The Martlets were intended to patrol at medium level, with the Hurricanes
above them at 20,000 feet. During the critical day's passage to the south of
Sardinia eighteen fighters would be maintained on patrol at all times, with
as many more at immediate readiness; if attack appeared to be imminent,
then twelve more fighters would be flown off, so that a total of forty-eight
fighters might be airborne at once.
Eagle
801 Squadron 12 Sea Hurricanes
(plus four spare)
813 Squadron 4 Sea Hurricanes
Victorious
809 Squadron 10 Fulmar IIs
884 Squadron 6 Fulmar IIs
885 Squadron 5 Sea Hurricanes
Indomitable
800 Squadron 12 Sea Hurricanes
806 Squadron 9 Martlet IIs
880 Squadron 10 Sea Hurricanes....
...to make room for those which were less unserviceable, Victorious had
eight Sea Hurricanes, three Martlets, and ten Fulmars - exactly the same
number as she had possessed on passing Gibraltar. Seven fighters had
been lost in combat during the day - three Fulmars, three Sea Hurricanes,
and a Martlet, but when the claims were analysed the pilots were credited
with thirty-eight victories, four by the Martlets, nine by the outclassed
Fulmars, and twenty-five by the Sea Hurricanes. Four pilots and two Ful-
mar telegraphists were lost with their aircraft.
By any standards, the shipboard fighters had scored a victory. The
enemy had held the initiative throughout 12th August, attacking in great
strength, with an escort which always outnumbered the defenders. Not
until the third raid did the fighters manage to subdue the tired naval pilots,
most of whom were flying their third or fourth sorties of the day. Even
then, the sixty-one attack aircraft managed to obtain only two really
damaging hits and they neglected the convoy, which was of far greater
strategic significance.