TYPE 94 CARRIER LIGHT BOMBER AICHI D1A1

The Aichi D1A was a Japanese biplane dive bomber from the interwar period and World War II. The drive - in the D1A2 version - was provided by a single engine Nakajima Hikari 1 with 730 hp. The prototype flight took place in 1934, and serial production began shortly thereafter, ending with the production of about 600 examples of this aircraft. The on-board armament consisted of three machine guns wz. 92 caliber 7.7 mm. The plane could also carry a load of bombs weighing up to 310 kilograms. The Aichi D1A was created in response to the order of the Japanese Navy command, which wanted to acquire an on-board dive bomber in 1933-1934. When designing the new machine, Aichi relied heavily on the Heinkel He-66 plane purchased in Germany. Two basic versions of this aircraft were created in the course of serial production. The first mass-produced version was the Aichi D1A1, powered by the Nakajima Kotobuki 2 engine. Shortly after, however, the A1D2 model entered the line, with improved aerodynamics, the shape of the main chassis covers and the use of a different power unit. Aircraft of this type were used in the initial period of the Japanese-Chinese war of 1937-1945. They were finally withdrawn from the line by 1942. Their only foreign user was Manchukuo.