Aichi 99 Kanbaku 'Val' Units: 1937-42 (Combat Aircraft) [Paperback]

Osamu Tagaya (Author), Jim Laurier (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 20, 2011 | Series: Combat Aircraft (Book 63)

The Aichi Type 99 Carrier Bomber (D3A) - code named 'Val' by Allied intelligence - was the mainstay of the Imperial Japanese Navy's carrier dive-bomber force from 1941 to 1943. It sank more Allied warship tonnage than any other Axis aircraft during World War II (1939-1945). While the Val's participation in the major carrier battles has been widely covered in other English language sources, details of its operations have received scant attention in English. This book explores the Val's combat operations. Colour illustrations and photographs complement the development of dive-bombing methods in the IJN.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Osprey's Combat series combines the best archival photography available with specially commissioned artworks and first hand accounts, making these books favourites amongst historians, modellers and aviation enthusiasts everywhere.

About the Author

The son of a former officer in the Japanese Naval Air Technical Arsenal, Osamu Tagaya has written a number of books on Japanese aircraft, principally for the Smithsonian Institute. Born in Japan and educated in the US, Osamu has also lived in the UK and brings unique bilingual and broad cultural perspectives to his lifelong aviation research. This is his third book for Osprey. He lives in California, USA.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (December 20, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841769126
• ISBN-13: 978-1841769127
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 0.3 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #30,162 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #18 in Books > History > Asia > Japan
  • #31 in Books > History > Military > Aviation
  • #48 in Books > History > Military > Naval

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Glory Days of the Aichi Val!, January 6, 2012

By 

Michael OConnor "Wordsmith" (Wausau, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Aichi 99 Kanbaku 'Val' Units: 1937-42 (Combat Aircraft) (Paperback)

The Aichi Type 99 Carrier-based Bomber (D3A) was the Japanese equivalent of the Ju 87 Stuka. For several years, the graceful, fixed-gear IJN dive-bomber wreaked havoc on countless Allied installations and shipping. Despite being Japan's premier ship-killer, few English-language books have been published detailing the development and combat history of the D3A. Happily, Osamu Tagaya, who has written extensively on Japanese aircraft, and Osprey Publishing combined talents to produce this comprehensive, nicely-illustrated summary of the Aichi's early years of service.

Entering service in 1939, the D3A was soon combat-tested over China. Playing a leading role in the Pearl Harbor attack, the D3A spearheaded the IJN's subsequent sweep across the Pacific. Its expert crews, growing ever-deadlier, compiled a combat record second to none, culminating in their devastating April 1942 attacks on cruisers HMS Cornwall and HMS Dorsetshire along with aircraft carrier HMS Hermes, which saw the D3A squadrons scoring the highest hit ratio by dive-bombers in history. The Aichi squadrons added two American carriers to the total - USS Lexington at Coral Sea and USS Yoktown at Midway - but Midway spelled the end of Japan's victories.

The definitive book on the Aichi Type 99 is undoubtedly Peter Smith's AICHI D3A1/2 VAL, published by Crowood in 1999. However, Tagaya's book is a fresh, updated, eminently readable book tracing the D3A's devlopment and first years of combat. I wish Tagaya could have included more reminiscences from D3A crews but I doubt many survived the war!

The illustrations especially Jim Laurier's first-class color profiles of 15 D3As are a big plus. And I have to give a special nod to Mark Postlethwaite for his evocative cover art showing the D3A of LCdr. Kakuichi Takahashi posed over Ford Island about to roll in and deliver the first bomb of the Pearl Harbor attack. Very well-done, atmospheric artwork.

In short, fans of the Pacific air war, IJN air units or dive-bombers in general should find something of interest in AICHI 99 KANBAKU 'VAL' UNITS, 1937-42. Recommended.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Real Gem, January 30, 2012

By 

Aviation Buff (Stratford, CT USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Aichi 99 Kanbaku 'Val' Units: 1937-42 (Combat Aircraft) (Paperback)

Another great release by Osprey, this one giving us a new look at various air/naval battles from the Japanese point of view. Covers "Val" use, 1937-42, in China, Pearl Harbor, Indian Ocean, Coral Sea, Midway and the Aleutians. Fascinating, I couldn't put it down!

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars OK as far as it goes, January 30, 2012

By 

Dave Diels - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Aichi 99 Kanbaku 'Val' Units: 1937-42 (Combat Aircraft) (Paperback)

I bought the book mainly for the color profiles as a guide to building a model of the Val. I was disappointed in that it had very little info on what the aircraft colors for the Battle of Midway were. Other that that and missing any line 3 view drawings it was just OK. Lots of info on Pearl Harbor and post Midway Vals so all is not lost.