 transit of Venus, Observation of the transit
At around midday on 23 November Horrocks darkened his room and focused the rays of sunlight coming through the window onto the paper where the image could be observed safely. At his location in Much Hoole (the latitude of which he determined to be 53° 35'), he calculated that the transit should begin at about 3:00 P.M. on Sunday the 24th, but he began his observations the previous day fearing that he might miss the event if his calculations proved to be inaccurate. On the Sunday he began observing at sunrise, the weather was cloudy, but he first saw the tiny black shadow of Venus crossing the Sun at about 3:15 P.M., and observed for half an hour until sunset at 3:53 P.M.


1639 transit of Venus, Observation of the transit
When the time of the observation approached, I retired to my apartment, and having closed the windows against the light, I directed my telescope, previously adjusted to a focus, through the aperture towards the Sun and received his rays at right angles upon the paper ... I watched carefully on the 24th from sunrise to nine o'clock, and from a little before ten until noon, and at one in the afternoon, being called away in the intervals by business of the highest importance which, for these ornamental pursuits, I could not with propriety neglect ...


1639 transit of Venus, Observation of the transit
About fifteen minutes past three in the afternoon, when I was again at liberty to continue my labours, the clouds, as if by divine interposition, were entirely dispersed ... I then beheld a most agreeable spectacle, the object of my sanguine wishes, a spot of unusual magnitude and of a perfectly circular shape, which had already fully entered upon the Sun's disk on the left ...


1639 transit of Venus, Observation of the transit
Not doubting that this was really the shadow of the planet, I immediately applied myself sedulously to observe it ... although Venus continued on the disk for several hours, she was not visible to me longer than half-an-hour, on account of [the Sun] so quickly setting ... The inclination was the only point upon which I failed to attain the utmost precision; for, owing to the rapid motion of the Sun, it was difficult to observe with certainty to a single degree ... But all the rest is sufficiently accurate, and as exact as I could desire.


1639 transit of Venus, Observation of the transit
Crabtree made his observations using a similar set-up but had insufficient time to make any measurements, as it was cloudy in Broughton, and thus he only saw the transit briefly. According to Horrocks: "Rapt in contemplation he stood for some time, scarcely trusting his own senses, through excess of joy ... In a little while, the clouds again obscured the face of the Sun, so that he could observe nothing more than that Venus was certainly on the disc at the time." Afterwards, he made "so rapid a sketch" of Venus as it had passed across the Sun's disc, allowing Crabtree to estimate the angular size of Venus to be 1' 3", accurate to within 1 second of arc of its actual size; Horrocks's estimate of 1' 12" was less accurate.


1639 transit of Venus, Results
Kepler had found that the distance between the planets increased in proportion to their distance from the Sun, and this led him to assume that the universe was created with a divine harmony, and that the size of the planets would increase in the same way. He had written in 1618, "Nothing is more in concord with nature than that the order of magnitude should be the same as the order of the spheres".


1639 transit of Venus, Results
When Horrocks's measurements of Venus, coupled with some erroneous measurements by Kepler and Gassendi, seemed to confirm this, Horrocks tentatively proposed a law which stated that all planets (with the exception of Mars) would be the same angular size when viewed from the Sun, this being 28 arc seconds. This meant that the assumption Kepler had made about the sizes of the planets held true, and led Horrocks to the false conclusion that the distance between each planet and the Sun was about 15,000 times its radius.


1639 transit of Venus, Results
Thus he estimated the average distance from the Earth to the Sun to be approximately 60 million miles (97 million km), suggesting that the Solar System was ten times larger than traditionally believed. His figure was much lower than the 93 million miles (150 million km) that the Astronomical Unit is known to be today, but, despite being based on a false premise, was more accurate than any suggested up to that time.


1639 transit of Venus, Results
By 1640, William Gascoigne had developed a reticle and a micrometer for his telescope, both of which would have been invaluable to Horrocks. Gascoigne showed them to Crabtree, who told Horrocks about them, and reported back to Gascoigne saying: "My friend Mr Horrox professeth, that little Touch I gave him, hath ravished his mind quite from itself, and left him in an Exstasie between Admiration and Amazement. I beseech you, Sir, slack not your Intentions for the Perfection of your begun Wonders."


1639 transit of Venus, Results
Horrocks produced several drafts of a Latin treatise Venus in sole visa (Venus seen on the Sun) based on his observations, which he presumably intended to publish, but he died suddenly from unknown causes on 3 January 1641, aged 22.


1639 transit of Venus, Legacy
Some of the drafts of Venus in Sole Visa were kept by Crabtree, who died in 1644, three years after Horrocks. Their other correspondent, William Gascoigne, died the same year in the Battle of Marston Moor. Horrocks's papers remained with his family for a short time; some were destroyed during the civil war, some were taken to Ireland by a brother, Jonas, and never seen again, and others passed into the collection of antiquarian and astronomer, Christopher Towneley, where they were consulted by Jeremy Shakerley, who wrote three books on astronomy in the mid-17th century. Others were destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. The manuscripts were widely circulated from the late 1650s although they remained unpublished for many years.


1639 transit of Venus, Legacy
The coronation of King Charles II took place on 23 April 1661 (3 May, New Style), the day of a Mercury transit across the Sun. Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens attended the coronation, during which he heard about the Horrocks's manuscript, found in 1659 by John Worthington (Master of Jesus College, Cambridge and alumnus of Emmanuel College, where he was a contemporary of Horrocks), together with some fragments of correspondence with Crabtree.


1639 transit of Venus, Legacy
Huygens knew the eminent Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius, and gave him the manuscript copy; Hevelius appended the manuscript to his report on the Mercury transit, Mercurius in sole visus Gedani, published in 1662. The publication of Venus in Sole Visa by Hevelius caused great consternation at the newly founded Royal Society when it was realised that such an elegant and important paper by an Englishman had been neglected in his own country for so long. The mathematician John Wallis, who was a friend of Horrocks at Emmanuel College, and a founder member and leading light of the society, summed up the view of its members when he wrote:


1639 transit of Venus, Legacy
I cannot help being displeased, that this valuable observation, purchasable with no money, elegantly described and prepared for the press, should have laid for two-and-twenty years, and that no-one should have been found to take charge of so fair an offspring at its father's death, to bring to light a treatise of such importance to astronomy and to preserve a work for our country's credit and for the advantage of mankind.


1639 transit of Venus, Legacy
The Royal Society assumed responsibility for publication of most of the remainder of Horrocks's work as Jeremiae Horroccii Opera Posthuma in 1672–73.


1639 transit of Venus, Legacy
The recording of the transit is seen by many as the birth of modern astronomy in Britain. John Flamsteed later said he regarded Horrocks, Crabtree and Gascoigne as the founding fathers of British research astronomy and the intellectual heirs to Galileo and Kepler. and began his three folio volume, Historia Coelestis Britannica (1745) by printing five pages of their letters and observations made between 1638 and 1643.


1639 transit of Venus, Commemorations
During the 19th century there was a revival of interest in Horrocks's and Crabtree's achievement. Rev. A. B. Whatton, who translated Venus in sole visa from Latin, assumed that Horrocks's comment about "business of the highest importance which, for these ornamental pursuits, I could not with propriety neglect" must have referred to the duties of a curate, although it seems more probable they were his duties as tutor at the house, or perhaps his "business" was merely to attend the church. The notion of the impoverished curate gained popular traction and in 1874, after much lobbying, a memorial was mounted in Westminster Abbey opposite to that of Newton which reads:


1639 transit of Venus, Commemorations
In memory of Jeremiah Horrocks, Curate of Hoole in Lancashire who died on 3rd of Jan, 1641 in or near his 22nd year.


1639 transit of Venus, Commemorations
Having in so short a life detected the long inequality in the mean motion of Jupiter and Saturn discovered the orbit of the moon to be an ellipse determined the motion of the lunar apse suggested the physical cause of its revolution and of Venus which was seen by himself and his friend William Crabtree on Sunday the 24th of November (O.S.) 1639. This tablet facing the monument of Newton was raised after the lapse of more than two centuries. Dec. 9, 1874.


1639 transit of Venus, Commemorations
The Rev. Robert Brickel, Rector of St. Michael's Church, Hoole from 1848 to 1881, raised money by public subscription in Lancashire, Oxford and Cambridge to fund the creation of a new chancel and sanctuary to the church to be named "The Horrocks Chapel". The chancel was completed by 1824, and the sanctuary by 1858. The vestry was extended in 1998–1999, and the first window in the north wall, originally installed in 1872, has stained glass roundels commemorating the transits of Venus of 1874 and 2004. There is also a marble tablet commemorating Horrocks. The church clock, contributed by the parishioners as their commemoration of Horrocks, was installed in 1859; the sundial, installed in 1875, has a quotation from Horrocks ("Sine Sole Sileo") that translates as "Without the sun I am silent".


1639 transit of Venus, Commemorations
In 1903 the artist Ford Madox Brown was commissioned to produce the murals known as The Manchester Murals for Manchester Town Hall. The painting entitled Crabtree watching the transit of Venus AD 1639 is a romanticised depiction of Crabtree's observation of the event.


1639 transit of Venus, Commemorations
Thy return posterity shall witness; years must roll away, but then at length the splendid sight again shall greet our distant children's eyes. Jeremiah Horrocks


1639 transit of Venus, Commemorations
On 9 June 2004, the day after the first of a 21st-century pair of Venus transits occurred as predicted by Horrocks, a commemorative street nameplate in memory of William Crabtree was unveiled at the junction of Lower Broughton Road and Priory Grove, which marks the northern boundary of Crabtree Croft. In December 2005, a commemorative plaque was unveiled a few yards away near Ivy Cottage on Lower Broughton Road, which is thought to have been the home of Crabtree and his family at the time he was collaborating with Horrocks.


1639 transit of Venus, Commemorations
The second transit of the pair occurred on 5 and 6 June 2012, and was marked by a celebration held in the church at Much Hoole, which was streamed live worldwide on the NASA website. A celebration was also held at Crabtree's former home in Broughton when NASA broadcast a re-creation of the observation at Ivy Cottage, inspired by the Ford Madox Brown mural, to millions of viewers, and projected a live video stream of the transit from Hawaii onto the side of the house.


1639 transit of Venus, References, Bibliography
Media related to 1639 Transit of Venus at Wikimedia Commons


163P/NEAT
163P/NEAT is a periodic comet discovered on November 5, 2004 by Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) using the 1.2 meter Samuel Oschin telescope at Palomar Observatory.


163P/NEAT
Precovery images of the comet were found by Maik Meyer in December 2004. There were two images from 1997, two images from 1991, and three images from 1990.


163P/NEAT
During the 2005 perihelion passage the comet brightened to about apparent magnitude 16.


163P/NEAT
Around November 17, 2114, the comet will pass about 0.117 AU (17,500,000 km; 10,900,000 mi) from Jupiter.


163d Aero Squadron
The 163d Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I.


163d Aero Squadron
The squadron was assigned as a Day Bombardment Squadron, assigned to the 2d Day Bombardment Group, United States Second Army. Its mission was to perform long-range bombing attacks on roads and railroads; destruction of materiel and massed troop formations behind enemy lines.


163d Aero Squadron
With Second Army's planned offensive drive on Metz cancelled due to the 1918 Armistice with Germany, the squadron returned to the United States in June 1919 and was demobilized.


163d Aero Squadron
The squadron has never been re-activated and there is no United States Air Force or Air National Guard unit with its lineage or history.


163d Aero Squadron, History, Origins
The 163d Aero Squadron was organized at Kelly Field, Texas on 18 December 1917. After a brief period, the squadron was moved to Wilbur Wright Field, Fairfield, Ohio on 24 December. At Wright Field, the men of the squadron were classified into their assigned duties. After a Christmas Day holiday with a pass into Dayton, the training of the squadron began on the 26th, Long days were endured from 05:00 to 21:00 when each soldier was instructed in his specialty, for which he was expected to perform in combat.


163d Aero Squadron, History, Origins
Finally on 20 February 1918, the squadron was ordered to proceed from Wilbur Wright Field to the Aviation Concentration Center, Garden City, Long Island, New York for overseas duty. There the squadron waited until 25 February when it boarded the liner RMS Olympic and departed on its trans-Atlantic crossing. It arrived at the port of Liverpool, England on 6 March, one day after a slight skirmish with a submarine that the anti-submarine patrol engaged in. From Liverpool, the squadron traveled by train to the Romsey Rest Camp, near Winchester. There the squadron waited for orders, which it received on 16 March to proceed to Royal Flying Corps (RFC) station Narborough, Norfolk for combat training under the auspices of the RFC.


163d Aero Squadron, History, Training in England
RFC Narborough was destined to be the home of the 163d for the next five and a half months, as it began practical training for service and maintaining aircraft at the Front and all the other support duties necessary for an active combat squadron. On 16 August, the squadron was divided into four Flights, each one being sent to a different RFC station for final instruction prior to being assigned to France. Flight "A" went to RFC Easton-on-Hill; Flight "B" to RFC Wittering; Flight "C" to RFC Crail in Scotland and Flight "D" to RFC Witney. After two weeks, the squadron was re-assembled at the Flower Down Rest Camp, Winchester where a final inspection and overview was made by the RFC.


163d Aero Squadron, History, Training in England
With training completed, on 2 September the squadron was moved across the English Channel to Le Havre, France. There, the squadron boarded a French troop train bound for the Replacement Concentration Center, AEF, St. Maixent Replacement Barracks on 4 September for equipping, and personnel processing. There, the squadron was designated as a Day Bombardment squadron, and would be equipped with American-built de Havilland DH-4, configured as bombers. The RFC had trained the squadron on British DH-4s, and the men were fully trained on the type. After a week at St. Maixent, on 11 September, the squadron moved to the 1st Air Depot at Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome. There the men were given gas masks and trained how to use the mask with tear gas.


163d Aero Squadron, History, Toul Sector
On 30 September, another move was made, this time to the "Zone of Advance" (Western Front), to a new Airdrome at Delouze. Delouze Aerodrome was devoid of any facilities, being, essentially, an empty field. Work was immediately started with new buildings being erected, barracks being constructed, roads built and sanitary provisions installed. Assigned to the Second Army Air Service, the squadron was informed this would be their base of operations, so no effort was spared in improving the station. After a month of preparation, the pilots and observers began to arrive on 20 October, along with its first DH-4 aircraft. On 23 October, the squadron suffered its first casualty, when Lt Wilson fell as his airplane was taking off, and was instantly killed. Flight Mechanic Davis was with Lt Wilson as a passenger, but was only slightly injured.


163d Aero Squadron, History, Toul Sector
The squadron was formally assigned to the 2d Day Bombardment Group, however at Delouze, the squadron was too far from the front to effectively enter combat. Consequently, the group was moved to Ourches Aerodrome, some 20 miles closer to the Front on 1 November. By 4 November, the squadron had received its full quota of planes and flying personnel. It had already begun flying familiarization flights in the Toul Sector in order to learn the country and give those who were new to the front an opportunity to engage in combat behind our own lines.


163d Aero Squadron, History, Toul Sector
During the next several days, several enemy aircraft were encountered by no combats were engaged in. The next several days, bad weather kept the squadron on the ground, and it wasn't until the morning of 11 November that a bombing mission over enemy territory was planned. However, the Armistice with Germany ended combat operations at 11am and the mission was cancelled.


163d Aero Squadron, History, Demobilization
After the signing of the Armistice and the conclusion of the war, flying continued on a limited basis to keep the pilots proficient in their skills. However, the main endeavors of the squadron were infantry drill guard duty, and Army administrative paperwork. On 23 November while on an aerial photographic mission, Lt Martin fell with his aircraft from an altitude of 500 feet, both him and the pilot being instantly killed.


163d Aero Squadron, History, Demobilization
The squadron remained at Ourches Airdrome until 15 April 1919 when, with the inactivation of the Second Army Air Service, orders were received for the squadron to report to the 1st Air Depot, Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome to turn in all of its supplies and equipment and was relieved from duty with the AEF. The squadron's DH-4 aircraft were delivered to the Air Service Production Center No. 2. at Romorantin Aerodrome, and there, practically all of the pilots and observers were detached from the squadron.


163d Aero Squadron, History, Demobilization
Personnel at Colombey were subsequently assigned to the commanding general, services of supply, and ordered to report to one of several staging camps in France. There, personnel awaited scheduling to report to one of the base ports in France for transport to the United States


163d Aero Squadron, History, Demobilization
Upon return to the US, the 163d Aero Squadron was demobilized at Mitchell Field, New York on 13 June 1919


163d Attack Wing
The 163d Attack Wing (163 ATKW) is a unit of the California Air National Guard (CA ANG), stationed at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, California. If it were activated into federal service, elements of the 163 ATKW would be gained by the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC) and Air Education and Training Command (AETC).


163d Attack Wing, Overview
The 163 ATKW is one of the first Air National Guard units to fly the MQ-1 Predator. The unit was featured in an ABC News story on 12 January 2010. The wing has since retired the MQ-1 and currently flies the MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft (RPA).


163d Attack Wing, Overview
The mission of the 163 ATKW is to execute global unmanned aerial systems, combat support, and humanitarian missions by Air National Guard men and women.


163d Attack Wing, History, Air Defense Command
On 17 May 1958, the California Air National Guard's196th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (196 FIS) at Ontario International Airport was authorized to expand to a group level and the 163d Fighter-Interceptor Group (163 FIG) was established with the 196 FIS became the group's flying squadron. Other units assigned into the group were the 163d Material Squadron, 163d Air Base Squadron, and the 163d USAF Dispensary. The group's mobilization gaining command was Air Defense Command (ADC)


163d Attack Wing, History, Air Defense Command
Initially flying North American F-86A Sabre day interceptors, the squadron upgraded to F-86Hs in 1959 and to Convair F-102 Delta Daggers in 1965. The F-102 was being phased out of active duty units in the early 1960s and the 163d was one of the last ANG units to replace its F-86 Sabres. The F-102, however, was obsolescent as an interceptor by the time it was received by the 163 FIG. The Delta Daggers soldiered into the early 1970s until they were retired to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.


163d Attack Wing, History, Air Defense Command
Serving with distinction, the unit received two Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards for extended periods ending in 1964 and 1974.


163d Attack Wing, History, Tactical Air Command
On 8 March 1975, the unit took on the challenge of a new mission and its mobilization gaining command became Tactical Air Command as the group became the 163d Tactical Air Support Group. The 163d received the 0-2A/B "Super Skymaster" to accomplish the unit's new role.


163d Attack Wing, History, Tactical Air Command
In October 1982, the 163d assumed a tactical fighter role flying the McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II. The group concurrently moved to March Air Force Base, near Riverside, into new facilities specifically built for the unit and became a tenant ANG wing at the then-Strategic Air Command (SAC) installation.


163d Attack Wing, History, Tactical Air Command
On 21 March 1987, Captain Dean Paul Martin ("Dino", son of entertainer Dean Martin), a pilot in the 196th Tactical Fighter Squadron crashed his F-4C into San Gorgonio Mountain, California shortly after departure from March AFB during a snow storm. Both Martin and his Weapons System Officer (WSO), Capt Ramon Ortiz were killed.


163d Attack Wing, History, Tactical Air Command
The 163d transitioned to the upgraded F-4E Phantom II on 1 April 1987. This newer aircraft incorporated more sophisticated electronics and weaponry.


163d Attack Wing, History, Tactical Air Command
In July 1990, the unit once again changed missions and was redesignated the 163d Tactical Reconnaissance Group. The 163d was equipped with RF-4C unarmed reconnaissance model of the Phantom II aircraft and maintained a dual state/federal mission. The unit's primary mission was to provide tactical reconnaissance to all friendly forces. The unit was also actively involved in statewide missions. This was accomplished by using a system of visual, optical, electronic, and other sensors. During this time the aircrews accumulated over 30,000 hours of flying time and the unit deployed across both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.


163d Attack Wing, History, Tactical Air Command
The 163d deployed to Pisa Airport, Italy, in support of Operation Decisive Endeavor. While deployed, the unit flew as the lead unit in support of flight operations over Bosnia.


163d Attack Wing, History, Air Refueling
After the end of Operation Desert Storm in 1991, the phaseout of the RF-4C Phantom II with the Air National Guard was accelerated. In 1993, the RF-4s were retired to Davis-Monthan. The squadron became an air refueling group and was equipped with Boeing KC-135E Stratotankers. As a result of this change in mission and aircraft, the 163d's mobilization gaining command became Air Mobility Command. In 1995, the group expanded and became the 163d Air Refueling Wing. The wing later transitioned to the KC-135R Stratotanker.


163d Attack Wing, History, Air Refueling
In one of the highest profile military events of the year, nearly 100 members and three KC-135R aircraft from the 163d wing deployed in support of Operation Allied Force. The 163d flew combat missions around-the-clock refueling North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) aircraft, including complex night formation sorties with the F-117A Nighthawk Stealth Fighter. 1999 also saw the 163d's Pacer Crag conversion begin in June and complete by the end of the year. This extensive aircraft modernization project meant intensive aircrew training and was expected to extend the life of the 40-year-old Boeing jet beyond the year 2020.


163d Attack Wing, History, Air Refueling
The wing and its 196th Air Refueling Squadron were widely recognized for achievements in 1999 and earned the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for the fourth time. The award covers a period during which the unit deployed 300 personnel and three aircraft to Pisa Airport, Italy in support of Operation Decisive Endeavor and also flew as the lead unit in support of flight operations over Bosnia. The 163d Operations Support Flight, 163d Logistics Group, 163d Logistics Squadron, and the 196th Air Refueling Squadron also earned the Governor's Outstanding Unit Citation.


163d Attack Wing, History, Air Refueling
The 163d provided support to NATO's Operation Joint Forge while deployed to Istres Air Base, France from 31 October through 3 December 2000, deploying three KC-135 Stratotanker air refueling aircraft along with nearly 210 personnel. As part of Air Expeditionary Force 9, the 163d "Grizzlies" also sent personnel to Kuwait, Germany, France, Saudi Arabia and Turkey from October through December 2000.


163d Attack Wing, History, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle operations
During a ceremony 28 November 2007 at March Air Reserve Base, the 163d Air Refueling Wing became the 163d Reconnaissance Wing, taking on the Predator mission in place of its KC-135R tankers. The wing's last KC-135R left in April 2008. The wing was the first Air National Guard unit to receive the MQ-1 Predator armed unmanned reconnaissance aircraft and was the first to become a fully functional ANG Flying Training Unit (FTU) and to operate a Field Training Detachment (FTD) for the Predator.


163d Attack Wing, History, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle operations
The wing operates its MQ-1s out of March ARB, but also uses the restricted airspace near Edwards Air Force Base in southern California for training, operating a detachment from Southern California Logistics Airport, the former George Air Force Base, northeast of March ARB in Victorville. The 163d also flies its Predators under the service's "remote split operations" approach. This means that the aircraft and a contingent of maintainers are deployed forward, along with some pilots to handle takeoffs and landings. However, the majority of the wing's pilots remain stateside and operate the aircraft via satellite communications links.


163d Attack Wing, History, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle operations
The wing's FTU falls under Air Combat Command and previously trained pilots and sensor operators to become Predator aircrew and now trains them as MQ-9 Reaper aircrew. The FTD, which falls under Air Education and Training Command, previously trained enlisted personnel to build, maintain and repair the Predator and now performs the same training mission utilizing the Reaper.


163d Attack Wing, History, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle operations
On 28 August 2013, a Predator flew over the Rim Fire in California providing infrared video of lurking fires, after receiving emergency approval.


163d Attack Wing, History, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle operations
On 1 July 2015 the 163d Reconnaissance Wing became the 163d Attack Wing, and switched from flying the MQ-1 Predator to the MQ-9 Reaper


163d Combat Communications Group
The United States Air Force's 163d Combat Communications Group communications unit, headquartered in Sacramento, California, is one of eight Air National Guard Combat Communications Groups nationwide, which make up 80% of the U.S. Air Force tactical communications capability. The 163d CCG is one of five major organizations that make up the California Air National Guard. The 163d provides command, control, supervisory management, and training of four Combat Communications Squadrons, as well as administrative management of one Engineering Installation Squadron, one Intelligence Squadron, and one Space Operations Squadron.


163d Combat Communications Group, History
The 163d's history goes back to the 599th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion activated at Drew Field in Tampa, Florida on 30 March 1944. Shortly thereafter, the unit moved to Oahu, Hawaii. Some of its components saw action in the Marshall and Mariana Islands during World War II. The unit was inactivated on 29 July 1946, but was reactivated on 13 May 1948 as the 162nd Aircraft Control and Warning Group of the California Air National Guard.


163d Combat Communications Group, History
On 1 May 1951 the unit mobilized to serve state side during the Korean War until its inactivation on 6 February 1952. The following year, it returned to the State of California and was re-designated the 162nd Tactical Control Group, stationed at Van Nuys Air National Guard Base. At that time three of the presently assigned units (the 147th, 148th and 149th) were Aircraft Control and Warning Squadrons under the 162nd Group.


163d Combat Communications Group, History
On 1 March 1961, the Group Headquarters moved to the North Highlands ANG Station in Sacramento, and was re-designated the 162nd Communications Group (Mobile). By that time the 222nd, 234th, and 261st units had joined the Group. In 1966 the Group was re-designated again, to the 162nd Mobile Communications Group. This designation they kept until 10 February 1976, when they were given their present designation of 162nd Combat Communications Group. The 162nd falls under the command of Air Force Air Combat Command at Langley AFB, Virginia.


163d Fighter Squadron
The 163d Fighter Squadron is a unit of the Indiana Air National Guard 122d Fighter Wing located at Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station, Indiana. The 163d is equipped with the A-10 Thunderbolt II.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, World War II
The squadron was first activated as the 365th Fighter Squadron on 1 January 1943 at Richmond Army Air Base, Virginia as one of the original squadrons of the 358th Fighter Group. The squadron initially began training with the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk. Later that year, the unit replaced its Warhawks with the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, which it flew for the remainder of the war. The squadron left the United States in September 1943.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, World War II
The 365th arrived in England during October 1943, where it began operations with Eighth Air Force on 20 December 1943, but was transferred to Ninth Air Force in February 1944. The unit engaged primarily in missions escorting bombers attacking targets on the continent of Europe until April 1944. The squadron then dive bombed marshalling yards and airfields and attacked enemy communications during April and May from its new station, an advanced landing ground at RAF High Halden, to help prepare for the invasion of Normandy.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, World War II
The squadron escorted troop carrier formations on D Day and the following day as the formations dropped paratroopers on the Cotentin Peninsula. For the remainder of June, it attacked rail lines, troop concentrations, bridges and transport. The squadron moved to France in July and, from its base at Cretteville, took part in operations that resulted in the Allied breakthrough at St Lo. The squadron continued to fly escort, interdiction and close air support missions during the Allied drive across France and into Germany.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, World War II
The squadron received a Distinguished Unit Citation for its actions between 24 December 1944 and 2 January 1945, when it supported Seventh Army attacking railroads and rolling stock, other vehicles and enemy artillery formations. It also destroyed numerous Luftwaffe fighters while defending against Operation Bodenplatte, an attack concentrating on forward Allied air bases in an attempt by the Luftwaffe to attain air superiority in the area of the Battle of the Bulge. In March, the squadron attacked German forces attempting to withdraw across the Rhine River, destroying motor transport and hampering the withdrawal efforts, earning a second Distinguished Unit Citation.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, World War II
The following month, the squadron attacked enemy airfields near Munich and Ingolstadt, engaging aircraft and supporting the advance of ground forces in the area, earning a third award of the Distinguished Unit Citation. The squadron was also awarded the French Croix de Guerre with Palm by the Government of France for its assistance in the liberation of France. The squadron was credited with the destruction of 27 enemy aircraft during the war.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard
The wartime 365th Fighter Squadron was re-designated as the 163d Fighter Squadron, and was allotted to the Indiana Air National Guard, on 24 May 1946. It was organized at Stout Field, Indianapolis, Indiana and was extended federal recognition on 9 December 1946 by the National Guard Bureau. The 163d Fighter Squadron was bestowed the lineage, history, honors, and colors of the 365th Fighter Squadron. The squadron was assigned to the 122d Fighter Group, Indiana Air National Guard and equipped with F-51D Mustang fighters.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard
The 163d and the 113th Fighter Squadron at Baer Field, Fort Wayne, were the operational squadrons of the 122d Fighter Group. Its mission was the air defense of Indiana. The 113th flew training missions primarily over the northern part of Indiana, while the 163d operated from Indianapolis south to the Ohio River border with Kentucky.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard
During the postwar years, the Air National Guard was almost like a flying country club and a pilot could often show up at the field, check out an aircraft and go flying. However, these units also had regular military exercises that kept up proficiency and in gunnery and bombing contests they would often score better than full-time USAF units.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, Korean War Federalization
With the surprise invasion of South Korea on 25 June 1950, and the regular military's complete lack of readiness, most of the Air National Guard was federalized and placed on active duty. The 163d Fighter Squadron and its parent 122d Fighter Group were federalized on 10 February 1951.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, Korean War Federalization
The 163d initially remained at Baer Field, Fort Wayne and the 122d Fighter Group established headquarters at Stout Field, Indianapolis along with the 113th Fighter Squadron under Air Defense Command. ADC established the 122d Fighter-Interceptor Wing with the 122d Fighter-Interceptor Group as its operational unit with a mission for the air defense of Indiana and the upper midwest as part of the Eastern Air Defense Force. Both squadrons were re-equipped with very long range (VLR) F-51H Mustangs that were developed during World War II for long distance B-29 Superfortress bomber escort missions in the Pacific Theater.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, Korean War Federalization
On 1 May the 113th FIS was dispersed to Scott AFB, Illinois and the 163d FIS to Sioux City MAP, Iowa; the 122d FIW being transferred to the ADC Central Air Defense Force. Now assigned for the air defense of the Central United States, the squadrons flew interception missions for ADC. The 122d FIW/FIG were inactivated on 6 February 1952, the squadron being reassigned to the 31st Air Division. Its period of federalization ended, the squadron was returned to Indiana State Control on 1 November 1952.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, Air Defense mission
The unit was re-formed at Baer Field, Fort Wayne, and continued to fly the F-51H Mustangs, returning to its pre-federalization air defense mission of Indiana. With the end of the line for the Mustang in USAF service, the United States Air Force, in an effort to upgrade to an all jet fighter force, required Air National Guard Air Defense Command units to upgrade to jet-powered aircraft. In July 1954 the Mustangs were retired and the squadron was re-equipped with F-80C Shooting Star jets that had seen combat in the Korean War. In March 1956, conversion to refurbished and reconditioned F-86A Sabres commenced, and in April 1958 new F-84F Thunderstreaks were received.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, Tactical Fighters
In July 1959, the 163d was designated as a Tactical Fighter Squadron (Special Delivery), with a mission of the delivery of Tactical nuclear weapons. Although the 163d trained for the delivery of tactical nuclear weapons, it never had any actual nuclear weapons on hand, nor did the base at Fort Wayne ever have nuclear weapon storage facilities. In 1959 and 1960 the squadron participated in exercises Dark Cloud and Pine Cone III, the latter taking place at Congaree AFB, South Carolina. In the exercises, the squadron practiced delivery of tactical nuclear weapons in the fictitious country of "North Saladia".


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, 1961 Berlin Crisis
On 1 October 1961, the 163d and the 122d Tactical Fighter Wing were federalized and ordered to active service as part of Operation Tack Hammer, the United States response to the 1961 Berlin Crisis. Due to DOD budget restrictions, the 122d TFW was instructed to deploy only a portion of its total strength and only the 163d Tactical Fighter Squadron was deployed to Chambley-Bussières Air Base, France, with the other two squadrons being on active duty at their home stations, ready to reinforce the 163d if necessary.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, 1961 Berlin Crisis
On 6 November, twenty-six F-84F Thunderstreaks arrived at Chambley, with the wings support aircraft (C-47 and T-33A's) arriving by mid-November. Due to its reduced force structure, the wing was designated the 7122d Tactical Wing while in France. By 1 December the ground support units arrived and the 7122d prepared for an estimated overseas deployment of 10 months.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, 1961 Berlin Crisis
Rotations of Air National Guard pilots from the stateside squadrons in Indiana was performed to train them in local flying conditions in Europe. This allowed the 163d to maintain 100 percent manning and also to relieve the boredom of the national guard pilots on active duty in CONUS and kept them connected to the overseas part of the Wing.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, 1961 Berlin Crisis
The mission of the 7122d was to support Seventeenth Air Force and various NATO exercises in Europe, flying up to 30 sorties a day exercising with Seventh Army units in West Germany. NATO exchanges with the West German 32d Fighter-Bomber Wing occurred in April 1962 to increase understanding of NATO air integration and terminology.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, 1961 Berlin Crisis
By April, the Berlin Crisis appeared to be settled and the Kennedy Administration was interested in saving money on this emergency call-up of national guard units. On 7 June the 163d was directed to return to CONUS with all personnel, however the aircraft and equipment were to remain at Chambley.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, 1961 Berlin Crisis
The support C-47 and T-33s were flown back to Indiana, and in July the Air National Guardsmen of the 122 TFW/163 TFS returned to CONUS. On 16 July the 7122nd Tactical Wing was discontinued with its F-84F aircraft being turned over to the new 366th Tactical Fighter Wing. The Guardsmen were released from active duty and returned to Indiana state control, 31 August 1962.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, Tactical Air Command
After the Berlin Federalization, the 113th transferred its 25 F-84Fs to the active-duty USAF to fill gaps in TAC Wings; the aircraft being temporally replaced by RF-84Fs from the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Shaw AFB, South Carolina that was upgrading to the RF-101 Voodoo. The squadron flew the RF-84F until May 1964 to maintain proficiency but did not train in photo-reconnaissance. Re -equipped with F-84Fs the squadron continued normal peacetime training throughout the 1960s. Individual squadron members volunteered for duty during the Vietnam War, however the 163d was not federalized in 1968 as the F-84Fs were not considered front line combat aircraft.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, Tactical Air Command
In June 1971, the unit converted to the F-100 Super Sabre as a result of the American draw-down from the Vietnam War, the squadron receiving former combat veteran aircraft. In 1976, the unit participated in its first Red Flag Exercise and also deployed overseas to RAF Lakenheath, England.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, Tactical Air Command
The F-4C Phantom II aircraft arrived on 18 November 1979, and the Tail Code "FW" (Fort Wayne) was adopted by the 122d TFW. The unit flew this new aircraft to Balikesir Air Base, Turkey in 1983 for exercise "Coronet Crown," and once again in 1986 for exercise "Coronet Cherokee". In 1986 the F-4Cs were replaced with more up-to-date F-4E Phantom IIs. In 1989, the squadron again deployed to Southwest Asia for exercise "Coronet Brave" in conjunction with "Bright Star". The unit continued its standard of excellence by supporting Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm with deployments to Saudi Arabia by the Security Police, January through June 1991, and to Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, by the Tactical Hospital in September/October 1991.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, Tactical Air Command
The squadron started receiving their first F-16C/D Fighting Falcon aircraft in 1991. These were of the block 25 type, replacing the venerable F-4E in the air defense and attack roles with the retirement of the Phantom. The transition process was quite fast since the first F-16s arrived in October 1991 and the last F-4 flight was on 21 January 1992. The first four F-16Cs were from the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing, Hahn Air Base, Germany. Twenty additional aircraft were received: twelve more from Hahn Air Base, seven from 363d Fighter Wing, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, and one from the 184th Fighter Group, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas when the 184th converted to B-1B Lancer bombers.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, Air Combat Command
In 1992 with the end of the Cold War, Tactical Air Command was inactivated and the Air Force reorganized its combat forces, with Air Combat Command (ACC) being established on 1 June as a successor organization to TAC and Strategic Air Command (SAC). The Air National Guard was assigned a new priority, taking over the Air Defense Mission of Air Defense, Tactical Air Command (ADTAC), which had replaced Aerospace Defense Command in 1979.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, Air Combat Command
In the case of the 163d, this was already the case in the F-4 and even in the F-100 days. In the early days of F-16 operations the emphasis was more on air defense than on the attack role. With the absence of modern targeting pods the deployment of air-to-ground weapons was somewhat hampered since other units had to be called upon to perform the target designation.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, Air Combat Command
In February 1993, the 122d FW successfully completed its first overseas deployment with the F-16C aircraft. The exercise, "Coronet Avenger," took place in Egypt, and served as a training exercise, testing the capability of the unit to deploy and operate at an overseas location.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, Air Combat Command
Fiscal Year 1994 saw the 122d FW participate in various humanitarian relief efforts throughout the world. Members of the base Hospital participated in Operation Sea Signal, which is the Air National Guard's effort to support the refugees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, Air Combat Command
In mid-1996, the Air Force, in response to budget cuts, and changing world situations, began experimenting with Air Expeditionary organizations. The Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) concept was developed that would mix Active-Duty, Reserve and Air National Guard elements into a combined force. Instead of entire permanent units deploying as "Provisional" as in the 1991 Gulf War, Expeditionary units are composed of "aviation packages" from several wings, including active-duty Air Force, the Air Force Reserve Command and the Air National Guard, would be married together to carry out the assigned deployment rotation.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, Air Combat Command
During fiscal year 1996, the 122d FW was involved in a critical series of rigorous exercises designed to determine our operational readiness in mobility and war fighting capabilities. The 122d FW met every challenge and completed the Operational Readiness Inspection in September 1996 with outstanding results.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, Air Combat Command
In 1997 the name of the squadron was changed from Marksmen to Blacksnakes.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, Modern era
In 2005 the squadron introduced a reconnaissance asset with the Theater Airborne Reconnaissance System (TARS) coming available to the unit. The 163d FS was one of a few ANG units to fly with this reconnaissance pod.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, Modern era
In 2008, after having flown for 17 years with the block 25 aircraft, a number of those came to the end of their operational lifespan. It was therefore decided that the aircraft of the 163d FS were to be replaced with more modern examples. More modern is quite relative since the aircraft they received were Block 30 F-16C/Ds manufactured between 1987 and 1989. These large-intake models were mainly coming from the Michigan Air National Guard 107th Fighter Squadron which was transitioning to the A-10 Thunderbolt II at the time. With the upgrade to the Block 30 aircraft, the tail code of the 163d was changed from "FW" (Fort Wayne) to "IN" (Indiana) in 2009 when the 181st Fighter Wing at Hulman Field became a non-flying unit. However, only a few of the F-16s were re-coded.


163d Fighter Squadron, History, Indiana Air National Guard, Modern era
In 2009 – the year the unit honored its predecessor unit – the 358th FG – with a heritage jet – it was decided that the squadron was to retire their 20-year-old F-16s and become an A-10 Thunderbolt II squadron. The conversion happened in 2010.


163rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
163rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti- Aircraft Regiment was an air defence unit of Britain's Royal Artillery formed during World War II. Around two-thirds of its personnel were women from the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS). The regiment defended London, operating the heaviest guns serving with Anti- Aircraft Command.


163rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, Organisation
By 1941, after two years of war Anti- Aircraft Command, tasked with defending the UK against air attack, was suffering a manpower shortage. In April its commander-in-chief, Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick 'Tim' Pile, proposed to overcome this by utilising the women of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS). The ATS was by law a non-combatant service, but it was decided that Defence Regulations permitted the employment of women in anti-aircraft (AA) roles other than actually firing the guns. They worked the radar and plotting instruments, range-finders and predictors, ran command posts and communications, and carried out many other duties.


163rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, Organisation
With the increasing automation of heavy AA (HAA) guns, including gun-laying, fuze-setting and ammunition loading under remote control from the predictor, the question of who actually fired the gun became blurred as the war progressed. The ATS rank and file, if not always their officers, took to the new role with enthusiasm and 'Mixed' batteries and regiments with the ATS supplying two-thirds of their personnel quickly proved a success.


163rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, Organisation
By 1942 the training regiments were turning out a regular stream of Mixed HAA batteries, which AA Command formed into regiments to take the place of the all-male units being sent to overseas theatres of war. One such new unit was 163rd (Mixed) HAA Regiment. Regimental Headquarters (RHQ) was formed on 28 June 1942 at Wimbledon in South London and 553 (M) Bty was regimented with it. This battery had been intended for 132nd (M) HAA Rgt, but its formation had been delayed because of a shortage of ATS personnel.


163rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, Organisation
It had finally been formed on 16 April by 205th HAA Training Rgt at Arborfield from a cadre provided by 105th HAA Rgt. Two other batteries joined the regiment at this time: 350 Bty from 105th HAA Rgt and 538 (M) Bty from 141st (M) HAA Rgt. 565 (M) Bty joined the regiment on 14 September 1942; this had been formed on 10 June at 24th HAA Training Rgt, Blackdown Camp, from a cadre provided by 132nd HAA Rgt.


163rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, Defending London
The new regiment was assigned to 48th Anti - Aircraft Brigade in 1st Anti - Aircraft Division (later 1 AA Group) defending the London Inner Artillery Zone (IAZ), and apart from a few weeks remained with it throughout its service.


163rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, Defending London, Baby Blitz
The Luftwaffe carried out few bombing raids on London during 1942–43, preferring to concentrate on softer targets such as provincial cities (the Baedeker Blitz) or on 'hit and run' attacks by Fighter-bombers against coastal targets. However, in January 1944 it resumed night raids on London, which became known as the 'Baby Blitz'. These raids employed new faster bombers with sophisticated 'pathfinder' techniques and radar jamming. For example, on the night of 21 January 200 hostile aircraft were plotted approaching the South Coast in two waves, which intermingled with returning aircraft of RAF Bomber Command.


163rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, Defending London, Baby Blitz
This caused problems of identification and restrictions on fire, but the guns of 2 AA Group and then 1 AA Group engaged as the raiders approached London. Only one-fifth of the raiders reached the city, the remainder turning away to bomb open country. AA guns brought down eight aircraft. At the end of January London Docks received a 130-strong raid dropping flares and incendiaries as they had in the London Blitz of 1940–41: about one-third reached their target and five were shot down.


163rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, Defending London, Baby Blitz
February began with a 75-strong raid, of which only 12 reached the IAZ and four were shot down. On 13 February only six out of 115 bombers reached London. The climax came with five raids in the week 18–25 February varying from 100 to 140 in strength. These met intense AA fire from the Thames Estuary onwards and fewer than half made it to central London: the AA score was 13 shot down while the night fighters added 15.


163rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, Defending London, Baby Blitz
Facing these casualty rates, the Luftwaffe switched to targets away from London until 24 March, when a 100-strong raid on London lost four aircraft, and finally on 18 April a raid of 125 aircraft lost 14 shot down and only 30 reached the IAZ. Although much damage was caused in London, the rising efficiency of the HAA guns and radar made the enemy's losses unsustainable.


163rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, Defending London, Baby Blitz
By the autumn of 1944, the regiment was serving on 5.25-inch guns – the heaviest guns in service with AA Command – with 350 Bty operating the powered twin ex-naval turrets covering London. This required a higher personnel establishment of 8 officers, 186 male other ranks and 211 ATS per 5.25-inch battery, 12 officers, 147 male other ranks, 293 ATS for the turrets.


163rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, Defending London, Operation Diver
Soon after the Allied invasion of Normandy began on D-Day, V-1 flying bombs, codenamed 'Divers', began to be launched against London from Northern France. V-1s (known to Londoners as 'Doodlebugs') presented AA Command's biggest challenge since the Blitz.


163rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, Defending London, Operation Diver
Defences had been planned against this new form of attack (Operation Diver), but it presented a severe problem for AA guns, and after two weeks' experience AA Command carried out a major reorganisation, stripping guns from the London IAZ and other parts of the UK and repositioning them along the South Coast to target V-1s coming in over the English Channel, where a 'downed' V-1 would cause no damage. This meant that the remaining HAA guns around the IAZ, including the fixed 5.25-inch guns, were silenced, to the rage of Londoners, who were unaware of the tactics being employed.


163rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, Defending London, Operation Diver
As the launching sites were overrun by 21st Army Group, the Luftwaffe switched to air-launching V-1s over the North Sea, so 1 AA Group had to redeploy again to the east of London. This reorganisation entailed 163rd (M) HAA Rgt transferring within 1 AA Group to come under the command of 26th (London) AA Bde in November–December 1944. It returned to 48th AA Bde within weeks.


163rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, Defending London, Operation Diver
By now, AA Command was being forced to release personnel, both male and ATS, for service with 21st Army Group fighting in North West Europe, and a large number of units had to be disbanded. 565 (M) Battery began disbanding on 18 September, and completed the process by 16 October. It was replaced on 7 February 1945 when 505 (M) Bty joined from 157th HAA Rgt, but by then the war in Europe was coming to an end. 553 (M) Battery disbanded at Southend-on-Sea on 31 March 1945.


163rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, Postwar
163rd (M) HAA Regiment remained with 48 AA Bde in 1 AA Group after the war had ended. When the RA was reorganised on 1 April 1947, 163rd (M) HAA Rgt was redesignated 101 (M) HAA Regiment in the postwar Regular Army, (taking the number of a pre-war Territorial Army unit in Scotland that had been redesignated 501 HAA Rgt). 350, 505 and 538 Batteries were redesignated 241, 296 and 323 (M) Btys. It was one of only three Mixed regiments in the postwar Regular RA. The regiment formed part of 15 AA Bde – the Regular Army element of the old 48 AA Bde – in 1 AA Group of AA Command.


163rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, Postwar
However, the new regiment did not last very long under postwar cuts. It was reduced to a cadre in London on 30 June 1948, 323 Bty was disbanded on 10 October, and RHQ and the other two batteries were placed in suspended animation on 10 November, completing the process by the end of the month.


163rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, Insignia
While the male members of the regiment wore the Royal Artillery's 'gun' cap badge, the women wore the ATS cap badge, but in addition they wore the RA's 'grenade' collar badge as a special badge above the left breast pocket of the tunic. Both sexes wore the white RA lanyard on the right shoulder.


163rd Battalion (French-Canadian), CEF
The 163rd (Canadien-Francais) Battalion, CEF was a unit in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. Based in Montreal, Quebec, the unit began recruiting in late 1915 throughout the province of Quebec. In May 1916, the battalion sailed for Bermuda, where it remained on garrison duty until late November of the same year. After arriving in England, the battalion was absorbed into the 10th Reserve Battalion on January 8, 1917. The 163rd (Canadien-Francais) Battalion, CEF had one Officer Commanding: Lieut-Col. H. DesRosiers.


163rd Battalion (French-Canadian), CEF
The journalist Olivar Asselin was a member of the battalion.


163rd Division (1st Formation)(People's Republic of China)
The 163rd Division(Chinese: 第163师) was created in November 1948 under the Regulation of the Redesignations of All Organizations and Units of the Army, issued by Central Military Commission on November 1, 1948, basing on the 14th Independent Division of Northeastern People's Liberation Army,  formed in September.


163rd Division (1st Formation)(People's Republic of China)
The division was under direct control of Northeastern Military Region. Under the flag of 163rd division it took part in the Chinese civil war. In November 1951 the division was disbanded.


163rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 163rd Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army that saw active service during the First World War in Gallipoli and the Middle Eastern Theatre as part of the 54th (East Anglian) Division. In the Second World War the brigade remained in the United Kingdom until it was disbanded in late 1943.


163rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), History, Formation
The brigade was raised in 1908 upon the creation of the Territorial Force, originally as the Norfolk and Suffolk Brigade and was part of the East Anglian Division. The brigade consisted of two Volunteer battalions, the 4th and 5th, of the Norfolk Regiment and two, the 4th and 5th, of the Suffolk Regiment.


163rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), History, First World War
The division was mobilised on 5 August 1914, the day after Britain declared war on Germany. On 20 August the entire division moved to Chelmsford, Bury St Edmunds and Norwich. The division spent the next few months on home service and coastal defence and started training in preparation to eventually go overseas.


163rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), History, First World War
In May 1915 the East Anglian Division was numbered as the 54th (East Anglian) Division and all the brigades in the division were also numbered—the Norfolk and Suffolk Brigade became 163rd (Norfolk and Suffolk) Brigade. As happened in all Territorial Force divisions, the battalions were also numbered and adopted the '1/' prefix (1/4th Suffolks), to distinguish them from their 2nd Line units which were being formed. The 2nd Line were initially intended to act as a draft-finding reserve for the 1st Line. They were the 208th (2/1st Norfolk and Suffolk) Brigade, 69th (2nd East Anglian) Division. In November 1914 the 1/4th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment was transferred to the 3rd (Lahore) Division of the British Indian Army and were replaced in the brigade by the 1/8th (Isle of Wight Rifles) Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, which was previously unattached to a field formation.


163rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), History, First World War
In July 1915 the division was ordered to prepare for overseas service. The brigade served with the 54th Division in the Middle Eastern theatre and fought in the Gallipoli Campaign, landing at Suvla Bay on 10 August 1915, as part of IX Corps. During the fighting  on 12 August the 1/5th Norfolks


163rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), History, First World War
"...were on the right of the line", wrote Sir Ian Hamilton, commanding all forces in the region "and found themselves for a moment less strongly opposed than the rest of the brigade. Against the yielding forces of the enemy Colonel Sir Horace Beauchamp, a bold, self-confident officer, eagerly pressed forward, followed by the best part of the battalion. The fighting grew hotter, and the ground became more wooded and broken. At this stage many men were wounded, or grew exhausted with thirst. These found their way back to camp during the night. But the colonel, with sixteen officers and 250 men, still kept pushing on, driving all the enemy before them. Nothing more was ever seen or heard of any of them. They charged into the forest and were lost to sight or sound. Not one of them ever came back."


163rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), History, First World War
The men, the so-called vanishing Norfolks, were the subject of a BBC TV film, All the King's Men. The division was evacuated from Gallipoli in early December and spent the most of 1916 in Cairo, Egypt, occupying No. 1 (Southern) Section of the Suez Canal defences.


163rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), History, First World War
The division (and the brigade) fought again in 1917 and invaded Palestine. The brigade fought in the First Battle of Gaza in late March, Second Battle of Gaza in mid-April and Third Battle of Gaza in late October – early November battles of Gaza and the Battle of Jaffa in December.


163rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), History, First World War
In 1918 the brigade fought at Berukin from April to May and finally at the Battle of Sharon in mid-September. The division concentrated at Beirut between 31 October and 5 November, but the Ottoman Empire surrendered on 31 October with the signing of the Armistice of Mudros.