YOKOSUKA D4Y Suisei

Hoy voy a escribir sobre este bombardero japonés de la segunda guerra mundial que no es tan conocido como su antecesor el Aichi D3A. Bueno para cambiar un poco y practicar mi ingles voy a realizar la descripción de este bombardero en ingles.

Yokosuka was the location for the Imperial Japanese Navy’s First Naval Air Technical Arsenal, which began to design a carrier-based single-engine dive-bomber in 1938. The resulting Suisei (comet), based on the heinkel He118, was unusual as it was one of few Japanese combat types to be powered by a liquid-cooled engine, in this case a licence-built copy of the German DB 601.

In service from autumn 1942 the type served initially in the reconnaissance role (D4Y1-C), with the dedicated dive-bomber version (D4Y1) entering service in 1943. The type did not fare well against high-performance Allied fighters, and many fell to their guns due to poor protection for the crew an the lack of self-sealing fuel tanks. A total of 2038 were built, the D4Y2 having a more powerful engine while D4Y4 was a kamikaze suicide-bomber version which carried one 800Kg/1761lb bomb. The Allied code name allocated to all versions was "Judy".

Power: One Aichi 1400hp Atsuta 32 piston engine.

Armament: Two 7,7 mm/0,303in forwar-firing and 7,92mm/0,31in rear-firing machine gun; up to  800Kg/1761lb bomb load.

Size: Wingspan - 11.5m/37ft 8.75in.

            Lenght - 10.22m/33ft 6.25in.

            Height 3.74m/12ft 3.25in.

            Wing area - 23.6m2 / 254sq ft.

Weights:  Empty - 2440Kg/5370lb.

                       Maximun take-off 4250Kg/9354lb.

Performance: Maximum speed - 550Kph/342mph.

                                  Ceilling - 10700m 35105ft.

                                  Range - 1465Km/ 910miles.

                                  Climb - 820m/ 2700ft per minute.