Aichi D3A

The Aichi D3A Type 99 'Val' was Japanese dive bomber, which had entered service with the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1940. It was extensively used in the Pacific Theater until the end of World War II. It was a carrier-borne monoplane designed and developed by the Aichi firm as a replacement for the obsolete D1A2 biplane, performing its first test flight in 1938. Until the end of the armed conflict, more than 2,000 units were produced in its two main versions: the D3A1 and the D3A2.

It first saw combat action in late 1939, when it was still being tested, in the skies over South Guangxi, China, taking part in the capturing of the city of Nanning. This famous dive bomber also took part in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and in the sinking of the British Navy's HMS Hermes (95) in 1942. It also participated in the air raids that sank the USS Lexington (CV-2), the USS Yorktown (CV-5), and the USS Hornet (CV-8) during the naval battles of the Coral Sea, Midway, and Santa Cruz, respectively.

Below, a photo of the Aichi D3A Type 99 dive bomber in the skies over China.

 

Technical Characteristics

The Aichi D3A was a carrier-based, two-seat monoplane. Its had elliptical wings, which were mounted low on the fuselage. This type of wing made the 'Val' a very maneuverable aircraft, being able to literally dive to drop the bomb on its target. The D3A2 had more fuel capacity than the D3A1 as it was propelled by a more efficient and powerful engine. This Japanese aircraft was also fitted with fixed landing gear and vertical tail fin, which extended to the dorsal portion of the aircraft for provide it with more stability.

Armament

The D3A was armed with two forward-firing 7.7mm Type 97 machine guns; one flexible mounted 7.7mm machine gun; one 250-kg bomb under the fuselage, and two 60-kg bombs under the wings.

Specifications (D3A2 model)

Type: carrier-based dive bomber

Length: 10.20 m (33 ft 5.6 in)

Wingspan: 14.48 m (47 ft 2 in)

Wing Area: 34.90 m² (375.7 sq ft)

Height: 3.8 m (12 ft 7.6 in)

Power Plant: one Kinsei-54, 1,300 HP, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engine, which was built by Mitsubishi

Maximum Speed: 430 km/h (267 mph)

Range: 1352 km (840 miles), with bombload.

Below, the Aichi D3A2 dive bomber flying in the skies over the Pacific. Notice the broad wings, which made it very stable in flight.