How larger carriers multiply the Taranto strike

The changed fleet balance may leave fewer British capital ships tied to Germany and more available for the Mediterranean. Small carriers could take over some anti-submarine duties, while the absence of Scharnhorst and Gneisenau makes the historical loss of Glorious less likely. Under this estimate, a larger Illustrious could launch dedicated torpedo, dive-bombing, and flare-dropping elements instead of asking a small Swordfish force to divide all three tasks. Adding Glorious and Eagle produces a notional strike of well over a hundred aircraft, enough to threaten every Italian capital ship concentrated at Taranto.