Béarn was a poor fleet carrier but not a useless ship. Her speed and handling limitations mattered less in an escort role tied to convoy movement. An additional flight deck could carry patrol and defensive aircraft where the alternative was no carrier cover at all. She never received the opportunity to demonstrate that value, leaving any German submarine commander who expected an easy target without the chance to test the assumption.
Notable Point · 1:31:44-1:32:11
Béarn's limitations still left a convoy role
The slow and awkward French carrier could still have provided valuable convoy air cover if wartime events had allowed her to serve.