Why escort carriers needed fighters as well as ASW aircraft

HMS Audacity shows why convoy defence extended beyond submarine hunting. An 11,000-ton carrier with about eight aircraft would have been difficult to justify in peacetime but could be invaluable once war exposed the operational need. Her Fleet Air Arm Martlets, called Wildcats outside Fleet Air Arm usage, shot down seven Fw 200 Condors. Eric "Winkle" Brown scored a victory and survived Audacity's eventual sinking. Condors threatened merchant ships directly and also helped guide U-boats toward convoys, so fighters protected the escort system against both attack and reconnaissance. Convoy defence needed a mix of capabilities because aircraft and submarines reinforced one another.