The D4Y was one of the fastest dive-bombers of the war and only the delays in its development hindered its service while its predecessor, the slower fixed-gear Aichi D3A, remained in service much longer than intended. ###>Seuls des retards de développement ont gêné sa mise en service, au profit de son prédécesseur, le robuste mais lent Aichi D3A qui resta en activité jusqu'à la fin de la guerre.