This aircraft is considered (deservedly) one of the most beautiful combat vehicles of the Second World War. But, besides beautiful forms, in many respects it turned out to be a very interesting car. She fought, like many comrades-in-arms, from the beginning (almost) to the end of that war.
In general, our hero - carrier-based reconnaissance bomber "Yokosuka" D4Y, known in Japan under the name "Suisei" ("Comet") and named by the allies "Judy".
Although in fairness, I note that the Yankees did not particularly bother themselves with the analysis of Japanese technology, therefore ALL single-engine bombers they had were "Judy".
But let's not be like the Americans and take a cog in the plane and its history, especially since there won't be just a lot of analogies and parallels here. There were not as many of them with any plane as with this handsome man. But - take off …
Yes, the D4Y became the second aircraft after the Ki-61, originally designed for a liquid-cooled engine. But in the process of modifications, both aircraft received air-cooled engines familiar to Japan. This is how the Ki-100 and D4Y3 appeared at the end of the war.
Like the deadly charming Mosquito, the Comet was designed as a bomber, went into battle (well, in combat use) as a long-range reconnaissance, and at the end of the war tried himself as a night fighter.
Very similar, isn't it? Except that the multipurpose Mosquito is still respected as one of the most interesting aircraft in the camp of the winners, but the Comet … Alas, this is the fate of all the losers.
Japanese naval bombers are generally a separate topic, because, as I have said more than once, the aviation of the fleet and the ground army developed in completely different ways. Up to the airborne armament, the navy and the army chose their own license / technology suppliers, and do not bring the Buddha to cross their paths. But again, this is a separate research topic altogether.
The main striking force of the Japanese naval aviation was not torpedo bombers, but bombers. The Germans were actually responsible for the development of bombers in Japanese naval aviation.
The cooperation has been very long, since 1931, when the Japanese navy ordered an aircraft from Heinkel, which became the first Japanese dive bomber. This is "Aichi" D1A1, which is essentially "Heinkel" No. 50.
True, not easy to distinguish, if not for the insignia?
Then everything also went on a knurled one, the Germans feverishly designed aircraft to compensate for the losses of the Versailles Treaty, and the Japanese quietly riveted licensed (and not so) copies. D3A1, the next creation from "Aichi" was made under the influence of He.70.
In order for the naval aviation to be head and shoulders above the ground (without such socialist competition it was impossible to live in the Japanese army), it was necessary to change the models in service in time. And in 1936, having just adopted the D3A1, the Japanese naval specialists were puzzled by the replacement of the bomber.
And - of course - let's go to Germany! And again, as expected, they were not with Messerschmitt, but with Heinkel. Where is Mr. Hugo Heinkel, who had just lost the tender for the delivery of a dive bomber in the Luftwaffe (won, of course, the Junkers Ju-87), was tormented by the problem of where to attach the He.118.
Such a small aircraft, with a lot of innovations, but with a tarnished reputation in terms of reliability. But the Japanese hardly knew about this, because the imperial fleet in February 1937 purchased one of the prototypes from Heinkel and a license for its production.
By the way, the army also bought such an aircraft for its own purposes, but nothing sensible came of it either.
Japanese naval designers and engineers arranged a series of tests for Heinkel, during which they smashed the purchased copy to smithereens. After which the He.118 was deemed unsuitable for carrier-based aircraft as very heavy (in fact, no, only 4 tons) and the Japanese refused to order these aircraft to Heinkel.
Having changed their minds about copying, the Japanese decided to modify it to fit their needs. They already knew how to do this, so on a non-competitive basis the task was given to the First Naval Aviation Technical Arsenal in Yokosuka to make "Like No. 118, but better."
The plane was supposed to be lighter, smaller, faster. The range with the bomb load and weapons could be left from the Heinkel.
And it worked!
Relying on the general design solutions of the He.118, the Japanese designed a very compact all-metal midwing. Its wingspan was even smaller than that of the A6M2 Zero fighter, which made it possible to dispense with the folding mechanism of the consoles, thereby saving weight.
Despite the more compact dimensions than the predecessor D3A1, the designers managed to place the same amount of fuel in the aircraft, and even allocate a compartment for the internal suspension of a 500-kg bomb.
From "Heinkel" the "Comet" inherited the developed wing mechanization. In particular, each console had three electrically operated aerodynamic brakes.
Bomb armament, in addition to a 500 kg bomb inside the fuselage, could also include a pair of 30 kg or 60 kg bombs outside on underwing suspensions.
A significant step forward, since the D3A1 could only carry a 250 kg bomb, and even on an external sling. He could, of course, lift 500 kg, but at the expense of less fuel.
Small arms remained invariably weak, with two synchronous 7.7 mm machine guns and one 7.92 mm machine gun on the turrets in the rear of the cockpit.
And we already wrote about the motor. It was the same luxurious 12-cylinder Daimler-Benz DB601A. Yes, liquid cooling, unconventional for Japan. For the fleet, it was produced by the Aichi company under the Atsuta 21 brand. Moreover, the Japanese saved a little by not buying a license for a fuel injection system from Bosch. Therefore, they tried to invent something of their own for a very long time, but the Aichi engineers failed, and therefore (oh, horror !!!) they had to use a system from Mitsubishi, developed for the army version of the motor.
Yes, the DB601A was also produced for the needs of land aviation under the designation Na-40 by the Kawasaki company. Which also squeezed money for the system from "Bosch" and got out by itself, but unlike naval ones, got out with the help of "Mitsubishi".
In general, everything that was at hand was put on "Comet". While the engineers were busy with the injection system, the first copies were equipped with Atsuta 11 engines, which was a DB600G with a capacity of 960 hp. A batch of such motors was purchased from Germany, but not produced. Then, out of poverty, they installed the Atsuta 12 engines. These were imported DB601A.
And oddly enough, it was the engine that caused the disruption of the aircraft's supplies, since for the entire 1941 Aichi was able to handle only 22 engines. A full-fledged serial production got better only in the middle of 1942. Then "Kometa" fully went into production, and it was already possible to seriously talk about replacing the outdated D3A1.
However, along with the series, problems began. Inevitable when testing new technology, but nevertheless, when a wing flutter occurs during a dive, this is a real problem, since a dive bomber …
And while the designers were fighting with the sudden flutter, the military decided to use the aircraft as a deck reconnaissance aircraft. The scout does not need to dive, and there, you see, they will get to the bottom of the problem.
So the dive bomber became a scout. The alterations were minimal, another fuel tank was installed in the bomb bay, plus the external locks for small bombs were strengthened so much that instead of a 60-kg bomb, a 330-liter tank could be suspended.
The standard small arms were retained, the photographic equipment was a Konika K-8 camera with a 250-mm or 500-mm lens. The scout demonstrated excellent flight data - the maximum speed reached 546 km / h, that is, more than that of the newest A6MZ fighter. And the range exceeded 4,500 km.
It was the prototype reconnaissance that discovered the American aircraft carriers at the Battle of Midway. In general, the D4Y1 (as the scout was named) showed outstanding performance. Its range significantly exceeded that of the Nakajima B5N2 aircraft, which was previously used as a deck reconnaissance aircraft. Therefore, on July 6, 1942, it was decided to adopt the "carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft naval type 2 model 11", or D4Y1-C.
In total, about 700 (data vary from 665 to 705) reconnaissance aircraft were produced, which fought until the last days of the war. The pilots loved the aircraft for its ease of control and superior performance. Among the shortcomings were the lack of armor and protection of gas tanks, but this was a sore spot for almost all Japanese aircraft of that period.
Technicians complained about problems with the maintenance of the Atsuta 21 motors, but this was more a consequence of insufficient training in handling the liquid-cooled engine than the shortcomings of the motor itself.
Meanwhile, the designers again taught the bomber version to dive. The wing structure was significantly strengthened and the air brakes were improved. In this form, in March 1943, the aircraft was put into service under the designation "Suisey model 11 naval bomber."
By the beginning of 1944, the production rate of "Komet" reached 90 cars per month. This made it possible in February-March to begin rearmament on D4Y1 seven air units at once to begin coastal deployment.
Around the same time, "Comets" appeared on the decks of aircraft carriers. In particular, the ships of the 1st aircraft carrier squadron (Taiho, Sekaku, Zuikaku) received new vehicles.
For the 2nd aircraft carrier squadron ("Junyo", "Hiyo" and "Ryuidzo") "Comets" also appeared, but in smaller numbers.
In June 1944, both squadrons entered the battle for the Mariana Islands. Almost all combat-ready forces of Japanese carrier-based aircraft took part in this battle. The combined aircraft carrier formation under the command of Vice Admiral Ozawa had 436 aircraft, including 73 "Comets" - 57 bombers and 16 reconnaissance aircraft.
The first success of "Comets" took place two days after the start of the battle for the Mariana Islands. A group of dive bombers attacked a group of five escort aircraft carriers. All but one crew missed. One 250-kg bomb pierced the deck of the aircraft carrier Fenshaw Bay and exploded inside the aircraft hangar.
The Americans were very lucky, they were able to quickly extinguish the fire, and the torpedoes lying in the hangar did not detonate. Fenshaw Bay crept into Pearl Harbor and got up there for repairs.
On June 18, a battle took place, which the Americans called "the great Mariana turkey hunt." It was a battle of aircraft carriers against aircraft carriers, and the Americans won here, shooting down 96 aircraft, of which 51 were Comet. Nine more dive bombers went to the bottom along with the sunk aircraft carriers Taiho and Sekaku.
The Japanese had absolutely nothing to brag about.
During the battles for the Mariana Islands, a pleasant (for some Japanese pilots) bonus came to light. The speed of the D4Y1, which made it possible to escape without losses in those moments when, for example, the B6N suffered heavy losses from American fighters.
By the end of 1943, a modification of the AE1P "Atsuta 32" engine with a capacity of 1400 hp went into production. The D4Y2 model 12 dive bomber was designed for this engine. The new modification differed from its predecessor not only by a more powerful engine, but also by an increased fuel reserve. However, the Japanese, as before, spat on survivability. The armor protection of the cockpit, as before, was absent, and the fuel tanks were not sealed.
True, the model 22A with reinforced armament went into production. Instead of a 7, 92-mm machine gun, a 13-mm Type 2 machine gun was installed in the observer's cockpit. This was already an achievement in itself, since the armament of Japanese aircraft for a very long time did not stand up to criticism at all.
Well, the last modification was the "Type 2 Suisey Model 33" deck dive bomber, or D4Y3.
An epoch-making decision was made to replace the liquid-cooled engine with an air vent. Aichi specialists have calculated the possibility of installing an air-cooled radial engine on the aircraft. The most suitable was the MK8R Kinsey 62 engine from Mitsubishi with a capacity of 1500 hp. with.
The aircraft also received an increased vertical tail of the D4Y2-S type. The fuel supply was significantly reduced - from 1540 to 1040 liters.
Everyone liked the test results. Yes, the larger diameter of the engine somewhat worsened the view during the approach, but since the Japanese fleet had actually lost all its aircraft carriers, the naval aviation by that time had almost completely switched to shore-based, and at a land airfield it was not critical.
But the bomb load increased sharply - two underwing assemblies, after strengthening, allowed the suspension of 250-kg bombs. To ensure takeoff from short runways or from light aircraft carriers, we have provided for the suspension under the fuselage of three Type 4-1 Model 20 powder boosters with a thrust of 270 kg each.
The second half of 1944 was marked by the beginning of the destruction of Japanese aircraft. The battles for Formosa and the Philippines cost the Japanese command a huge number of aircraft. The battles were fought with tremendous tension and were accompanied by a huge number of downed aircraft.
On October 24, probably, the "Comets" achieved their maximum success in the war. When the combined forces of both fleets (73 attack aircraft and 126 fighters) launched for another raid on American ships, several aircraft managed to approach the American ships in the clouds and attack them.
A bomb from one of the D4Ys pierced three decks of the aircraft carrier Princeton and exploded in the galley, setting off a fire. The flames reached the hangar deck, where the fueled and armed Avengers were …
In general, everything that could explode and detonate detonated and exploded in the fire. Not only was the aircraft carrier destroyed, but the cruiser Birmingham, which came up to participate in the rescue operation, was also very badly damaged.
So a warship was sunk by one bomb, and the second was heavily damaged.
D4Ys of all three modifications were used as kamikaze aircraft. Moreover, it was very active, which was facilitated by a good speed and the ability to take on board enough explosives.
Acting in the usual style, that is, with bombs, the "Comets" on October 30, 1944 once again reached the "Franklin" and once again thoroughly damaged the aircraft carrier. On the same day, a D4Y kamikaze crashed into the deck of the Bellew Wood aircraft carrier.
On November 25 and 27, the kamikaze damaged aircraft carriers Hancock, Cabot and Intrepid, battleship Colorado, cruisers St. Louis and Montpellier. D4Y took part in all the attacks, but it is not possible to say exactly who was effective, the Komet kamikaze pilots or the kamikaze pilots who worked with them on the Zero.
On December 7, the kamikaze on the "Comets" took part in an attempt to repel the American landing in Oromo Bay. Two planes sank the destroyer Mahen, and three more the fast landing craft Ward. The LSM-318 medium landing ship was also sunk, and three others were damaged.
On January 4, 1945, a D4Y, piloted by Lieutenant Kazama, crashed into the escort aircraft carrier Ommani Bay. The bomb from the dive bomber fell from the holders and fell through the air lift shaft onto the hangar deck, causing the explosion of tanks with gasoline and ammunition.
After 18 minutes, the aircraft carrier turned into a huge blazing fire. It was not possible to save the ship, but the evacuation of the personnel took place in exemplary order and the losses were minimized: only 23 dead and 65 wounded. The burnt-out hull of the ship was subsequently flooded with torpedoes from the escort destroyer.
In total, during the battles for the Philippines, the kamikaze sank 28 ships and damaged over 80. A significant part of these successes was achieved by the pilots of the "Comet".
Well, it should be said about the last, fourth modification of the "Comet". The D4Y4 is a Type 2 Model 43 dive bomber.
The Japanese command decided on the need to increase the shock load and implement the suspension under the fuselage of a bomb weighing 800 kg. The bomb bay doors had to be dismantled, since the bomb protruded beyond the fuselage contours, and the landing gear had to be reinforced.
Finally, after all the color of the Japanese naval aviation had already been lost, they thought about survivability. This is the case when "better late than never" plays. It was too late. But the D4Y4 finally got armor - a 7-mm armored back for the pilot's seat and a 75-mm frontal armored glass. On this they decided that enough was enough.
The capacity of the fuel tanks was increased to 1345 liters, and the tanks themselves were made sealed.
Let me remind you that it was in 1945. Such are the innovations …
But an outright stupid fascination with kamikaze tactics led to the fact that about three hundred were released normal D4Y4, and then a freak-carrier kamikaze went into the series.
Single option. The glass of the large cockpit in the rear part was replaced with metal sheets, the unnecessary bomb release was removed, and the radio station was removed. They stopped installing machine guns, both rear ones, so soon they abandoned the front ones. Some of the machines were equipped with three solid-propellant boosters. Now they could be used not only to facilitate the launch, but also to increase the speed of the aircraft in a dive in order to enhance the impact.
Despite the approaching catastrophe, the Japanese military-political leadership in the spring of 1945 continued to harbor illusions about the revival of the former power of the fleet. In particular, it was planned to build 19 aircraft carriers of the Taiho and Unryu types, and new aircraft were designed for this armada.
This is how the last modification of the "Comet" appeared - D4Y5, aka "Type 2 dive bomber model 54".
But the war ended faster than the prototype of the aircraft was built, we simply will not say anything about 19 strike aircraft carriers, because even at the time of the idea of their construction, everything looked completely frivolous.
So only the kamikaze attacks looked serious.
1945 was generally the year of the kamikaze benefit performance.
The aircraft carriers Langley and Ticonderoga, the destroyers Maddock and Halsey Powell, and the cruiser Indianapolis were completely incapacitated and met the end of the war being repaired after kamikaze attacks. The escort aircraft carrier Bismarck Sea was less fortunate and sank.
Four kamikazes damaged the heavy aircraft carrier Saratoga. The aircraft carrier withstood kamikaze hits, but completely lost its combat effectiveness and went to the United States for repairs.
It is worth noting that the Suisei / Comet was the second most widespread kamikaze aircraft after the Zero. Sometimes, when the planes "worked" together, it is difficult to determine who struck, but there are a number of cases where the involvement of D4Y is confirmed.
Kamikaze on D4Y damaged the battleship Maryland and the aircraft carrier Hancock, sank the destroyer Mannert L. Abel, two D4Ys crashed into the deck of the aircraft carrier Enterprise, damaging the ship again.
But even the tactics of kamikaze with solid-propellant boosters turned out to be powerless against the air defense of American ships and fighters.
But in fact, the result of using the D4Y both as a conventional bomber and a kamikaze, we can say that the plane was very effective. In total, about 2,000 D4Ys of all modifications were produced, and if we estimate at least approximately the damage caused by them, we can say that the plane was more than useful.
But hammering nails with a microscope - unfortunately, this turned out to be the lot of this very promising aircraft. Like any machine of German design, the "Comet" had, and was not bad, modernization potential. But it just so happened that this plane was made a carrier of the kamikaze. But this is the lot of the losers, obsessed with the idea of total war of destruction.
And the plane was pretty good. Mr. Heinkel could give himself a plus. Not for He.118, but for D4Y.
LTH D4Y2
Wingspan, m: 11, 50
Length, m: 10, 22
Height, m: 3, 175
Wing area, m2: 23, 60
Weight, kg
- empty aircraft: 2640
- normal takeoff: 4353
Engine: 1 x Aichi AE1P Atsuta 32 x 1400 HP
Maximum speed, km / h: 579
Cruising speed, km / h: 425
Practical range, km: 3600
Combat range, km:
- normal: 1520
- with two PTBs: 2390
Practical ceiling, m: 10 700
Crew, people: 2
Armament: 2 x 7, 7-mm synchronous machine guns Type 97, 1 x 7, 7-mm machine gun Type 92 on a defensive installation in the rear cockpit, in the bomb bay 1 x 250 or 1 x 500 kg bomb.
