Catapult Hurricanes defend Force Z

Could Prince of Wales and Repulse carry catapult Hurricanes, and would enough fighters stop the aircraft attacking Force Z?

A small fighter force could disrupt the attack; the argument partly relies on the revised claim that torpedo bombers had sacrificed defensive guns for range.

The ships' existing catapults, used for aircraft such as Walrus and Swordfish, make a Hurricane launch plausible in the discussion. The fighters could not land back aboard, and their ability to return to Singapore would depend on fuel. Even one fighter from each ship is expected to disrupt the attack, while a larger launch would depend on readiness and warning time. Alex Clarke initially describes the attacking bombers as unarmed, then corrects that blanket claim after checking his notes. His revised account allows defensive guns on some high-level G3M bombers while maintaining that the G4Ms and torpedo-carrying G3Ms had removed them for range. The predicted success of a small fighter force relies partly on that assessment of the attackers' armament.