The D1A developed from a Heinkel design into a modified Japanese production aircraft. It carried a substantial centerline bomb alongside smaller wing bombs, indicating the scale of the intended strike mission. Nearly 600 served the Imperial Japanese naval air service and the Manchukuo Imperial Navy, making the type more than a paper experiment. The production run reflects Japan's growing investment in carrier-borne dive bombing before the Pacific war.
Notable Point · 1:28:22-1:30:10
Aichi D1A and Japan's dive-bomber investment
The Aichi D1A shows Japan committing to a heavy carrier dive bomber while adapting foreign design influences to its own needs.