Aichi D3A Val dive bomber - for debbielove by goodoleboy
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No AI - This artwork was created entirely by hand or with traditional digital tools.
Description
Captured on film back in April 2001, on Visitor's Day at the March AFB Museum in Riverside, CA., the same day and place I took pics of the famed P-38 interceptor, B-29 bomber, and SR-71 Blackbird, which are on display in my gallery.
The Aichi D3A (Allied code name Val) was a World War II dive bomber produced by the Aichi company in Japan. It first flew in January 1938, and between December 1939 and August 1945 the Aichi Company built a total of 1495 in two main variants. It was the primary carrier-borne dive bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy in the early stages of the war, and participated in almost all actions, including Pearl Harbor, where 51 of these aircraft attacked Battleship Row and other US Navy installations on the Hawaiian island of Oahu.
Source: Wikipedia Encyclopedia and The Complete Guide to Fighters & Bombers by Francis Corby.
Actually, other than its fixed landing gear, the plane bears a remarkable resemblance to its US counterpart, the carrier-based Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless dive bomber, the hero of the Battle of Midway.
If I had known the historic significance of the D3A Val at the time, I would have taken more photos of it.
Anyway, I postworked this photo to death in eliminating a lot of the grain, noise and shadow, so prominent in my old aircraft film captures.
Thankx for clicking on, and have a humongous hump day.
Comments (16)
Excellent shot with a A+ for post work too. Your notes put it all into perspective. Well done my friend.
It's a great photo, even though I know nothing about the subject matter. You did excellent postwork, Harry!
nice shot of an interesting subject thanks for the info
I like the pov of this. real cool shot
Great plane photo, thank you.
Nice job getting this up.Postwork pays off.Another rare bird, hope it's under cover by now.What ever it's past it deserves to be preserved.
You did a great job with the post work! Very nice image of this old aircraft!
Nice shot!
Fabulous shot of this old warbird Harry, nice work!
Actually, it's a replica of a Val made from a BT-13. This is a neat plane in it's own right, however. To see a real Val you you can go to Chino airport's Planes of Fame, that Val, however, has a B-25 engine and cowling replacing the original. www.toratoratora.com/recreat_jap_af.pdf
great shot...
Fantastic shot.
Dude! Just spotted this! Phew! Have to put on Fave artists..... What a rare plane. Never seen one myself. Flying or museum bound! Cheers for posting it for me. More planes - always welcome! Rob.
Fantastic capture of a very rare bird. We really need a model of one of these. Thanks for posting this.
It has an amazing presence, Harry, like a big old contraption that once had a major life. Hard to imagine—at least for me—that this was once a terror to many soldiers. You did a good job removing all the "noise" that you wanted to remove, but the plane still sits in all its bulbous & simple glory. It reminds one that the plane wasn't what was terrifying, it was the people who were flying it (and their cause); because sitting here like this, it seems like an old contraption sunning in the field...Good angle too (the props flush with the line of the building, etc), and I'm glad we can see the red sun: That must've struck terror into the hearts of every American who saw it. I wonder what it's like to see these many years later...are they still bracing or just old relics...Fine shot, Harry, and thanks for all the vital history...
great shot and info...thanx for sharing! :-)