The D4Y Suisei first flew in December 1940 and was expected to supply Japan's next generation of carrier dive bombers. Its specifications and development schedule suggest that an operation against the United States could have influenced the design. The timing of early Pearl Harbor discussions is offered as another reason for that interpretation. The connection remains a hypothesis based on the aircraft's characteristics and normal development timetable, with an explicit acknowledgment that it cannot be proved.
Notable Point · 1:02:02-1:02:52
Was the D4Y intended for a Pearl Harbor operation?
The Suisei's specifications and development timing suggest a connection with Pearl Harbor planning, but that connection remains unproven.