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 1.29.

The D3A is a highly maneuverable but lightly armed dive bomber. It is very capable of pulling of some rather drastic defensive maneuvers 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
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 3,900 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
413	407	10500	30.4	30.7	5.2	6.5	232
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 3,900 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
446	430	10500	28.1	29.2	13.4	8.6	232

Details

Features
Combat flap	Take-off flap	Landing flap	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	X	X

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

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< 330	< 360	< 380	> 230

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
1,800 m	1,050 hp	1,103 hp

Survivability and armour

• No armour plating
• No armour glazing
• Critical components located at front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
• More fuel tanks located in wings near fuselage

Armaments

Offensive armament

The D3A1 is armed with:

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

      Main article: Bombs

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 ground bombs (370 kg total)

Defensive armament

The D3A1 is defended by:

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

Usage in the battles

Some concerning vehicles to worry about if playing this plane. (i.e. Japanese fighters will out turn you)--> The list of plane to be concerned is planes with 12.7 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 with those weapons will either cripple your plane if not destroy it outright. Also Spitfires should is another enemy plane to be feared because even though the D3A1 is maneuverable, the Spitfire will easily out maneuver you as well as out run and out climb you.

When battling the D3A1, do not fear its firepower as its relatively weak. Always remember the D3A1 is extremely maneuverable 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
Controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Separate	Not ontrollable	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 its preferred to focus on grinding for the performance as the bomb load is already unlocked.
• The armaments should be focus last as performance is they 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 (press h by default)
• Extremely maneuverable

Cons:

• Inadequate defense (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 armor or bulletproof glass to protect the pilot or gunner

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.

Media

An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.

Read 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.

Sources

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

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

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