FACTOIDS & TRIVIA

The Yokusuka D4Y2 (allied code name "Judy") was the replacement for D3A "Val" dive bomber. The D4Y was sleek, agile and fast thanks to its internal bomb bay and licensed-built Daimler-Benz V-12 engine (yes, the same one that powered the Messerschmitt Bf-109!). It had good range and could fly the equivalent of Kansas City, Missouri to Goodland, Kansas, dropping its bomb load, and fly back to KC. Its speed and agility was impressive enough to set up some D4Ys as either night fighters or reconnaissance aircraft. Unfortunately, the design had some flaws that took over four years to work out before it was ready for action in 1943. That delay proved costly because by the time the Judy was produced in significant numbers, the allies pretty much ruled the skies over the Pacific. In addition, keeping the D4Y2 version airworthy proved difficult because the mechanics were not very familiar with working on water-cooled V-12 engines as they were with the simpler air-cooled radial engines. Here's a short clip of me attempting, and failing, a bombing run in a D4Y2.

YOKOSUKA D4Y2 Model 12 "Judy"

 

 

 Class: Dive Bomber

 Crew: 2

 Engine: Aichi Atsuta AEIP 32 inverted V-12 (1,400 hp)

 Max Speed: 360 mph at 17,225 ft

 Climb Rate: 2,700 ft/min

 Service Ceiling: 35,105 ft

 Range: 910 miles

 Armament: 1 x .303 inch machine gun (flexible mount rear-firing)
                       2 x .303 inch machine gun (wing mount)
                       1,100 lb bomb load

 

  Model Scale:  1:100



















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