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Aichi D3A "Val"
When on 7 December, 1941, the Japanese Navy launched their surprise attack against military installations on Oahu Island, the Aichi D3Al, soon to be named VAL by the Allies, became the first Japanese aircraft to drop bombs on American targets. Despite its apparent obsolescence-the D3A being the last type of Japanese carrier-borne aircraft to use a fixed spatted undercarriage-the aircraft achieved considerable success during the first ten months of the war and sank more Allied fighting ships than any other single type of Axis aircraft.

                                                               



Type: Carrier based dive bomber
Allied Code name: Val
Crew: Two

 Power plant:
 Mitsubishi Kinsei 44 Radial piston
 Number: One
 Horsepower: 1,070 hp


Dimensions:
Wing Span: 47 ft. 2 in. (14.38m)
Length: 33 ft. 5.375 in. (10.2m)
Height: 12 ft. 7½ in. (3.85m)
Wing Area: 375.7 sq. ft. (34.9 m²)

Weight:
8,378 lb. (3800 kg

Under the cheers, an Aichi D3A1 leaves the Zuikaku carrier (Indian Ocean, 1942).