D3A1(VAL)Aichi Type99 Carrier-born DiveBomber Model_11

Last up date Nov.1/1996

In 1936 IJN ordered competition production,11th experimental new divebomber ,to Mithubishi Nakajima and Aichiaircraft. At last Aichaircraft won the competition and start development . They called it AM-17. Overcoming an obstacle such as a dive resistance board finally it adopted be official in December, 1939.

Immediately it sent in China and did ground bombing. This picture is the appearance in the time ,applied a paint of silver color to whole of it's body. Some of the aircraft for carrier gave the final coating varnish.

In 1941 IJN decided that all carrier aircraft basically applied gray color. The pearl harbor attack was done with this painting. This figure is on a theory that IJN-gray was including green barely itself.

Vals in early 1942 takes an active part for the war when the warfare was advantageous to Japan and average anti vessels hit rate recorded 80%.

In 1942 May many "99-kanbaku" was colored with the top surface darkgreen . Namely gray (Val) existed in the Pacific War the first trifling period.

Many D3A1 and expert pilot were lost with Midway in June. The dive bombing that approaches to an opponent 500m some times caused loss rate over 50%. On the other hand, ground based D3A1s attack to the US armed forces frequently in solomon islands on the South Pacific.

A protrusion under the body is an antenna of radio direction machine. This pulls an ordinariness into the body.