D4y

The D4Y, designated Suisei by the Imperial Japanese Navy and given the Allied code name Judy, was a single‑engine, two‑seat dive bomber and reconnaissance aircraft developed by Aichi Kokuki for the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service during World War II. Introduced in 1941, it was intended as a lightweight successor to the D3A Val, offering higher speed and longer range while retaining dive‑bombing capability. The aircraft was designed for both carrier and land-based operations, featuring a low‑wing cantilever monoplane configuration, retractable landing gear, and folding wings. It carried bombs in an internal arrangement and on underwing racks, and could be equipped for reconnaissance with cameras and radio gear.

Variants were produced to improve performance and equipment. The D4Y1 was the initial production version, followed by the D4Y2 and D4Y3, which introduced changes to cockpit visibility, armor, dive brakes, and radio gear. The D4Y remained in service in limited numbers into 1945, taking part in operations across multiple theaters including the Pacific and Southeast Asia, principally in dive bombing and reconnaissance roles.

Operators: Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service. Impact: The D4Y contributed to Japan’s dive bombing campaigns but faced increasing Allied air superiority as the war progressed. The aircraft is remembered as part of Japan’s late‑war naval air power and its attempt to balance speed, range, and offensive capability within a single airframe.