| D1A | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Dive bomber |
| National origin | Japan |
| Manufacturer | Aichi Kokuki KK |
| Status | Retired |
| Primary user | Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service |
| Number built | 590[1] |
| History | |
| First flight | 1934[2] |
| Retired | 1942 |
TheAichi D1A orNavy Type 94/96 Carrier Bomber (Allied reporting name "Susie"[3]) was a Japanesecarrier-baseddive bomber of the 1930s. A single-engine, two-seatbiplane based on theHeinkel He 50, theD1A was produced by Aichi for theImperial Japanese Navy, remaining in service as atrainer at the time of theattack on Pearl Harbor. The D1A was produced in two variants, theD1A1 (Navy Type 94 Carrier Bomber), and theD1A2 (Navy Type 96 Carrier Bomber, sometimes referred to as theD2A).
The D1A came out of the Imperial Japanese Navy's need for an advanced carrier-based dive bomber, and in late 1934 the IJN ordered the finalisation of the Aichi AB-9 design which was produced as the early model D1A1.[1] However, the D1A1 was not designed byAichi Tokei Denki Kabushiki Kaisha [ja] aircraft company (laterAichi Kokuki), but byErnst Heinkel Flugzeugwerke at the request of the Aichi company. The initial version designed by Heinkel was theHe 50, a similar model equipped with floats instead of landing gear. The subsequent model, theHe 66 was provided to Aichi who immediately began production of it as the D1A1.
The design of the D1A, based on the Heinkel He 66, an export model of the He 50, was designed as a biplane constructed of metal, with a fabric covering, afixed landing gear and a conventional type tail landing skid. Original models had 365 kW (490 hp) engines and it was not until later models that more powerful 433 kW (580 hp) engines were included in the construction.
The D1A was primarily used in theSecond Sino-Japanese War and up to the timeJapan enteredWorld War II in 1941. At the beginning of thePacific War, all of the remaining D1A1s were decommissioned and most of the D1A2s were retired from the front lines and served primarily intraining units. The exception was 68 of the D1A2 model that operated as a second-line support until being retired in 1942.[1]
Data fromJapanese Aircraft of the Pacific War[5]and Aircraft of World War II - 300 of the World's Greatest aircraft 1939-45[1]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
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