The endurance problem in coastal convoy air cover

Did British coastal convoys receive regular land-based fighter cover?

Air cover was intended, but early-war shortages and the limited endurance of Hurricanes and Spitfires made continuous protection difficult until longer-ranged aircraft became more available.

The operational requirement was endurance rather than a short burst of speed or maneuverability. Early in the war, the RAF's principal fighters could not remain over a convoy for long, leaving gaps in protection. Later aircraft such as the Beaufighter made sustained coastal coverage more practical.