Aichi D3A1 Type 99 Carrier Dive Bomber Model 11 (Val)

From The Air Combat Wiki

Contents 1 Fighter Ace Screenshots 2 Fighter Ace Ratings 3 Fighter Ace Performance 4 Historical Statistics 5 Strengths 6 Weaknesses 7 History 8 Sources 9 See Also

Fighter Ace Screenshots

Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ	Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ	Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ	Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ
Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ	Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ	Fighter Ace museum screenshot by Doug@HQ

Fighter Ace Ratings

Durability: 4

Speed: 4

Maneuverability: 9

Firepower: 1

Climb Rate: 3

Ground Attack: 2

Fighter Ace Performance

Top Speeds						Climb Rates
	Sea Level	4921' 1500m	9843' 3000m	19685' 6000m	Best Speed	Best IAS	to 1000m	to 3000m	to 6000m
mph	208	227	240	232	241@ 11155'	124 mph	2:16	6:29	15:48
kph	335	365	386	373	387@ 3400m	200 kph

Historical Statistics

Service Date: January 1940

Primary Guns: 1x Type 97 7.7 mm machine gun with 400 rpg in cowl

Secondary Guns: 1x Type 97 7.7 mm machine gun with 400 rpg in cowl

Defensive Guns: 1x Type 92 7.7 mm flex machine gun in dorsal position with 1200 rpg

Ordnance: 1x 110 lb (50 kg) or 1x 220 lb (100 kg) or 1x 551 lb (250 kg) bombs under fuselage, plus 2x 110 lb (50 kg) or 2x 220 lb (100 kg) or 2x 551 lb (250 kg) under wings; maximum ordnance weight 1103 lb (500 kg)

Engine(s): 1x Mitsubishi Kinsei 44 radial rated for 1000 hp at sea level

Int Fuel Capacity: 1,500 lbs (680 kg)

Ext Fuel Capacity: none

Maximum Speeds: 240 mph (386 kph) at 9,845 ft (3,000 m)

Ceiling: 30,050 ft (9,159 m)

Loaded Weight: 8,047 lbs (3,650 kg)

Wing Area: 375.7 sq ft (34.9 sq m)

Wing Loading: 21.4 lbs/sq ft (104.6 kg/sq m)

Strengths

Durability: With few vital components and a large, sturdy airframe, the Val can take a surprising amount of damage.

Weaknesses

Speed: Topping 200 mph only when empty, even the I-16 can outrun the Val.

Bomb Load: The maximum bomb load of only 1,100 lbs. makes it hardly worth the effort or time it takes to get to the target.

History

Obsolete at the time, the Aichi D3A1 was the first Japanese plane to bomb an American target when it participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor. However, by the end of the war it had sunk more Allied fighting ships than any other Axis plane.

During the summer of 1936 the Japanese Navy issued a specification calling for a monoplane dive-bomber capable of replacing the Aichi D1A2 then in service. Aichi Tokei Denki K.K., Nakajima Hikoki K.K. and Mitsubishi Jukogyo K.K. each submitted design proposals and the Navy authorized each to build two prototypes.

Aichi's design was inspired by the Heinkel He-70 and utilized the same type of low-mounted elliptical wings. A fixed spatted undercarriage was used to keep weight to a minimum and to simplify maintenance, the resulting drag not being considered enough to offset the disadvantages. Powered by a 710 hp Nakajima Jikari 9-cylinder radial the first prototype was completed in December 1937 with flight trials commencing the following month.

The prototype's performance was rather disappointing, with a noticeable directional stability problem and an alarming shuddering in the dive brakes when fully deployed. Further, a tendency to snap-roll during tight turns marred the plane's otherwise good handling characteristics.

To correct these flaws the second prototype was extensively modified. Power was increased by installing a 840 hp Mitsubishi Kinsei 14-cylinder radial with a redesigned cowling and the dive brakes were both enlarged and strengthened. More importantly, the length and shape of the wings were modified to eliminate the tendency to snap-roll and after winning head-to-head trials against the Nakajima D3N1, the Navy awarded Aichi a contract for the D3A1 Navy Type 99 Carrier Bomber Model 11.

Prior to production numerous other changes were made to the airframe, including slightly smaller wings, a more powerful 1,000 hp Mitsubishi Kinsei 43 (or 1,070 hp Kinsei 44) and structural changes necessary to increase loaded weight to over 8,000 lbs. The directional stability problem was finally solved by installing a large dorsal fin in front of the vertical stabilizer, making the plane even more maneuverable than it already was. The normal offensive load was a single 250 kg. bomb under the fuselage and a 60 kg. bomb under each wing. Armed with a pair of 7.7 mm machine guns in the cowl, it was often used as a fighter because of its extreme maneuverability.

After passing carrier qualification trials aboard the Kaga and Akagi in 1940, the D3A1 was used in limited quantities in China prior to the opening of hostilities with the West. The "Val", as it was dubbed by Allied intelligence, took part in every major carrier action in the first ten months of the war. Their pilots were known for their remarkable accuracy, including 87% of bombs on target when attacking the cruisers HMS Cornwall and HMS Dorsetshire and 82% on target against the carrier HMS Hermes during the campaign in the Indian Ocean.

With losses to the Japanese carrier force and their most experienced pilots, more and more Vals came to be assigned to land-based Kokutais. The D3A1's lack of range kept the Val out of the Solomons campaign, prompting the design of the D3A2, which soldiered on to the end of the war.

Sources

Francillon, Rene J.; Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War; Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD; 1979.

See Also

Aichi Kokuki K.K.

Aircraft Manufacturers During World War II

Japanese Aircraft Designation System

Fighter Ace Planes Inventory