Yokosuka Type 2 Carrier Recon-Dive Bomber Suisei / D4Y (Judy)
Technical Information

Background
Yokosuka Type 2 Carrier Recoansn-Dive Bomber Suisei / D4Y. Nicknamed Suisei 彗星 meaning "comet". Code named Judy. Built as a replacement for the D3A Val and entered service in large numbers in 1943. Powered by Aichi Atsuta liquid cooled V-12 engine (based on Geramn Daimler-Benz DB 600G). The Judy was extremely nimble and was the fastest dive bomber of World War II. Also known by the Japanese as a "carrier bomber".

Wartime History
The Judy entered service in large numbers in 1943. Used September 1944 during the the Battle of the Marianas and in the Philippines. During 1945 used as a night fighter armed with an oblique firing cannon in the rear cockpit aimed upward.

D4Y1 Model 21
First production aircraft powered by Aichi AE1A Atsuta 12 engine.

D4Y2 Model 22
During May 1944, manufacture of the D4Y2 model began. Stream lining blister on the top of the rear portion of the engine cowling (at the break between the forward cowling piece and the rear portion over the accessory section). That is the only way to tell the difference between the two models if you don't have an manufacture number. The little blister was needed to make clearance for an accessory on the Atsuta Model 31/32 engines of the D4Y2 that stuck up higher than the one on the Atsuta Model 21 of the D4Y1.

D4Y3 Model 33
During 1944, the engine was replaced with a radial Kinsei 61 engine delivering 1,400hp due to shortages and maintenance issued related to the Atsuta engine. This model was deemed to be more maneuverable at take off and had almost no engine trouble.

D4Y4 Model 43
Final production variant with increased bombload to 800 kg. Added bullet proof glass to the canopy and armor plate to the cockpit plus protected fuel tanks.

D4Y5 Suisei Model 54
Planned version never built with Nakajima Homare radial engine, four-blade propeller, and more armor protection.

Production
A total of 2,038 D4Ys were built as follows:
Dai-Ichi Kaigun Koku Gijitsuho at Yokosuka:
5 13-Shi prototypes (1940-41)

Aichi Kokuki K.K., at the Eitoku Plant, Nagoya:
660 D4Y1 production (Spring 1942–April 1944)
326 D4Y2 production (April 1944–August 1944)
536 D4Y3 production (May 1944–February 1944)
296 D4Y4 production (Februray 1945–August 1945)

Dai-Juichi Kaigun Kokusho at Hiro:
215 D4Y1, D4Y2 and D4Y3 production (April 1944-July 1945)

Technical Details (D4Y2)
Crew  Two (pilot and observer)
Engine  1 × Aichi Atsuta AE1P 32 V-12 inverted liquid-cooled piston engine,, 1,000 kW (1,400 hp) driving three bladed propeller
Span  11.5 m
Length  11.22 m
Height  3.74 m
Maximum Speed  342 mph
Range  910 mi
Armament   (nose) 2 x 7.7mm Type 97 machine guns (rear) 1 x 12.7mm or 7.92mm Type 1 machine gun
Bombload  500 kg (1,102 lb) bomb or 800 kg (1,764 lb) of bombs as a kamikaze