D3A1
Contents
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
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 |
