Could Brewster Buffaloes have protected Force Z?

Could the Brewster Buffalo fighters in Malaya have protected Force Z from the Japanese strike?

Possibly: fighters remained available, but a message that bomber and reconnaissance support was unavailable was understood as meaning that no air support could be requested.

The available Buffaloes might have disrupted the unescorted Japanese bombers. Force Z had been told that air support was unavailable, but the restriction concerned bomber and reconnaissance help rather than every fighter. Because the ships believed no assistance existed, they avoided transmitting a request that might reveal their position. Timely clarification could have improved Repulse's chance of survival, although Prince of Wales would still have faced poor odds.