D3A1

D3A1

B5N2

B6N1 Model 11

D3A1

B5N2

B6N1 Model 11

Japan

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.3	1.3	1.3

Class:

Bomber

Dive bomber

Naval aircraft

Research:4 000

Purchase:2 100

Show in game

Description

The D3A1 is a rank I Japanese dive bomber with a battle rating of 1.3 (AB/RB/SB). It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.

The D3A is a highly manoeuvrable but lightly armed dive bomber. It is very capable of pulling off some rather drastic defensive manoeuvres when under attack. Once the bombs have been dropped, it can give many of the fighters it faces a run for their money in dog-fighting.

This agility comes at a cost, however. The D3A is not nearly as sturdy and therefore cannot take much punishment. It also is rather lightly armed, with the relatively ineffectual Japanese 7.7 mm machine guns and a bomb load of only one 250 kg under fuselage bomb with two 60 kg light bombs under the wings. It must be said, however, that this is more or less sufficient against the biplanes and light vehicles that it usually faces at its battle rating.

Tip: Taking off in simulator battles Hands-off carrier take-off (Auto engine control, no secondary weapons): Start engine, flaps: raised, elevator trim: 8% up, aileron trim: 0%, rudder trim: 21% right, WEP throttle, hands off controls until your plane lifts off the carrier.

General info

Flight performance

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 4,000 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	417	408	10500	30.0	30.6	6.4	6.4	232
Upgraded	443	430		28.5	29.2	11.1	8.6

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flaps (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
600	650	480	~12	~4

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< 330	< 360	< 380	> 315

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
1,700 m	1,065 hp	1,118 hp

Survivability and armour

The D3A1 lacks any armour protection, but its three fuel tanks are self-sealing. One is located beneath the pilot, and the other two are in the wings, one in each wing. The gunner is exposed (his head sticks out of the aircraft).

Armaments

Offensive armament

The D3A1 is armed with:

• 2 x 7.7 mm Type 97 navy machine guns, nose-mounted (900 rpg = 1,800 total)

Suspended armament

The D3A1 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 1 x 250 kg Navy Type Number 25 Model 2 bomb + 2 x 60 kg Navy Type 97 Number 6 bombs (370 kg total)

Defensive armament

The D3A1 is defended by:

• 1 x 7.7 mm Type 92 navy machine gun, dorsal turret (1,000 rpg)

Usage in battles

When flying the D3A1, extra caution should be taken around planes equipped with 12.7 mm M2 Browning Heavy Machine Guns and/or cannons. Those planes will easily shred you because of their firepower. The D3A1 does not like to take battle damage and a short burst from any of those planes will cripple your plane if not destroy it outright.

Also, Spitfires are another enemy plane to be feared because even though the D3A1 is manoeuvrable, the Spitfire will easily outmanoeuvre you as well as outrun and outclimb you.

When battling the D3A1, do not fear its firepower as it's relatively weak. Always remember the D3A1 is extremely manoeuvrable so apply Boom and Zoom tactics if the D3A1 attempts to dogfight with you.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Not controllable	Not controllable Not auto controlled	Not controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Not auto controlled	Combined	Not controllable 1 gear	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage repair	Radiator		Offensive 7 mm
II		Compressor	Airframe	New 7 mm MGs
III	Wings repair	Engine		Turret 7 mm
IV		Engine injection	Cover	New 7 mm MGs (turret)

• When grinding the D3A1 it's preferred to focus on grinding for the performance as the bomb load is already unlocked. The armaments should be focus last as performance is the key trait of the D3A1.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Can be used as a fighter once payload has been dropped
• Fast for a dive bomber
• Has air brakes (H key by default)
• Extremely manoeuvrable

Cons:

• Inadequate defence (1 x 7.7 mm Type 92)
• No armament options other than 250 kg and 60 kg bombs
• Payload is rather weak
• Does not react well to battle damage
• No armour or bulletproof glass to protect the pilot or gunner

History

In-game description

The single-engine carrier-based Aichi D3A dive bomber, a metal-construction monoplane, was created by order of Japan’s Supreme Command of Naval Aviation to replace the obsolete D1A biplane. The shape of the wing and tail, as well as the presence of special dive brake flaps, came from the German aircraft company Heinkel, which was in active partnership with Aichi.

A D3A prototype was ready in late 1937, and mass production of the D3A1 began in 1940. A Kinsey 43 engine producing 1000 horsepower was used, and the aircraft’s armament consisted of two synchronous 7.7 mm machine guns over the engine and one hand-operated machine gun with the radio operator at the rear of the cab. The wings had folding wingtips and duralumin sheeting, and the ailerons and flaps were covered with fabric.

During the first half of the Second World War, the D3A, along with the B5N Kate, were the main strike force of the Japanese fleet. At the time the D3A1 could be considered one of the best dive-bombers in the world. No other dive bomber had characteristics that were even close, until the arrival of the American Dauntless and Helldiver.

All in all, 470 D3A1s were produced.

Media

The Shooting Range #53 - Pages of History section at 06:58 discusses the D3A.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• encyclopedia page on the aircraft;
• other literature.

Aichi Aircraft Company, Limited (愛知航空機株式会社)
Bombers	D3A1
	B7A2 · B7A2 (Homare 23)
Recon	E13A1

Japan bombers
Navy
Carrier-based attack bomber
B5N	B5N2
B6N	B6N1 · B6N2 · B6N2a
B7A	B7A2 · B7A2 (Homare 23)
Carrier-based dive bomber
D3A	D3A1
D4Y	D4Y1 · D4Y2 · D4Y3 Ko
Shipboard Observation seaplane
F1M	F1M2
Land-based Attack bomber
G4M	G4M1
G5N	G5N1
G8N	G8N1
Flying boat
H6K	H6K4
H8K	H8K2 · H8K3
Land-based Bomber
P1Y	P1Y1
Army
Light	Ki-32
	Ki-48-II otsu
Heavy	Ki-21-Ia · Ki-21-I hei
	Ki-49-I · Ki-49-IIa · Ki-49-IIb · Ki-49-IIb/L
	Ki-67-I Ko · Ki-67-I otsu
Other countries	▅B-17E