British hunting groups often paired a capital ship with a carrier. If Courageous had survived to accompany Hood and Prince of Wales, her aircraft could have maintained contact and launched repeated torpedo strikes before or after Denmark Strait. Even one steering-damage hit would have changed whether Bismarck could disengage and might have allowed King George V to join a deliberate concentration. The historical force was weaker than pre-war doctrine intended because earlier carrier losses and Prince of Wales's unreliable guns narrowed British options.
Notable Point · 1:27:56-1:34:12
How a carrier changes the hunt for Bismarck
A surviving British fleet carrier could have added reconnaissance and repeated torpedo attacks to the capital ships engaging Bismarck.