Chapter II: Historical Record
(continued)

Japanese Naval Aircraft at Pearl Harbor

AICHI D3A1 Type 99 Carrier Dive Bomber

Aichi D3A (Val)

The Japanese navy, in the summer of 1936, issued a specification call (II-Shi) for a carrier-based airplane with dive-bombing capabilities. The specifications called for a monoplane design. As usual, the leading manufacturers submitted designs. Mitsubishi, Nakajima, and Aichi received contracts to build prototypes.

After tests were completed, the Aichi company was ready to compete for the contract. One unusual characteristic of the Val was its fixed and spatted undercarriage -- the fixed landing gear added weight and decreased performance, but actually added stability to this particular design.

A second prototype was constructed with the enlargement of the wings, tail and stabilizers. An increased powerplant capacity was fulfilled by the addition of a Mitsubishi Kinsei No. 3, a 14-cylinder air-cooled radial engine. As with the first prototype, the aircraft carried two seats, one for the pilot and one for the rear gunner/radio operator.

It was later found that, because the aircraft was so maneuverable, the Val could be used as a fighter plane despite the light armament of two 7.7mm Type 97 machine guns (mounted on the engine cowling) and one flexible 7.7mm Type 92 rear-mounted machine gun.

The Val carried a 250kg (551-pound) bomb under the fuselage that was released via a swing arm. In addition, two 60kg (132- pound) bombs could be carried on racks under each wing.

Carrier qualification trials were held aboard the AKAGI and KAGA in 1940 with satisfactory results. Vals saw limited action in China in the year preceding the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Historians for the most part agree that the first bombs to fall at Pearl Harbor came from Lt. Commander Kakiuchi Takahashi's attack group of dive bombers that struck the PBY ramp at Ford Island. For the AICHI Vals, the day proved successful but costly -- a majority of the 29 aircraft lost were Vals.

Like the NAKAJIMA Kate, the Val enjoyed early success in the war but by 1944 it was suffering heavy losses and was outperformed by allied aircraft. As the war drew to a close, the AICHI D3A1 Val was pressed into Kamikaze units.

UNITS ALLOCATED

Carriers: KAGA, SORYU, HIRYU, AKAGI, ZUIKAKU, SHOKAKU

TECHNICAL DATA

Description: Single-engine carrier borne and land-based bomber. All-metal construction with fabric-covered control surfaces.

Accommodation: Crew of two: pilot and radio/rear gunner in tandem in enclosed cockpit.

Powerplant: One Mitsubishi Kinsei 3 radial engine, rated 840hp for takeoff, and 730hp at 5,250 ft. driving a three-blade metal propeller.

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