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Line 1: − The '''Aichi D3A''' (Allied codename: “Val”) was a two-seat dive [[bomber]] flown by the Japanese Navy in [[World War II]], and for the first half of the war, [[Japan]]’s main carrier-borne dive bomber. It could carry a 550 lb [[bomb]] under the centerline and two 110 lb bombs under the wings. Defensive armament consisted of two forward-firing [[machine gun]]s in the wings and one flexible machine gun operated by the back seat gunner. Vals were active in every major naval battle of the first year of the war, including [[Attack on Pearl Harbor|Pearl Harbor]], the [[Battle of the Coral Sea|Coral Sea]], [[Battle of Midway|Midway]], and the carrier actions at [[Guadalcanal]]. In addition, in April 1942, carrier-borne Vals sank the [[British]] aircraft carrier ''Hermes'' and two British heavy [[cruisers]] during a foray into the [[Indian Ocean]]. The Val was a rugged and maneuverable aircraft, and in the first year of the war, had a bombing accuracy of 80%. Like most Japanese aircraft, however, it lacked armor and self-sealing fuel tanks, leading to heavy pilot losses. Like its [[German]] counterpart, the [[Junkers Ju 87|Stuka]], the Val had fixed landing gear, greatly aiding recognition by Allied pilots.+ − − ==Sources== − *''The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Combat Aircraft of World War II'', by Bill Gunston, Salamander Military Press, 1990 − − ==Links== − *[http://www.combinedfleet.com/ijna/d3a.htm Aichi D3A] − *[http://www.airtoaircombat.com/detail.asp?id=267 Aichi D3A Val] at AirToAirCombat.com − − ==Further Reading== − ''Fist from the Sky, Japan's Dive-bomber Ace of WWII'', by Peter C. Smith, Stackpole Books, 2005 (biography of Japan's greatest Val pilot, with a focus on the first six months of the war) − − [[Category:Japanese History]] − [[Category:World War II aircraft]]
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