1:48 Aichi D3A1 Val part 1 - Pearl harbor raid, 7. December 1941

The morning that decided the war in the Pacific

On 7 December 1941 two attack waves took off from Japanese aircraft carriers, and among them the Aichi D3A dive bombers. The Type 99, with its fixed, faired landing gear and elliptical wing, was one of the most controllable machines of its category, and in the following months it sank more Allied warships than any other Axis dive bomber.

Which machines the sheets cover

The set concentrates on the command machines of both waves. Lieutenant Takashige Egusa led the second wave of dive bombers from the deck of the Soryu, and his D3A1 with its striking finish carried the marking Bl-231; the crew was completed by Lieutenant Tatsu Ishi. Egusa had two conspicuously painted machines with schemes of their own, which are still referred to today under the name Ya-Ya Uma. The second aircraft covered, Bl-238, took off from the Shokaku with Lieutenant Kakuichi Takahashi and Lieutenant Saizo Koizumi; Takahashi led the first wave.

Application

The surface under a decal has to be glossy and degreased, otherwise matte edges will appear under the film. Sheets of this type are released in water at room temperature and slid onto the model with a brush. Once dry, going over the join with gloss varnish is recommended, so that the edge disappears under a subsequent matte overcoat.

What you need to buy as well

The aircraft itself is not included in the price. The sheets are applied to an already built and sprayed model of the matching size. Besides a kit it is worth having gloss and matte varnish at hand and a dish of lukewarm water. The applied markings are left to harden for several hours, and only then will they take a further coat of varnish.