(Another) Airfix Aichi D3A1 Val

[m0gb0y74]

Aichi D3A



The Aichi D3A, (Allied reporting name "Val") was a World War II carrier-borne dive bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). It was the primary dive bomber in the Imperial Japanese Navy, and participated in almost all actions, including the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Aichi D3A was the first Japanese aircraft to bomb American targets in World War II, commencing with Pearl Harbor and U.S. bases in the Philippines, such as Clark Air Force Base. During the course of the Second World War, the Val dive bomber sank more Allied warships than any other Axis aircraft, despite being considered obsolescent when the war started.

In mid-1936, the Japanese Navy issued the 11-Shi specification for a monoplane carrier-based dive bomber to replace the existing D1A biplane currently in service. Aichi, Nakajima and Mitsubishi all submitted designs, and Aichi and Nakajima were both asked for two prototypes each.

The Aichi design started with low-mounted elliptical wings inspired by the Heinkel He 70 Blitz. It flew slowly enough that the drag from the landing gear was not a serious issue, so fixed gear were used for simplicity. The aircraft was to be powered by the 529 kW (710 hp) Nakajima Hikari 1 nine-cylinder radial engine.

The first prototype was completed in December 1937, and flight trials began a month later. Initial tests were disappointing. The aircraft was underpowered and suffered from directional instability in wide turns, and in tighter turns, it tended to snap roll. The dive brakes vibrated heavily when extended at their design speed of 370 km/h (200 kn), and the Navy was already asking for a faster diving speed of 240 kn (440 km/h).

The second aircraft was extensively modified prior to delivery to try to address the problems. Power was increased by replacing the Hikari with the 626 kW (840 hp) Mitsubishi Kinsei 3 in a redesigned cowling, and the vertical tail was enlarged to help with the directional instability. The wings were slightly larger in span and the outer sections of the leading edges had wash-out to combat the snap rolls, and strengthened dive brakes were fitted. These changes cured all of the problems except the directional instability, and it was enough for the D3A1 to win over the Nakajima D3N1.

General characteristics

Crew: Two (pilot and gunner)
Length: 10.2 m (33 ft 5 in)
Wingspan: 14.37 m (47 ft 2 in)
Height: 3.85 m (12 ft 8 in)
Wing area: 34.9 m² (375.6 ft²)
Empty weight: 2,408 kg (5,309 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 3,650 kg (8,047 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Mitsubishi Kinsei 44, 798 kW (1,070 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 389 km/h (205 kn, 242 mph (389 km/h))
Range: 1,472 km (795 nmi, 915 mi (1,473 km))
Service ceiling: 9,300 m (30,500 ft)

Armament

2 × fixed, forward-firing 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 97 machine guns
1 × flexible, rearward-firing 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 92 machine gun
1 × 250 kg (551 lb) or 2 × 60 kg (132 lb) bombs

Videos

Flight of a Val replica:

[youtube]hvWGaWCcZZg[/youtube]

Replica Start Up and Taxi:

[youtube]cOvR2KjzqDU[/youtube]

[m0gb0y74]

The Kit

The kit is supplied in a top opening box with decals for 2 variants. The moulding is from 1965 and the size of the sprue's give this away. It has raised panel lines and rivets. I am going to try to put this kit together without the need to rescribe, but we will see how that pans out. There is some flash but not as bad as one would expect on a kit of this age. One thing that does stand out is that the crew figures are suitable, unlike the one provided in the new Zero kit that I am also building. There is no cockpit - just two 'seats' that sit atop pins which most Airfix kits of this era seem to use. There is no provision for the rear crew member to be seated backwards.

[UKguyInUSA]

Ohhh....a sixties Airfix kit, I hope you have lots of filler at hand?! I like the second color option with the pretty color decals for the horizontal and vertical stabilizers

[TonyCnyc]

Look forward to your version of this very vintage kit. The fit and details leave something to be desired, but the decals are excellent.

[m0gb0y74]

As the interior of the kit is devoid of any detail I wanted to try and add some. Having did some research and looking at other kits I found that there should be a bulkhead between the pilot and the rear crew member. To try and get the correct shape of the interior of the kit I used some Play-Doh and filled the interior, joined the halves together and then stuck the fuselage in the freezer overnight to harden it. Unfortunately when I took it out I left it a bit too long and it started to soften again







Making the best of things I cut the Play-Doh up to create a cross section that I could use to create a set of templates.



In the end I chickened out and only created the bulk-head. As I am going to include the pilots there is not much going to be visible anyway.



An another note the instructions said to use a blue colour for the interior. All other builds I had seen were green so I did some research and it seems that all surviving examples are a shade of green so I just decided to use the same interior colour as the Zero that I am also building.

[m0gb0y74]

Look forward to your version of this very vintage kit. The fit and details leave something to be desired, but the decals are excellent.

You aint kidding about the fit

When you join the fuselage together there is a lot of steps left where one side sits higher than the other.





One of the wings has he top larger than the bottom towards the tip



When I fitted one of the wings to the body I had to make a decision were I was going to rectify the fit issues. I made the decision to fix the issue on the bottom, although at the rear the wing sits slightly higher than it should, but I felt it important to have the front of the wing sitting as best as I could.

[m0gb0y74]

Some filling in of the wing joints done:





I still prefer using Squadron Green putty for larger steps, but love using Perfect Plastic Putty for everything else.

[m0gb0y74]

Main assembly now done and the crew painted and fitted. Next to fit the awful canopy. Visibility through it will be near nil and there are large gaps between the parts to fix so fingers crossed I get it sorted.

[m0gb0y74]

Well I had a puppy disaster with this build - he knocked the box holding the canopy parts off the table and I've lost one of them so I am awaiting replacements from Airfix. I will fit the main part of the canopy, mask the gaps and then paint it to try and get it finished in time.

[m0gb0y74]

Decal nightmare

Applying the decals to the rear and I can't get them to fit. I might take them off and try to paint the markings

[TonyCnyc]

Decal nightmare

Applying the decals to the rear and I can't get them to fit. I might take them off and try to paint the markings

Hi - I had good results on the decals over all that raised detail using Mr Mark Softer, if you want to give them another go.

[m0gb0y74]

It was where they meet that I'm having problems - there are gaps between them. I might try lifting them and repositioning them. If they then go pear shaped I'll remove and paint.

[m0gb0y74]

Well I dunked the tail in a mug of water for an hour and they lifted off (mostly). I've decided to try and paint them so I stuck them to a sheet of ultra thin plasticard and dabbed some paint spots to see which matched best. It looks like Revell 15 for the yellow, and Humbrol 174 for the Red.



Wish me luck

[m0gb0y74]

Going back a few steps the canopy was a really awful fit. Instead of using the existing 'lines' on the transparencies which left the framing too big I masked the canopy in what I thought they should be so we'll see how that comes out. All I can say when it comes to putting the canopy together is thank god for Microscale Micro Kristal Klear!